PJ Kaiowa

All

Black & White

Cartoon & Humour

Character Design

Fantasy

Graphic

Illustrated portrait of a woman in yellow by PJ Kaiowa

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Street Samurai holding green cards with katana and dreadlocks by PJ Kaiowa

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Action-packed comic scene from Spirit of the Century by PJ Kaiowa

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Ethereal woman with red hair sitting on cliff under glowing shapes by PJ Kaiowa

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PJ draws his inspiration from the vibrant streets of Rio.

Life in the city transforms into visual expression and storytelling.

Everything about PJ’s work rises out of his home city of Rio di Janeiro. Its diversity, colour, chaos, architecture and street art feed his inspiration, and everywhere he goes he sees characters, angles and perspectives that challenge his thinking and later work their way into his sketches. Life in the city is transformed into visual expression and storytelling. PJ came to the world of comic book art and illustration via the advertising industry where he was an art director. He understands the phases of a creative project, works flexibly and respects deadlines. In addition to illustration, PJ is an experienced storyboard artist.

Approach

Working digitally, PJ focuses on the action, the characters and developing the narrative panel by panel. Composition, angle and perspective are all powerful tools he uses to convey the drama and keep the audience focused on the message.

Key software

Adobe Photoshop, Clip Studio Paint.

Style

PJ works in a modern comic book style, with urban and Pop Art influences, using thin line art as the basis of his images, fine tuning the emotion through colour, texture and lighting values.

Languages

Portuguese, Written English

Impressions

Interview

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Interview

What led you to become an illustrator? I have a great desire to tell stories and at the same time, an immense desire to express myself, to communicate…along with that, this passion for graphic arts. So, it was a matter of connecting the dots!Did you study illustration in college?No! It was all through trial and error. Curiosity and persistence. Where did you grow up?Rio de Janeiro. A place of abundant inspiration. Do you have any childhood memories related to art that you cherish? I was always asked by my classmates to draw in art classes. And there was one time, in the fifth grade, in the last weeks of the school year, a friend asked me to draw on his uniform shirt, and I remember he gave me some coins, I don't remember the amount, but it was enough to buy a soda at the canteen - soon after, some other classmates also asked and paid, and that's how I got my first job as an illustrator!Can you remember when you first saw art used in a commercial context? I believe it was in comic books and movie posters. Where do you live now and what attracted you there? I spent many years away from Rio and had a huge desire to return. And it seems that returning to Rio de Janeiro rekindled the flame I needed to dedicate myself to art. Describe your studio for us. It's not very big. I keep the "subjects" separate, digital tablet and computers on one side and the drawing board for study and original artwork on the other. I have shelves with magazines and books and, of course, collectibles that I use as inspiration. I always work facing a large window where I can see the vegetation and mountains ahead. Who or what is your greatest inspiration? My daughter and the desire to change society's perspective on my people. If you could collaborate with another artist or creative of any genre, living or dead, who would it be? Basquiat.What's your favourite way to spend a day off? I love binge-watching series, especially on rainy days. I easily lose track of time when I get excited about a show…I risk going to the beach occasionally with my daughter, and I really enjoy going to bars with friends. Trying different food, meeting people. What is your most precious possession and why?Well, I'd say it's my daughter. For the privilege of discovering the man I'm becoming through fatherhood. She is the future, so I take care to ensure that future is good. She inspires me.What's your favourite quote?“There is nothing more tragic in this world than knowing what is right and not doing it. How about we change the world starting with ourselves?” - Martin Luther King Jr.What causes are you passionate about?Education and civil rights for Black people, women, and Indigenous people. Do you collect anything? Action figures and promotional beverage cans, but not consistently. What do you listen to when you work?Electronic music, heavy metal, and jazz. What is your favourite podcast? Mano a Mano (Brazil).What was the first album you bought? Appetite for Destruction - Guns N' Roses.Who is your art hero? Basquiat and Leonardo Da Vinci.Who is your design hero? Bea Feitler.Who is your music hero? Maestro Moacir Santos. What is your favourite book? The Shack and Akira.What movie can you watch multiple times?The Crow (adaptation of the James O’Barr comics).What was the last concert you saw?See.What was the last exhibition you saw and loved?Favela, a collective exhibition with peripheral artists.What was the last concert you went to?Kamasi Washington. It was very memorable.If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you go?Tokyo.Any hidden talents?Inventing recipes with random ingredients.If you could only eat one type of food for the rest of your life, what would it be? Barbecue!If a client paid you enough money to take a year off and create whatever you wanted with no restrictions, what would you create?A surrealist comic series about existing and being someone in this system we live in. Is there any type of work you haven't done yet but would love to do?An interactive art exhibition. Is there a work lesson you had to learn the hard way?To have persistence. I'm still learning.How has your work or practice evolved over time?I'm becoming more expressive. The feeling that brought the piece to life is increasingly taking center stage. More than technique, today emotion speaks volumes.If you weren't an illustrator, what would you be?I believe I would be a musician or an actor.What is the most challenging part of being an illustrator?Making a living from it!What is the best advice you've ever received?If you don't enjoy doing your work, you'll hardly be able to do your work for very long.What career advice would you give your younger self?Don't give up on yourself, as a person and as an artist, even when everything says otherwise.Do you have any advice for other illustrators?The same I gave myself. It's the only guarantee we have that something will happen, how much we believe in it and in ourselves.