Get to know me!

Hi, I’m Sophia — an illustrator with Portuguese and Egyptian roots, based between Cairo and Lisbon.

My work explores the depth of human emotion through visual storytelling. I primarily work with watercolor, gouache and colored pencils. I’m drawn to the softness and unpredictability of traditional materials, often refining them digitally to create warm, expressive illustrations.

Vulnerability and emotional honesty are at the heart of my practice. I’m interested in creating illustrations that feel intimate, sincere, and resonant — especially within children’s books and narrative-driven projects.

My books have been published in Egypt, the UK, the US, and the Netherlands, and each project continues to shape the way I approach storytelling.

Alongside illustration, I work as a lecturer in Portuguese Linguistics at Ain Shams University and practice photography across personal documentation, travel, and portraiture — both of which subtly inform and enrich my visual work.

When I’m not working, you’ll probably find me hiking in the mountains somewhere, cuddled up with a good book or tending to my beloved plants.