Gus Morais. Photo Courtesy of Gus Morais.
Illustrator Gus Morais chatted about his upcoming book “Taylor Swift: Unofficial Search and Find Biographies.”
How did “Taylor Swift: Unofficial Search and Find Biographies” come about?
In early 2024, I was contacted by Cider Mill Press, a HarperCollins imprint, to develop a search-and-find book. After some meetings with the editorial design team (where I got to share a bit about my drawing process and my dreams as an illustrator), I received an email inviting me to meet John Whalen, the publisher.
The email subject was “Search and Find Biographies.” Just by reading that title, I was already excited about the possibility of creating a book that could blend my two passions: drawing and research.
When I finally spoke to John and he shared his idea of making a visual biography about Taylor Swift, I knew right away I’d have so much to study, research, and explore creatively, so I accepted it immediately!
What inspires you each day as an illustrator?
I like to see illustration as a special kind of empathy tool: a way of connecting with people in a very immediate, impactful, and natural way.
Making people feel something – whether it’s a laugh, a memory, or even something emotional – makes me happy because it reminds both me and the reader that, no matter where we live or what we’ve been through, we can always relate to each other, even with all our differences.
How does it feel to be an illustrator in the digital age (Now with streaming, technology and social media being so prevalent)?
It feels amazing and challenging at the same time. My drawings are made entirely using digital tools. Even though I first learned to draw with pencils and paper, I’ve been working digitally for over 15 years.
I still draw every line by hand – I don’t use AI – but I use an iPad Pro and Apple Pencil from the sketch to the final linework. Software like Photoshop and Procreate let me work in layers, which gives me a lot of freedom and flexibility throughout the process.
The challenging part for me is finding the right balance between staying active on social media and maintaining the isolation I need for the creative process; by making sure both can coexist in a healthy way.
I can say for sure that many of the opportunities I’ve had, came from building a good online presence through my digital portfolio and self-promotion.
How do you use technology in your daily routine as an illustrator?
I love technology and try to use it in ways that boost my work and make my life easier, but I’m always careful not to get overwhelmed or distracted by it. Before starting any drawing, even before sketching, I do a lot of online research.
For “Taylor Swift: Unofficial Search and Find Biographies,” I had access to a huge amount of information through fan websites, YouTube channels from Swifties, official videos, and more.
I even used Google Street View to study the architectural style of the cities and buildings where she lived, so I could make accurate and detailed illustrations. Later, I moved on to drawing with my tablet and computer. I love working while listening to music and podcasts.
Recently, I’ve been using apps with timers and organizational tools to keep my workflow more efficient.
Of course, technology is essential for promoting my work and reaching clients all over the world through platforms like Behance, where art directors and designers are constantly searching for illustrators.
What do your plans for the future include?
My main plan for the future is to continue building a solid career as an illustrator and to live a good life with my family.
I want to publish many more books and bring the search-and-find concept to all kinds of fun and meaningful themes, so that people of all ages can see these books as something special.
My publisher is a very intelligent and open-minded person, and we’re always discussing new ideas.
Right now, we’re working on a book called “Search and Find Kids: Halloween,” which brings my own twist to classic Halloween characters and settings, full of fun, spooky, and surprising elements.
What is your advice for young and emerging illustrators?
My main advice is: keep drawing, even if you’re afraid, and stay informed and open-minded about both art and new technologies.
You might worry that your style isn’t good enough or that new tools will change how you work. In over 15 years of career, I’ve felt all of that at some point.
Back then, one of our biggest fears as young illustrators was not being able to handle the “business” side: negotiations, finding clients, and so on. Today, I see that illustrators are much more informed and supportive of one another when it comes to these business subjects.
I also had moments where I thought my linework was too serious or lacked charm. What helped me was deciding to have fun with the process: instead of drawing roof tiles or windows in a repetitive way, I started doing them more freely, even if it looked “wrong” at first.
I am a more serious type of person, but always find myself laughing alone many times while drawing!
What does the word success mean to you? (My favorite question)
Success to me means being able to do what I love, having my family happy and close, and working with people I respect – and who respect me back. If I’m able to have that, I know
the illustrations I make will turn out fun, rich, inspiring, and capable of touching the reader’s heart. And that, to me, is heaven. 8. What would you like to tell our readers about “Taylor Swift: Unofficial Search and Find Biographies”? What’s the one thing you want them to get out of it?
This book was made with a lot of passion and respect. When I started working on it, I didn’t know much about Taylor – my sister was the real Swiftie!
I could tell I was looking at a career full of challenges and deep personal and artistic growth. When you face such a strong and well-established artistic journey, you need to commit in a way that honors that effort, and that’s what I tried to do.
I studied every album, listened to the songs many times, and read all the lyrics. I listened to fans talk about their favorite lyrics, their dreams for upcoming albums and concerts, and how Taylor’s music impacted their lives.
I went so deep into the research that I’ve managed to include visual references to every single lyric from every Taylor Swift album, through emotional and funny scenes hidden in the crowd.
I also worked carefully to include her key life moments and artistic milestones for each Era in a very fun and informative way. It’s a biography, it’s visual, and it’s all there.
One thing I’ve grown to admire about Taylor’s work is how each album is both conceptually strong and deeply personal – connected to her life, emotions, and thoughts at the time.
So, I don’t want fans to take from the book only one specific thing. This book has so many layers that fans of all ages, from long-time Swifties to new ones, will find their own emotional and funny details to relate to, just like they do when listening to a Taylor Swift song.
His book is available for pre-order by clicking here.
To learn more about award-winning illustrator Gus Morais, follow him on Instagram and X.
Content shared from www.digitaljournal.com.