Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Vincent Pereira. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Vincent, appreciate you joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I’ve always been a dreamer, someone with a vivid imagination, not necessarily shy but the kind of person who doesn’t like to take up too much space. To channel all that imagination, I grew up devouring comic books, manga, and animated shows like The Simpsons, South Park, and BoJack Horseman, which resonated with me deeply. Art quickly became a way to understand myself and connect with others.

I first explored creativity through theater, then music, not as a musician but as a passionate listener and digger, fascinated by sounds and stories. Around the age of six, I discovered drawing by accident when I found a box of pencils and pastels in my attic. I loved the idea of starting from a blank page and creating freely, with no rules or limits. The manga Dragon Ball was a real turning point for me. It had everything: expressive faces, powerful emotions, and incredible landscapes.

My mother used to paint for pleasure, and I admired her calm and focus. Still, it took me years to dare pick up a brush myself. Around the age of fifteen, I painted my first canvas, and that was it, a revelation. I fell in love with the textures, the vivid colors, the freedom of movement. Painting felt different from drawing. It was about layering, building the image step by step until it came alive. One canvas turned into ten, then twenty, and I knew this was what I wanted to do with my life.

But I was also aware that making a living as an artist wouldn’t be easy. My parents encouraged me to follow a safer path, so I went to law school while continuing to paint whenever I could. Those years were challenging. I learned a lot, but I knew something was missing. After earning my Master’s in Media and Communication Law, I moved to Paris to work as a legal advisor in advertising regulation, a job at the crossroads of creativity and business. Yet again, I felt the same frustration: my dreams were slipping away.

In the summer of 2025, after a life-changing trip to California where I met several creative entrepreneurs, I decided to take the leap. I quit my job to dedicate myself fully to my art. Since then, I’ve felt truly alive. I finally feel seen, heard, and exactly where I’m meant to be.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Vincent, but I create under the name Crown* (@crownartist on IG). I’m a French painter and illustrator based in Paris. My world is very colorful and thrives on blending techniques: painting, pastels, colored pencils. I love experimenting with all these mediums and letting textures and materials interact with each other.

Through painting and illustration, I explore how to give shape to my emotions, desires, doubts, and questions. I talk about the end of childhood, my travels, and my search for meaning. I try to make my thoughts digestible and accessible so that people can find a bit of themselves in my work.

My universe has been building gradually, nourished by my childhood passions such as comic books, manga, and animation, as well as by everyday life. I’ve always been fascinated by expressive characters and visual worlds that combine lightness and depth. Today, my creations blend abstraction, figuration, and raw elements.

I love creating as much as I love sharing. On my social media, I show my artistic process, inspirations, and experiments, with a genuine desire to tell stories in a simple way and always with a touch of humor. To me, it’s important to do things seriously without taking yourself too seriously.

Alongside my paintings, I also offer prints and digital illustrations. I design album and single covers for various artists, and more recently, I’ve started creating 3D-printed figurines. I love experimenting with different mediums to bring my world to life in many forms, from canvas to object design, from digital to tangible. My goal remains the same: to create works that spark a sincere emotion and invite viewers to reconnect with their imagination.

What sets my work apart is probably the energy of my colors, the spontaneity of my line, and my simplicity as a person. I draw inspiration as much from pop culture and street art as from contemporary painting. I don’t try to fit into a specific category; I want my art to speak to both the past and the present, to nostalgia and modernity.

I’m especially proud of having dared to follow my own path. Leaving a stable and well-paid job in the legal field to dedicate myself entirely to art wasn’t an easy decision, but it’s the one that gave true meaning to my life.

Today, every conversation, every exhibition, every artwork that finds its audience reminds me why I chose this path.

If I had to sum up my work in one word, it would be authenticity. I paint with honesty and instinct, without trying to please or follow trends. I hope that raw, genuine energy can be felt in every brushstroke.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding part of being an artist is the feeling of being fully connected — to myself, to the present moment, and sometimes even to others through what I create.
Each piece is like a silent conversation. I put a part of myself onto the canvas, and somewhere, someone receives it in their own way. When a person tells me that a painting reminded them of a memory, a feeling, or a moment in their life, that’s when it all makes sense.

There’s also this immense, almost dizzying freedom that comes with creating something out of nothing. Starting from a blank canvas and watching it slowly come to life under my hands is something I never get tired of. The process is both meditative and intense, because it forces me to be honest with myself.

What I also find deeply rewarding is sharing. I love showing my creative process, the behind-the-scenes moments, my inspirations, and even my doubts — and seeing that it can inspire others to create as well. When someone tells me that one of my videos or posts made them want to pick up a brush again or allow themselves to dream, I feel a real sense of joy.

I also believe that artists have a unique ability to convey messages in different ways. It can be a simple emotion, an everyday observation, or something more critical and thought-provoking. In this race toward constant information, artists have the power to create things that last — that freeze time and move through it. Art, in a way, is a form of resistance to the ephemeral.

Being an artist means accepting that every day is different, that not everything can be controlled. And it’s precisely within that uncertainty that I find the greatest richness. With each new creation, I feel like I’m starting over, rediscovering what I do, and continuing to learn.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I’m still in the process of building my audience, but since dedicating myself fully to my artistic career, I’ve realized something essential: you have to be honest, stay true to yourself, and find a balance between two types of content.
On one hand, there are the more “crafted” pieces — the ones that tell a story, that stage the process or the reflection behind a work. On the other, there are more instinctive, spontaneous posts that show reality without filters. That balance creates a genuine connection with the audience because it reflects the truth of being an artist: passionate, demanding, and imperfect at the same time. I also think it’s important to keep a common thread throughout your creations (a theme, a story, a consistent atmosphere).

I also believe it’s important not to be afraid of trying new things and sharing them, even when they’re not perfect. By experimenting and putting yourself out there, you learn, you discover new paths, and you avoid getting stuck in a visual routine. Mistakes are part of the journey — they often lead to the most spontaneous moments, the ones that really resonate with people.

Finally, I think it’s worth remembering that chasing numbers isn’t the goal. Of course, we all want our work to reach as many people as possible, but focusing only on that can become exhausting and even counterproductive. Enjoying the act of creating should remain the main driving force — that’s what ensures the longevity and authenticity of any artistic project.

I’d also say that having some basic editing skills and decent equipment makes a real difference. You don’t need professional gear or cameras worth thousands of dollars — a smartphone and good lighting are often enough to create great content. What really matters is the intention, the consistency, and the genuine desire to share something meaningful.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.crown-artist.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crownartist/
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxJZMSjiVSAAWZZsJGslFLePwa6kiEQ14&si=RT7h7Jyj8cE9MuE6

Image Credits

Vekia