Some artists stop you mid-scroll with a grin. That is Rafael Bastos, aka Vomaria, the Brazilian designer behind a flood of clever, funny, and offbeat creations.
Based in Itabirito, a small city of about 50,000 people in Minas Gerais, Brazil, Rafael describes his work in three words: creative, funny, and multitasker. He loves working in a wide range of styles and seeing everyday ideas from new angles is where the magic happens.
His creative path started early. He cut comic characters out of magazines to make homemade stickers to sell at school. One of his first big wins? A school drawing contest that earned him a new bike (which he rode home proudly, though his mom initially thought it was stolen).
Since then, Rafael has designed everything from T-shirts to mascots to, yes, coffin artwork. Today, he brings that same offbeat energy to a portfolio packed with playful puns, visual jokes, and bold designs.
He is a self-described multitasker who believes creativity thrives on a little chaos. “I like to do lots of things at once, and a strong message always matters more than perfect aesthetics,” he says. While his tools of choice include a PC, tablet, and Adobe Suite (with a bit of pen and paper for sketching), these days he often creates in focused silence—though Metallica, Pink Floyd, and Brazilian folk still influence his creative DNA.
“Creativity,” Rafael says, “is what turns regular into bold.”
We caught up with him to talk about the evolution of his work, the challenges of fighting art theft, and why protecting your rights can open new creative doors.
How did your creative journey begin?
I have loved drawing since I was a kid. Graphic design was a natural path for me. I used to cut characters out of comics, turn them into adhesive stickers, and sell them to friends at school. Totally connected to what I do now.
When I was younger, I did caricatures, mascots, and logos as freelance work. I even designed the artwork for a coffin once. Over time that work evolved, first to computer graphics, then to T-shirt contests, and now to the work I love most.
What themes or stories are you exploring through your art?
I love taking everyday things and seeing them from a new perspective. I also really enjoy puns and visual jokes, so I often weave those into themes like movies, TV shows, books, and pop culture in general.
Let’s be honest – you’ve probably seen one of Rafael’s “dabbing” characters out in the wild. Cats, unicorns, pugs, even skateboarding skeletons! If it can dab, he’s probably drawn it. While others imitate the trend, his original work has stood out and spread far beyond his own shop.
Working with Edwin James IP
For Rafael, seeing his work stolen was a frustrating cycle. “It felt awful, like someone had taken something from me and I could not do anything about it,” he says. Living in Brazil, it was nearly impossible to fight international copycats or navigate foreign laws. Over time, the constant theft wore him down. “Honestly, it happened so many times that I reached a point where I just stopped caring, because there was not much I could do.”
That changed when he connected with Edwin James IP. “They have done an incredible job tracking down copycats across marketplaces,” Rafael says. “I was surprised how many infringing listings they found — things that were flying completely under my radar.”
Even better? The outcome. “I was very happy with the amount recovered. It felt fair, and I didn’t have to pay anything upfront to get started. Without their help, I would not have that kind of reach or protection.”
For artists unsure about pursuing copyright recovery, Rafael offers this advice: “It is absolutely worth it. Edwin James IP is meticulous and incredibly effective at fighting for you.”
Protecting your art means more creative freedom. See what Vomaria is building with his creative rights defended.
See more of Rafael’s work on IG: instagram.com/vo_maria
Need help protecting your work?
If you are experiencing copyright issues or need a hand with copyright protection, contact us here or email me directly at jennifer@edwinjamesip.com.