Leandro Cunha is an illustrator based in the sunny neighbourhood of Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro. His perspective has been shaped by caring for his younger sister, who has Down syndrome, an experience that has deepened his empathy and the way he sees people beyond labels. His work focuses primarily on publishing and animation, while also spanning advertising and editorial projects. His work is expressive, colourful and story-led, filled with vibrant characters and environments, humour, adventure and emotion. His projects combine the energy of cartoons with a strong sense of art direction. What sets him apart is his ability to think beyond the drawing, looking for visual and narrative solutions that make a story truly engaging and meaningful.Leandro has been working professionally for almost 20 years, including more than a decade in advertising as an art director for clients such as Unilever and Faber-Castell, before moving fully into illustration. He holds a degree in Advertising, studied at Escola Panamericana de Arte e Design in SAs a child, cartoons and comics completely fascinated him. He wanted to step into those worlds, become the characters, invent his own adventures and found in drawing a way to bring them into his own reality. Today, he finds inspiration in meeting and observing the many different people who pass through his much-visited city, as well as in the time he spends outdoors as an amateur triathlete. Sundays usually mean lively lunches with family and friends, plenty of laughter, and his younger sister at the centre of it all. He and his wife also spent years volunteering with animal welfare organisations, which gradually grew their family to include a lively household of dogs and cats. Leandro hopes his work brings people joy and helps them see the world with a little more wonder. Above all, he hopes it reminds them that life is worth celebrating.