Raphael Meireles Almeida (Rapha Meal)
Illustrator and Graphic Designer
Hi! I’m Raphael, a freelance illustrator and graphic designer from Brazil. I work in illustration, character design, book covers, art for companies, commissions orders for individuals and so much more involving art and graphic design.
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!["Return to "Neverland" movie poster and immersive backdrop](assets/images/gallery01/06d5ad76.jpg?v=557cec75 ""Return to "Neverland" movie poster and immersive backdrop")
Mockups
Early concepts
Choosen concept + Client's revisions + Inspiration
Release day
Let's work together? Get in touch:[email protected] - Copy and Paste, or click here for mailtoOr:LinkedIn, Behance or VGen
Hello!My name is Raphael Meireles Almeida, and I am an illustrator for editorial, publishing and children's books currently residing in Brazil. I speak portuguese as my mother tongue, and I'm also fluent in english and spanish, due to living in Madrid for 8 years.I have been working with illustration for as long as I can remember, creating drawings for friends and family. That’s when I discovered my calling: illustrating children’s books, publishing and editorial. My journey has led me to work in graphic design for companies, in tattoo studios, on freelance projects for clients and bands, and even to spend a year working at Mauricio de Sousa's studios (Turma da Mônica).I am a calm person but with an inquisitive mind. I love learning new things and am not afraid to take on new challenges. What I love most about working with art is inspiring others through my drawings and the opportunity to learn and grow constantly in the process.
Let's work together? Get in touch:[email protected] - Copy and Paste, or click here for mailtoOr:LinkedIn, Behance or VGen
Book cover for The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of The Ring, imagined as a children's book cover.
In this project my goal was to show Bilbo's journey from Bag End, in The Shire, to the Lonely Mountain, where Smaug lives and hoards all the treasure from Thorin's Company.
My favorite Pokémon, Lapras. To me, it represents the adventure, sense of wonder and mystery that this series has to offer. From our first encounter on a Friday on Union Cave in Pokémon Silver, I never forgot how excited if made me feel. A rumor from an NPC in the game saying that on Fridays, cries could be heard in the depths of the cave made my child self imagine what kind of creature could lie there.And then, in a Friday after school, I venture deep in the cave to find this majestic creature.
Middle of NOWHERE | By the warnimalsAn album cover for a band of animals, as they debut with songs about roadtrips, adventure, hardships and friendship.
Extraordinary Attorney Woo | 이상한 변호사 우영우In this illustration reimagined as a children's book
A juxtaposition between the fluffy and warm animals, and the cold and functional train.
Conceived as a double-page illustration, the goal was to create a contrast between the cuteness of the animals and the mechanical coldness of the wagon they inhabit at this time.
Can a 2D illustration depict wind? With that question in mind, I created 'The Girl and the UFO.' Mostly inspired by how Studio Ghibli portrays the wind, I developed this short story about a young, aspiring nature photographer encountering a UFO.
Illustration created for the 2025 'ArteSESC' contest, held in the southern states of Brazil. 'Wild Moment' is an illustration depicting a 'prey and predator' interaction between a domesticated dog and its ball.
The creation of this illustration was part of a challenge to produce illustrations with diverse themes for the editorial market within a short timeframe. In this case, it is a fictional magazine cover for Science magazine, focusing on the beginning of clinical trials for the treatment and cure of Alzheimer's disease.
Initially, my first sketches were heavily focused on the disease and its devastating consequences.However, a particular piece of feedback pointed out the obvious, something I hadn’t realized: the main story was about the cure.From that moment, the concept shifted to creating a cover that conveyed hope for families. As a symbolic element, the swallow represents the "return of summer" — in this case, the return of memories to the mind of an elderly woman affected by Alzheimer’s. Each swallow carries a branch of medicinal herbs, symbolizing the scientific advances that could make this a reality.
Illustration created to accompany the chronicle "Secos & Molhados: uma Reverência", written by Cármine Porcelli Salvarani. The illustration was unfolded to accompany both a printed newspaper, a digital version and posters in two colors that could be distributed as gifts or through a raffle for newspaper readers.
The illustration seeks to capture the almost magical essence of Secos & Molhados' music, blending the psychedelic colors of the 1970s — the setting of the story — with the pure and enchanted perspective of a child witnessing a live performance for the first time. Captivated by the striking performances and the enigmatic lyrics — confusing yet irresistibly engaging — this experience will be etched in their memory forever.
National Tarot is a series of illustrations that aims to portray some brazilian politicians as cards from the Tarot Major Arcana.
A concept illustration for an adoption fair in Curitiba's Botanic Garden.
An illustration to advertise a Summer Camp for children.
The main goal of this illustration was to depict the concept of memories that children will acquire by participating in the summer camp. To achieve this, I played around with the concept of a scrapbook that a child might create to keep photos of their time at the camp.
"Return to Neverland", illustration that needs to be both a movie poster, and an immersive backdrop for the movie premiere.
Over the past seven years, Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras has built an era of dominance, collecting national and international titles and solidifying itself as one of the greatest football clubs in South America. This series of illustrations captures the essence of Palmeiras' recent golden age.Explore the journey. Relive the triumphs. Feel the glory.
Os Saltimbancos is a Brazilian musical play adapted by Chico Buarque in 1977. The story itself originates from the classic German folktale The Town Musicians of Bremen, collected by the Brothers Grimm.This illustration is inspired by the vibrant energy and timeless message of the play.
Some studies in order to simplify the animals.
"Tupiniquim" is a brazilian word synonymous with national in everyday language. In this series of illustrations, my goal was to define and illustrate common feelings with unique portuguese words for children.
What if dinosaurs still walked among humans? In this illustration, one of the coolest dinosaurs (in my humble opinion), the Parasaurolophus, is portrayed as a calm and gentle animal, serving as the ever-faithful beast of burden for the character who accompanies it on long journeys from one corner of the world to another. Carrying loads and deliveries for those in need, the companionship between these two is something to aspire to.
Today, the sounds of the forest nearly drown out the tiny little footsteps of this mouse, who has been invited to lunch at a friend’s house. What was meant to be just a brief walk turns into an adventure for our absent-minded friend. Digital illustration with a clear inspiration: the watercolors of Beatrix Potter.
I hope this illustration manages to capture a little of the essence of this wonderful city, both for those who are from here and for those who come from elsewhere. Maringá surprises me every day: in the cool shade of pink ipê trees, in the cyclists, in the unexpected encounters with the wildlife of Parque do Ingá. There is something in this blend of nature and the rhythm of its people that gives this city something uniquely its own.
Illustration created for my friends at Centro Lúdica. The idea was to portray some marine animals that are endangered, so that, in addition to decorating the space, the piece can also serve as a theme for ecological awareness for the kids. The artwork will decorate the Under the Sea Room, one of the themed rooms in the children’s therapy space. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to be part of such a special moment, the opening of Lúdica, and to be able to leave my art there as well.
The sisters found the perfect place to have picnics and dance without fear of being judged by the other animals. Now, every week, they secretly meet to have fun and gossip to their heart’s content.
Mr. Pistache’s family is one of the richest and most influential on this side of the forest, and they would never approve of the union between the heir to the “Kings of Fabric” fortune and a mere household worker. However, Pistache and Panini fell hopelessly in love from the very first moment they saw each other, and after years of living this forbidden love only in dreams, Pistache decides to abandon all the duties and expectations his family placed upon him to propose marriage to Panini. If she accepts, the two will flee the forest in search of a secret and safe place where they can spend the rest of their days without fear of retaliation.
