Cindy Mangomini is our Illustrator of the Week!

It’s no secret that we love Cindy Mangomini. The Netherlands-based artist has been doing amazing illustrated how-to’s for HelloGiggles since 2013, and we’re just as obsessed with her work today as we were when she started. Her gorgeous fashion illustrations are as fun as they are beautiful, and totally reflect her background in the industry (after college, she was a fashion merchandiser and later opened her own boutique). Cindy has been drawing since she was very young, so studying illustrative design was the obvious choice — and we couldn’t be happier that she quit fashion to draw full time. Her work is colorful, detailed, and gorgeous, and that’s why she’s our Illustrator of the Week!

Find out more about Cindy and her art below, and buy some of her exclusive-to-HelloGiggles phone cases by clicking right here.

No pressure, but describe your art: I would describe it as fun, light, and playful. I hope it brings a smile to people’s faces.

What inspires you to make things: I have tons of sketchbooks full of sketches, ideas, future plans, notes, lists, quotes. Life in general inspires me: my own daily life, fashion, blogs, people I see and meet.

Your favorite thing(s) to draw: My favorite things to draw are the posts for my own illustrated fashion diary on my blog; I think because they are the most personal to me. I like to add secret little jokes to them, that sometimes no one will see but me — just for my own fun. They make me giggle a lot! My least favorite things to draw are cars.

Medium of choice: I like to mix it up. I almost always start with sketching in pencil and then setting up the final outline in ink. After that, I just use whatever I feel like: gouache, watercolor paint, acrylic paint, watercolor pencils, crayons, colored ink.

The first time you knew you wanted to be an artist: I never wanted to be an artist. I just always drew. Since I was a child that’s what I did. And I never stopped.

Proudest achievement so far: Living in a very small country and having people from all over the world following, liking, and buying my work makes me very happy and a little bit proud.

Music you listen to while you work: Ben Howard and Oscar and the Wolf. I listen to music non-stop while I work.

Your most prized possession: My laptop, my whole life is in it!

Your personal hero: I love the work of Dutch illustrator Fiep Westendorp.

The last thing to make you giggle: Writing down and sketching a funny and a little bit naughty idea that I had for a new illustration. And Agent Dale Cooper. I’m watching Twin Peaks at the moment.

Current project(s): I always have too many ideas and too little time! Besides working for HelloGiggles and my own illustrated blog, I work freelance for all sorts of clients. I’m also working on several collaborations, a card series, and at some point I would like to have a book published.

Check out Cindy’s amazing phone cases via Casetify — they’re an exclusive partnership with HelloGiggles — plus her awesome column with us here!

For more of her work, check out her blog, Etsy, Facebook, Tumblr, Instagram, and Pinterest.