Meet Claudia Corrales | Illustrator & Character Designer

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

Hi Claudia, let’s start by talking about what inspires you?
I was born and raised in Peru, so my culture means a lot of inspiration for my illustrations. Peru is not a perfect country, first things that people think of, are that we have big rates of poverty and delinquency; however, we have so much more than negative points. Peruvian people are kind, funny, great dancers, hardworking and very proud of their country. We are very passionate about soccer and mainly, we are proud about our food. Our history is rich and fascinating, unfortunately, it is unknown to many. That is why, I want to find ways of showing the best parts of my country with my art. As inspiration for my illustrations, I think of vibrant colors that the Peruvian textiles have, the joy that people show every day, geometric shapes from ancient art, great stories like the mythology we have, and much more.

I am also very fond of acts of love that I see, from friends, family and even random people. Love that you can see in marriages, small acts of kindness of parents and their children, people giving their lives for others, acts of sacrifice and charity. Frequently, after experiencing any of these, I have to draw it and paint it so more people can remind themselves that love exists, even though, lately it can be hard to believe it. There is still hope and beauty in this world, and I want to remind that to everyone.

Finally, God’s creation gives me the most inspiration and makes me feel alive. When I contemplate the nature, it helps me to calm myself down and find peace; it can even bring me to tears because of its amazing beauty. Sometimes the only thing I need to do to find inspiration, is going for a walk and looking at the stars.

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.
I am an illustrator and I concentrate mostly in children’s book illustrations, comics and character design. I also like giving some motion to some of my illustrations sometimes.

People can recognize my illustrations by their joyful themes, vibrant colors and by “visual romance”, as I like to call it, sensitive illustrations that can make you pause and appreciate the piece.

I am very proud of my roots, and I love adding hints of my culture in my illustrations. The art of ancient Peru is very geometric and shape-wise, and I am very inspired by that. You can notice that specially in the character designs I do, which are very expressive and interesting looking. I also try to include every kind of people we can see in Peru: our diversity, our joyful nature and how humorous we are.

I made it where I am now because of my parents that allowed me to study arts in college. In Peru, studying creative careers is not taken very seriously because it can mean you are not intelligent or that you are lazy. My parents saw the talent I have and helped me every time along the way. First, for my BFA in Graphic Design, later for my MDes in Comics and Graphic Novels and, finally, for the MFA in Illustration I graduated from last year.

In a personal matter, one of the hardest things I had to endure with was the loneliness and the culture barriers I found in the countries I have been to. It can be very hard, and it can affect your mental health, hence what helped me the most was creating strong ties with good friends that became my family during those times. Having good relationships can really make a big difference.

As an artist, I can be very sensitive, so feelings of loneliness affect my productivity, but also the lack of confidence. Because I want to become better, I start comparing myself with great artists that are successful, and without considering their own struggles or their own path, I feel less talented and hopeless. That also happened whenever I have been looking for a job and I got multiple rejections, then I start questioning my skills and future.

However, the key is to have a proactive and positive mindset, thinking about what to do instead of just moping about it. While it’s natural to feel down at times, staying active and engaged proves to be more beneficial, as it allows you to confront the issue rather than avoid it. I’ve come to realize the value of this approach through personal experience.

Lastly, my greatest aspiration is to make a positive impact on people’s lives, no matter how small it can be. Often, I find myself inspired to sketch when I feel very happy from a memorable experience that brought a smile to my face. Similarly, I wish to bring joy to others through my illustrations, making them smile. In a world surrounded by crises, conflicts, injustices, and poverty, I view spreading a little bit of hope as a measure of success. It’s my belief that everyone deserves to know there is still beauty and love in this world.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
First thing I would suggest is to wear sneakers, because walking around Downtown Savannah is one of the best experiences.

While walking, I would take them to the historical part so they can see the gorgeous old houses, we can get through Forsyth Park and see the beautiful trees and if it’s a Saturday we could go to the Farmers market and to the Artists market. Someone might be performing on the stage, and we could have a picnic there.

Another great stop would be the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist where we can see French Gothic architecture. Also, we could walk around different squares and see the monuments in each one of them.

Additionally, I would take them to the Riverfront. We can see some live concerts there and later, take a ferry ride on the Savannah River. Before leaving, we would go to a rooftop bar, the view is always amazing.

In the end, I would go to Tybee Island, and enjoy the beach. We can always go to a cool-looking bar and have some drinks.

Savannah is such a beautiful city; I know for sure, any friend would have a great time.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There is a long list of people I should thank for the person I am now and the achievements I have had in my life, but I will try to make it short.

All of the professors I had during my MFA in Illustration at SCAD were incredibly helpful and I will always thank them, but the ones that I could give more credit to are to Prof. Brian Bowes, and Prof. John Webber from the animation department. They both always had a lot of faith in my work and helped me to discover talents I didn’t know I have. They were the best mentors, super talented and kind, always encouraging and joyful. Talking to them always made me happy, I am so grateful I met them.

I will also thank my family and friends I’ve made along the way. My parents were the first ones to believe in me, they supported me and never left me alone, I know they will always be there for me, as well as my brothers. The friends I have in the different countries I have been after I left my country, are my second family. They have earned a big spot in my heart.

Finally, I want to shoutout to God and the Catholic Church that have been my home wherever I go. In moments of solitude and adversity, I always find refuge in them, knowing I am never truly alone. Likewise, in moments of joy, they share in my happiness, blessing me abundantly. I am very grateful for their unwavering presence in my life, and I aspire to honor God through the expression of my art.

Website: http://chumpillustrations.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/holochumpi/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariaclaudiacorrales/

Image Credits
Book illustration based in the Legend of the Huacachina in Ica, Peru.