interview with illustrator Ana Paula Zonta

A new interview, this time with an incredibile and sweet illustrator I met on Etsy.
Her name is Ana Paula Zonta, she's from Brazil and she's the girl behind the shop Anaiaia.
Enjoy!

1. tell us about your shop on Etsy

Anaiaia is a shop where you can find printed illustrations to light up your place :)

2. how (& why) did you start?

I started my Etsy shop back in 2011, but as I was working as a graphic designer in an ad agency, I didn't have much time to spend with Etsy. Last year I quit my job and went to London to take some illustration and design courses, and when I came back to Brazil I decided to dedicate more time to my Etsy shop.
I'm still working as a graphic designer but just as a freelancer, so I have time to draw and take care of my shop, and I can say that I am very happy with the way things are going.

I discovered that I also love the shipping process, I like to make the package as enjoyable as possible to the buyer, it's nice to receive a lovely package, with written notes and little surprises inside.

3. what is your favourite material/tool?

Unipin pens! I use it in almost all my drawings. I also love watercolor, but I'm not using it so much lately.

4. name 3 artists you really admire

Sophie Blackall. She is very known for her children's books illustration, but the work that I most like is Sophie's Missing Connection project. She chooses some posts of missing connections section on Craigslist and illustrates them, it's amazing. In 2011 she published a book with all these drawings, It's one of my favorite books.

Carla Fuentes The Little is Drawing, I love her style and the way she uses colors. She has the most lovely portraits that I've ever seen.

Grayson Perry. I discovered Grayson Perry last year because of the documentary television series All in the Best Possible Taste, where he visits families of different background and social classes to analysed their taste. After that, he made a series of six big tapestries that I had the opportunity to see in his exhibition. It's stunning!

5. what inspires you?

I love cinema and tv series and I like to illustrate some of my favorite characters. I also have punctual obsessions, I had my cloud/drops/rain fase and now I'm going into a cactus/plants/trees fase.

So I think I get inspired by great plots and nature :p

6. what is the book you're reading (or last book read)

I am reading The Castle from Kafka. I went to Prague for the last New Year's Eve and I visited Kafka's museum and the house that he used to live as a child. I was so facinated by the city and his history that I decided to read all his books that I haven't read yet.

7. your favourite food

My mom's cheese and pumpking lasagna. yummy!

8. your favorite movie

A love all movies directed by Aki Kaurismaki, in special the one called The man without past. I just love the way he write his characters, actually, I think my next portrait collection will be based on his characters :)

You can see her portfolio here

her lovely shop here