Diego Abreu illustrates a pop-up guide to the creatures of the wizarding world for Insight Editions.

When Insight Editions was looking for an illustrator to work alongside pop-up book designer Matthew Reinhart, the publisher turned to the Brazilian artist Diego Abreu. Working with the right balance between realistic detail and painterly brushstrokes, Diego helped create convincing pop-ups featuring the characters and creatures Harry Potter fans adore for the book A Pop-Up Guide to the Creatures of the Wizarding World.

Below, Diego talks about the process he followed, how he worked alongside the book’s designer, the challenges faced and his favourite parts of the project.

When and how did the job come about? 

I received an email from my agent IllustrationX saying that Insight Editions was interested in working with me on a project. They used an old illustration I had done of a vintage Japanese street scene as a style reference for the project – a painting with loose, almost abstract strokes. I still had no idea what the project would be, but they gave me a brief for a test painting to see if I could work in the style they needed. This was approved, and I received a brief for the project from the pop-up book designer Matthew Reinhart and Chrissy Kwasnik at Insight Editions.

How did it feel to join the Harry Potter and Wizarding World universe?

It was a big surprise for me to receive this invitation, and it marks a key point in my career. I watched the Harry Potter movies when I was young, now suddenly I was working on something directly related to them, in an official capacity. I never imagined that one day I would do something like this, working with such a huge client and such a big franchise. Completing the work has made me much more confident about my work.

What did the illustration brief consist of?

The book consists of five spreads, each with a central main pop-up, which itself has many detailed parts that open out as you turn the page. Each spread also has several smaller pop-ups that reveal other creatures and curiosities. The pop-ups and the elements they contained were designed by Matthew Reinhart and my role was to paint them in a style true to the Wizarding World. This meant I had to relive the Harry Potter universe, going back to the stories to research each figure. In total there were more than 30 pop-ups. I also painted the cover, which was developed over a longer period of time. Matthew, Chrissy and I composed it together, working from an initial concept which came from the publisher, with additional ideas from Warner Bros and Wizarding World. It went back and forth until we arrived at a proposal that worked well for the jacket.

Tell us about the process you followed to illustrate the pop-ups?

Matthew sent a Photoshop file containing the design of each spread, including all the parts needed. He had tested the cutting and assembly of each figure, and they were already broken down into the cuts and dimensions they should have in order to work as pop-ups. The challenge for me was to understand what each part was meant to do and how I should paint it so that the creature or character would be correctly represented. It was like a puzzle but learning how to do it was a lot of fun. Matthew's work is very clever. The main pop-ups were the most challenging because they had many parts and required more careful study, but Matthew helped me with any questions I had.

What kind of look and feel did you go for?

The artwork the client referenced at the beginning was always there, with a looser painting style similar to concept art. I usually work very closely to the brief, however in certain areas greater realism was required so that the figures would be clearly recognisable. Another problem we had was in relation to the colour palette. The films always used a darker and desaturated palette coherent with the atmosphere they evoke. However, this project inspired a different, more colourful and lively palette, which is why some of the paintings distance themselves a little from the dark palette we had for reference.

What media did you use?

I work mostly in Photoshop but follow a traditional process in the way I sketch and paint, so that the images come as close to the desired result as possible. Painting the characters correctly required a lot of research, ranging from simple Google searches to screenshots of videos, reading the text, and printed materials, so that I had as much information as possible about what I was illustrating.

What feedback, amends and suggestions did you receive?

Matthew and Chrissy were the first stage of approval and they pointed out possible errors in understanding, suggesting refinements in the paintings and answering my questions about the shapes or creatures that I was not identifying. When we were satisfied with the work, it went through further stages of approval with Warner Bros, Wizarding World and the Blair Partnership to ensure the correct interpretation of the figures.

Which creatures were most challenging?

Every spread had its challenges, but I remember that Aragog and the bank escape were especially challenging, as they required a lot of thought about how I would paint all the details. As my process is quite artisanal, more detail means it takes more time to execute.

Which were your favourites?

I loved making Buckbeak, Fawkes, the Hungarian Horntail and, of course, Dobby was really cool. I think they are very interesting figures and were fun to paint. 

You work across many genres, including fantasy. Is this an area you’d like to explore further?

Yes, I’ve worked in different areas, but I really enjoyed doing this project and new fantasy work will be very welcome. It is something different, with varied themes, where I can exercise my imagination. This always brings an air of novelty to the work.

Who are some of your influences?

There are several artists that I admire and am inspired by. In fantasy art, my main influence is Greg Rutkowski. He does phenomenal work and his style has had a huge impact on the way I work. Outside of fantasy, my favourites are probably Norman Rockwell and Drew Struzan.

What’s next for Diego Abreu?

I’m open to new work. My goal for the past year has been to do more movie posters so I have been building a portfolio for this area. But working as an illustrator for me is like fulfilling a dream, it gives me pleasure, I study constantly, and I’m always pleased when I receive a job that challenges me, because it means a step forward in my career. I don't know what will come next, but I want to reach even higher levels.

Read more on the project here.