Parakid

Parakid is the creative handle for Natalia Fernandez, who is based in Los Angeles and who trained as a 2D animator at the Otis College of Art and Design. Wanting to devote more time to her watercolors, exhibitions and projects like her web comic, Natalia became a freelance illustrator. Clients love the instant connection they feel with her work, and sometimes even cite a sense of déjà vu. This could be because nostalgia is baked into the Parakid process. “I draw to show the beauty in daily life activities that most don’t think too much about, scenes that might bring a sense of nostalgia when remembering or looking back,” she says. Influences include early anime such as Yu Yu Hakusho, the band Gorillaz, Carl Larsson and Sibylle von Olfers.

Approach

Natalia creates her line work using a waterproof brush pen, keeping the look dry, crunchy and rough, then paints with watercolor. Her palette is soft, with a tendency to light and bright pastel hues. She also works digitally, but again aims for a textured, real-world look.

Key software

Adobe Photoshop, Procreate, Clip Studio Paint.

Style

There’s something calm, subtle and almost secretive to the feel of Parakid’s storybook illustrations. The characters are adventurous, yet often glance away from the viewer, so it seems they’re truly experiencing an imaginary world full of hidden meaning.

Languages

English and Spanish