Available for projects from November
Brand identities & illustration with a warm, handmade pulse.
I’m Mara — an independent designer and illustrator in Lisbon. For twelve years I’ve helped publishers, food brands and small studios find a visual voice people remember.
Selected workSelected work 06
A handful of projects from the last three years. Each one began with a conversation and a sketchbook.
About
I draw first, then design. The pencil keeps things honest.
Before opening any software I fill pages with small, fast sketches. It’s how ideas stay loose long enough to become surprising. The result is work that feels crafted rather than assembled — identities with character, illustrations with a point of view.
I’ve worked in-house at a publishing house, co-founded a risograph studio, and taught editorial illustration at ESAD. Today I work directly with founders and creative teams, usually on two or three projects at a time.
- Years practising
- 12
- Projects shipped
- 140+
- Awards & mentions
- 18
What I can do for you
Engagements are shaped around your goals. Most start with a two-week discovery sprint.
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01
Brand identity
Logos, typography, colour and the rules that make them work together — delivered as a living guideline your team can actually use.
- Strategy
- Logo
- Guidelines
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02
Editorial illustration
Covers, features and spot illustrations for magazines, newspapers and books, on tight deadlines without losing the craft.
- Covers
- Features
- Spots
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03
Packaging
Shelf-ready packaging that tells a story from three metres away and rewards a closer look in the hand.
- Structure
- Labels
- Print production
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04
Art direction
Guiding photographers, illustrators and developers so every touchpoint of a launch speaks the same language.
- Campaigns
- Launches
- Web
Trusted by teams at
- Northwind Press
- Casa Oliva
- Fieldnote Radio
- Hollow Oak
- Brightwater
- Kiln & Co.
“Mara took a fuzzy brief and gave us a brand our customers talk about. Every file arrived organised, on time, and better than we imagined.”