The Story Shelter - from Mapin & Guari vol.4

This full spread was created for the fourth volume of Mapin & Guari, written by Brazilian author Gustavo Rosseb and published by Brazilian publisher Barsa Editora. The illustration shows the brothers inside the reading room of their treehouse. While the forest settles into the night, they disappear into books, surrounded by handmade furniture, worn wood, hanging fabrics, old pages, and the warm glow of lantern light. I like creating worlds that feel like you could step inside them. Places that have their own smell, temperature, and rhythm. Light is part of the storytelling, but so are textures, worn surfaces, and the small details that reward anyone willing to spend a little more time exploring the image. For this piece, I wanted the treehouse to feel like a real place someone had built over many years. A room where stories are collected, objects carry memories, and every corner suggests that life continues beyond the page.