Pamela “Pamislav” Islava is our Illustrator of the Week!

Pamela “Pamislav” Islava loves to tell stories through her illustrations. The Mexico-based digital artist has totally mastered empowering and colorful portraiture — but we have a serious soft spot for her comics, which are as relatable as they are super fun. Both “Lucky 7” and “The Outgoing Introvert” have completely captured our hearts. Pamislav’s art is all kinds of awesome, and while she has a bachelor’s degree in Animation and Digital Art, she’s just as comfortable using traditional mediums in her work with A+ results. The 24-year-old has a voice and a style that is all her own, and we can’t get enough of it — which is why she’s our Illustrator of the Week!

Find out more about Pamislav 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 love telling stories — that’s my main purpose as an artist and what better describes my art. It’s always telling some kind of story, drawing characters in their own world, and portraying emotion.

What inspires you to make things: Mostly music. Everything I do has a music reference — when I’m listening to a song, a story starts to develop in my mind. Ever since I was a kid, my dad influenced my musical taste, and over the years I’ve been discovering new music on my own, so it’s really a huge part of my life. Even the characters of my webcomic, Lucky 7, are inspired by musicians: all of their last names are the same as some of my favorite artists.

Your favorite thing(s) to draw: I love drawing people — mostly females and faces — and I adore drawing flowy-moved-by-the-wind hair. I like to draw couples and groups, as well. But most of all, comics!

Medium of choice: I’m mainly a digital artist, so I use my Wacom tablet as an extension of my hand and Photoshop. I also love traditional media; my favorites are watercolors, inks, and markers.

The first time you knew you wanted to be an artist: I think it was really early in my life. I’ve been drawing ever since I can remember. In restaurants, I would ask anyone for a pen to draw on the back of the paper tablecloths. I think it was when I was nine that I said I wanted to be a “painter” (to me it was someone who draws and paints portraits and whatnot). I imagined myself holding a brush in front of an easel with a beret on or something. I started drawing comics at the age of seven or eight, I think. They were all about stick people with a life lesson at the end (. . . a life lesson invented by a 7-year-old).

Proudest achievement so far: Making a children’s book for my nephews and nieces. I did everything: I wrote the story (which features them as princes and princesses having an adventure), I illustrated every page, I even bound and sewed them with the help of a friend! I think it’s one of the coolest things I’ve ever done. And it was made for the loveliest little kids in the world! I adore those monsters.

Music you listen to while you work: I don’t think I can list all of them, but to give you an idea: Pompeya, Franz Ferdinand, The Kooks, Alt-J, Devendra Banhart, Yeasayer, Broken Bells, Gorillaz, Blur, Damon Albarn, Kings of Convenience, Beirut, David Bowie, Men at Work, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors. . . there’s so much great music, I can’t even name them all. Mostly indie-alternative-rock, but I’m also a fool for ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s music and jazz. I love Take Five!

Your most prized possession: Probably my childhood doll — it’s a D.W. doll from the cartoon, Arthur. My dad gave it to me when I was seven, and I’ve been sleeping with her ever since. I can’t have a good night’s sleep without her!

Your personal hero: Super difficult question. Talking about artists, Kevin Wada, Paula Bonet, Conrad Roset, Gustav Klimt, Alphonse Mucha — mostly because I’ve been inspired by them. But I think I have two personal heroes: my parents. They have always been there for me! They support every decision I make, they criticize my work when they think I can do more, and they always, always listen to me. They are my biggest influences in the way I see and embrace life. They are amazing (being totally impartial, of course).

The last thing to make you giggle: I just found out one of my favorite bands has a new record! I am super excited!

Current project(s): I’m currently working on my web comics, Lucky 7 and The Outgoing Introvert. The first one’s about 7 friends and their lives during their college years. The second one’s about me and my life — little one page comics featuring my awkwardness around people and social situations. I’m also working on four other web comics, but almost everything’s still happening in my head. One’s named Gravity, about three best friends living their last year in university and moving on towards adulthood while helping each other find their way. There’s also 5ENSES, about super people, because I’m a HUGE superhero (dork) fan, especially Marvel comics.

Check out Pamislav’s amazing phone cases via Casetify — they’re an exclusive partnership with HelloGiggles! And for more of her work, check out her Tumblr, Facebook, and web comic, Lucky 7.