Met Jorge Mascarenhas | Illustrator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jorge Mascarenhas and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jorge, what do you attribute your success to?
Staying true to myself. As an illustrator is important to have your own unique vision in order to standout.

My style is a combination of everything, from aesthetics to personal experiences. In the conceptual part, I illustrate various subjects in a dark fairy tale world. These could range from modern talking points, to just a regular storybook classic. The other part is my technique, which is a combination of every medium that I like to work with (oils, acrylic, ink and digital collage). This is something that is ever evolving, and I may be doing something different in years to come.

Having a niche market and audience is beneficial as well.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
When I graduated from college I had nothing more than a portfolio with probably two great images. It was a collection of work typical of a graduating student: no consistent style and vision. I worked at a restaurant for the next three years, in order to pay my bills, but I kept painting and creating. One day, I was forced to resign from my employment, which forced me to put my degree to use. I gave myself one year to have steady work and recognition. I begin by attending the Illustration Academy, a week-long course hosted by the Academy of Art in San Francisco, which had some of the best illustrators as instructors. There I got invaluable lessons from Hall of Fame illustrators like Gary Kelley and Mark English. After that I’ve decided to rebuild my portfolio focusing on the kind of work I wanted to create, and getting local magazine jobs to pay the bills. After getting an award of excellence from Communication Arts, it rose my profile on the internet. I traveled to New York City to promote myself and meet with several art directors. While staying there, I got an assignment from the New Yorker and met one of my then consistent clients The Alfred Hitchcock Magazine. In the years to come, my work got more recognition from organizations and publications like The Society of Illustrators, 3×3 Magazine, American Illustration and Spectrum Fantastic Art. By then I worked for various national and international clients including Runner’s World, New York Times, Family Circle, Random House (Spain), and Estado de São Paulo.
During that period I was working with an agent, however we had disagreements and decide to part ways. In the later years I’ve started working for publishing and private commissions.
The main lesson that I’ve learned throughout this journey, is not to ignore your “gut feeling.” It’s there for a reason. Moreover, it’s how you respond to adversity that makes the difference.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
To be honest I’m sorta of a hermit. My party days are well behind me, as I exhausted them during my younger years. I like staying at home, therefore I would invite them over for a nice dinner. However, there many exciting spots for tourists where I live. There’s Six Flags and the AT&T Stadium only minutes from where I live. There’s also the historical district in Fort Worth, as well as countless restaurants and clubs.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are many who have inspired me over the years. During my childhood, my father who used make his own magazines about soccer. He was decent draftsman, and drew in the style of the 1950’s comics. My mother as well, for her unconditional support for my crazy ideas. Movies like “The Dark Crystal,” “Neverending Story,” “Secret of NIMH,” and “The Return of Oz,” as well as books like “Der Struwwelpeter” shaped my taste for the dark fantasy genre. In college, professors Owen Smith, Robert Hunt, and Mark Eanes helped me to figure out how to paint, and illustrator Gary Kelley helped me discover how to shape my style. My wife has been my great support since I’ve been working professionally.

Website: www.jmasca-art.com

Instagram: @jmascarenhas

Twitter: @jmascarenhas

Facebook: www.facebook.com/jmascaillo

Other: Originals Store: jmascaart.bigcartel.com

Image Credits
All images are created by me.