Artist Spotlight w/ Cristina Pina
Mar 7, 2023
First, can you tell us a bit about yourself?
Hello! I am Cristina, a designer, and animator. After living away from my home country of Portugal for some years, I have returned and settled in Lisbon, where I live with my partner and our dog.
I ran into a friend of a friend… It turned out he was involved in the production of a movie and needed a designer for the art department. We ended up creating all the props that would be used in filming, such as posters, labels, and even fake documents to spread on a desk! I loved that job and it confirmed my ability to “figure it out.”
Can you tell us about your experience and the role you are primarily filling?
I went to university for Graphic Design, and for many years, I worked as a graphic designer, mostly in advertising. I was always dabbling in illustration on the side, experimenting with different mediums like textiles and screenprinting. In addition to this, I was also very much interested in animation. During the pandemic, I used all the extra time to do some serious learning and was able to add 2D animation to my skillset.
At the moment, I freelance and work mostly as a 2D animator. My graphic design skills have not been forgotten though and are hugely beneficial to my work as an animator.
If you could speak directly to the resourcing gods and powers that be, what would be your ideal project?
I have two projects on my dream list. I would love to work in textiles again; I did an experiment on my own and printed fabric and had some clothes made. It turned out great and I loved the process.
I would be thrilled to be able to have my illustration work on textiles again. The second one would be a music video, where ideally I’d be involved in the process since the beginning; concept, illustration & animation!
Do you have any dream clients?
I am a people-oriented person and I am lucky enough to work with some people I call friends. I would love to have more of these kinds of relationships. It would be a dream to work with Buck, their work is what keeps my compass aligned and makes me want to be better.
And because I would love to work in fashion again, I would say Hermès. I admire their work not only for their artistic freedom but also for the arduous screen-printing process and amazing storytelling!
Lastly, do you have any memorable stories, life lessons, or tall tales you can share from your adventures as a freelancer?
Like most freelancers and creatives I know, I can also fall into the ‘doubting myself pit’. However, over the years, I have been confident in my ability to be resourceful and figure out whatever I need on the spot, and it has never let me down.
A couple of years ago, I ran into a friend of a friend whom I had met a couple days prior. He remembered that I was a graphic designer and told me he needed one for a “different job”. It was a very brief interaction but I told him that if the job was graphic design, whatever it might involve, I could do it.
It turned out he was involved in the production of a movie and needed a designer for the art department, so I went in and worked with other designers to create all the props that would be used in filming, such as posters, labels, and even fake documents to spread on a desk! We designed and dressed the set, and I loved the job.
It confirmed my ability to “figure it out” and how it’s a good muscle to flex!
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