Matt Pappadopoli
Illustrator

From the time we are children, we learn to appreciate stories. We tell stories, we read stories. Storytelling is our link to the past, present and future in depictions of reality as well as fantasy. I have always loved reading and listening to stories. I am fascinated with the raw imaginative power that story telling draws from, and I have dedicated my work to that power.

Before I begin an illustration, I allow myself to be absorbed within the world of the story being told. I ask myself questions like, “What would this character look like doing this activity?,” or “What does this character's house look like?” My art is about creating a window into an imaginary world. I make a point to capture as much detail about the world as I can fit into a single image.

I work traditionally in gouache paint on textured paper, but I also work digitally in Photoshop.

My painting style is loose and expressive. I rely on lines and color to make the images "pop". As far as subject matter, I prefer to focus on the characters and their expressions above everything else. My goal is to insure that my Illustrations capture the essence of the story the viewer can “read” visually.