Villa-Lobos: Cantigas & Crianças is a children’s theatre production created by the Brazilian musical group Orquestra Villa-Lobos. The play celebrates traditional Brazilian cantigas de roda, playful songs that are part of the country’s cultural heritage and often sung during childhood games.

I was invited by Caseiras Produções to create the visual identity for the production. The work included illustrations, stage projections, and promotional materials.

The goal was to build a colorful visual world that felt joyful and playful for children while also evoking nostalgia for parents who grew up with these songs.

The creative direction was inspired by Brazilian Naïf painting, a folk art style known for flat composition, bright colors, and expressive illustrations of everyday life.

The challenge was translating this handcrafted, detail-rich style into a digital visual system that could work across multiple formats, including posters, stage projections, and promotional materials.

At the same time, the visuals needed to support the live performance. Projections had to be expressive enough to add value to the storytelling while remaining clear and readable alongside the actors on stage.

Because the production team was based in Brazil while I was working remotely from the United States, the collaboration also happened across time zones. This required clear communication and well-organized asset delivery so the animation team could work efficiently while translating the illustrations into stage projections.

I led the visual identity, illustration, and art direction for the project, working closely with the play’s director and creative team from concept through delivery.

After establishing the core illustration style, I collaborated with the animation team responsible for the stage projections. I created layered artwork and separate visual elements designed specifically for animation, while providing creative direction to ensure the projected scenes aligned with the rhythm and tone of the music.

The director initially shared a few references, which I expanded into a broader exploration of Brazilian Naïf art. I studied compositions, color palettes, and traditional cultural symbols such as rural landscapes, animals, and local architecture.

Naïf painting is characterized by simplified geometry, symmetrical compositions, and minimal perspective. My goal was to preserve that playful and colorful sweet style while adapting it into a visual language that would read clearly on stage.

The illustrations were developed primarily using:

• Adobe Illustrator for drawing and composition
• Adobe Photoshop for texture and detail adjustments

I began by sketching directly in Illustrator, combining reference elements and refining shapes digitally. To keep the style cohesive, I worked with a limited color palette and simple geometric forms inspired by Naïf painting.

Later in the process, the animation team requested additional texture for certain characters. I added subtle fur details and surface textures in Photoshop to give animals more warmth and dimension while preserving the flat illustrative style.

For the animated projections, I provided layered assets and visual guidance so the movement and timing matched the tone of the music.

The visual direction evolved through continuous collaboration with the director. We refined details such as color balance, character variety and proportions, and texture until the illustrations matched the emotional tone of the music.

Because projections played a key role in storytelling, I also worked closely with the animation team to ensure that movement, transitions, and scene compositions felt synchronized with the performance.

The final visual identity combined elements of Brazilian folk art with modern digital illustration. The style was applied across multiple materials, including posters, social media graphics, a sales presentation, and a vertical digital program accessible through a QR code during performances.

The stage projections became an important storytelling element within the play. In some moments they created immersive environments around the performers, while in others they interacted directly with the actors, reinforcing the playful tone of the songs.