Hi! My name is Marcos Coehlo, I’m from Brazil and I studied Design. I grew up on a small town and lived for a few years on a countryside house with my parents. The main motivation of my work was to make something I could pour my heart into, immerse myself completely. I love nature, music, literature and cinema.
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How did you become an illustrator/Artist?
Since I was a little kid I like to cut and paste, work with paper and personas, making up stories about them, etc. When I started do study and work with Design at some point I figured out that I could mix the analog and digital processes and this fascinates me, since the first try on a digital collage that I’ve never stopped of doing it, it’s like I’ve found what I really meant to do.
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How long have you been an illustrator/Artist?
I started to work seriously with collage since 2014.
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Do you think an illustrator/Artist needs a style? Why? Do you have tips on developing an style?
Yes, I think it’s cool to be recognized by your own style, but I also think that the most important is to be at ease with our own process and enjoy it, these things take time and you could never compare your work with the work of artists that you admire expecting that the first time you try something new you’ll succeed, everyone has their own path and ways to express their selves and this is the coolest part of being an artist. My major tip is to know yourself, put your heart on your work and try as many things and techniques you could, so you’ll know where to put your efforts, where you feel more comfortable, etc. And then pursue the excellence to master your own style and technique.
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Could you describe your creative process?
Messy, hahahaha. There are no linear path on my work, it’s almost pure feeling, at first I select the images that I would like to use and then I cut them and store on a folder, so when the day come that I want to do something I search randomly on this folder and I start composing with what I find there, always listening to music.
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What part of your life is reflected in your illustrations?
My productions are, essentially, a way of expressing the conflict contrast between the pressure of living on a big city and having responsibilities of adult life, and these feelings of homesickness, of yearning for the utmost form of peace that is connection with nature, life itself, and the thought of missing things I don’t quite know how to name yet. My inspirations are placed on a range that goes from comics and music to the human mind and its gimmicks, philosophy, fiction and science.
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What would you say is your strongest skill?
To be true to myself and respect my limitations, patience and resilience.
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Who are the people who have influenced your aesthetics and your approach to design?
This one is hard to answer ‘cos there are so many, every reference and situation that brings me where I am today i guess… The movies that I’ve watched and the people with who I talked, the music that I listen, the nature itself, the artists I love and my friends and family, everything is reference if you know where to look at.
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Which is your favorite piece of art from your own designs? Why?
“They made a statue of us” It’s one of the first that I’ve made and i remember to think: “i’ll hardly do something as great again hahhaha I can’t explain why, but i love it. I tend to dislike my works when they get “older” because it’s never about the done work but about the process itself, so i usually don’t have a favorite piece except this one.
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What are you passionate about besides your work?
Music, cinema, literature, nature and people.
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What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Trust in myself. This always has been the hardest thing to do for me and in the past few years I’m achieving it through art which is an amazing thing, and with it the recognition of my work, something that i’m really proud about.
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What advice would you give to up-and-coming illustrators?
Do the things you’ve always wanted to do, try to know yourself, respect your timing and always put your heart and soul on your works, if something is pure and sincere everybody will notice it.
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Could you describe a typical day?
I wake up about 7 a.m and do some exercise, eat my breakfast and start working at my regular job [I work for a design studio from home] until it’s 7 p.m, then i usually read a little or go out with my girlfriend or friends, play guitar, watch something and do some collages, i usually work with collage at least 2 or 4 hours through the day.
