Malu Francini

Inspired by traditional animation and fairy tale illustration, Malu paints with passion, always seeking to find the feeling in the story and create characters that children easily relate to – whether they’re animals, people, aliens or angels. Her gentle brush strokes and exacting use of light and shadow render worlds where the cute and cuddly sit alongside the bold and adventurous. Behind her technique is a wealth of image-making, design and storytelling knowledge. Malu is a professor in computer graphics, digital painting and 3D modelling at Escola SAGA, with a bachelor’s degree in design, a postgraduate degree in Animation and currently pursuing a master’s in literature and literary criticism. Clients love her creativity and ability to surprise with each piece.

Approach

Malu begins with the composition, spatially balancing the elements and building the concept in Procreate before blocking in her colours and shading in layers for depth and atmosphere.

Key software

Procreate, Blender, zBrush.

Style

Light-hearted, cute and classical. “Even in the most ordinary scenes, I strive to evoke a whimsical aura, transforming everyday moments into enchanting visual experiences,” says Malu.

Languages

Portuguese and English.