Welcoming Rafaela Mascaro aka Studio Grand Père, a designer from São Paulo, Brazil.


Rafaela Mascaro is a designer from São Paulo, who is a Golden Retriever lover, likes to watch TV, eat chocolate and take good pictures with her cameras. When she's not creating her illustrations, you can find her watching Friends or creating culinary delights in the kitchen.  Grand-Père in French means grandfather, the name is a tribute to her grandfather Osvaldo, her mother's father. She always think of him when she creates her illustrations. She started to draw very young, about 3 years old, and since then she has always drawn a lot, but she was very ashamed to show or expose what she created. Until in 2015 a friend of hers encouraged her to show her drawings, that's when she created the project. 


When did you start illustrating?

I started illustrating at a very young age, around 13, 14 years old. But the illustration project really only started in 2015, when I was 22 years old.

Who has been the most supportive in your illustration career, perhaps your teacher, family, friends?

My parents, they always supported me a lot. I owe them everything. They are the best parents in the world.

Did you always think art was something that was going to be a major part of your life?

Yes , since I was very young I have always loved to draw. My main memories as a child are me drawing, I even think that my first memory as a child is me drawing with several notebooks and crayons. It was a very nice childhood. 

But I started to get really interested in art at school, during the fine arts classes, when I was about 7 years old I started to really study the main painters and their stories. 

What is your favourite subject matter to illustrate?



I really like nature, especially trees. But something that really catches my attention is the story of women and how they are represented. Their journeys through time, I find it very beautiful to represent someone's story through a painting or illustration.

How would you describe your style?

I describe my illustration as a freestyle, so once I see something that I really like, I start creating a new illustration or art. I don't care too much about shapes and perspectives. I don't want it to be perfect, I think the cool thing is that they are imperfect, and that's fine. I think one of the goals is to show the imperfections of life and how it makes us human. I think what inspires me the most is hard work, the effort to achieve something. I feel that the more you work on good things, the more it comes back to you and the project. When someone says that something I created helped in some way, I earn my day. I have an even greater desire to create new things.

What is your favourite collaboration to date?

It was the collaboration with UNICEF, to represent all the girls that we have inside us. It was a really cool project to do and the result was very fulfilling.

What interested you about being represented by Illo Agency?



I believe the way that you represent diversity and the relationship I have with my agent Tom. He is a very interested person and respects my opinion and style. His support is very important to me.

Do you have a favourite author, film director, or designer?

My favorite movies are The Darjeeling Limited and A Little Princess (which is also a book by Frances Hodgson Burnett). And I really like Matisse and an English stylist named Paul Smith, their creations are my favorites. My favourite author is Maya Angelou, I love her poems.

Are you working on any personal projects you can share with us?

Of course, I'm currently creating some felt florals. They are laser cut and hand sewn or glued. I still haven't got the result I want, but the process is being really cool.

Do you listen to podcasts? If so, do you have a favourite?


That's a little embarrassing, but I don't really like podcasts. I usually listen to a lot of music when I'm working.

If you have any questions or a specific project in mind, please do get in touch: [email protected]

at illo agency, we pride ourselves in representing a collation of global illustrators, distinctly diverse in creativity and uniquely celebrated by like-minded clients across a range of commercial markets.