Sweet Magazine 2013 - A Sweet Year Volume One, 2013 | Page 24

We discovererd Fernanda’s work
when she made this amazing cake
for the DreamWorks release of
their animated feature The Croods.
Fernanda, like many other successful
cake artists, draws on her creative
background for all of her sweet

works of art. Her eye for the finer
details is obvious, take a minute
to study even one small section of
this cake and you’ll see meticulous
attention to the smallest details which
are what really bring this cake to life.

Fernanda, originally from Brazil has been living in the US

painting at DreamWorks where she’s been working for the

since she was 8 years old. Never considering herself a

past seven years. Opening her online boutique in January,

professional artist, she was recognised as a Maryland

cake is what she does when she’s not making movies -

Distinguished Scholar in Visual arts, a shock to Fernanda -

fascinated, we asked Fernanda some questions!

but none of us, she went on to study under a full scholarship
at the Maryland Institute College of Art before changing
direction.

Do you think your skills as an animator help with your 3D
cakes? Absolutely!!! Animation is all about the “Illusion
of life”, and that’s what I’ve been trying to convey with

“I got bored really quickly (as I normally do) and decided

my cakes. I know how to digitally sculpt, rig, and paint a

to change course and move to Florida to study Computer

character, so I’ve been able to translate that to cakes rather

Animation at Ringling College of Art and Design. Since

easily. My foundation in traditional arts has been a huge help

then my world has been nonstop. In 2006 after interning at

as well.

Electronic Arts Tiburon creating video games, I got married,
graduated from college, and was hired at DreamWorks
Animation as a Computer Animator. That brought my
husband and I over to California where we currently reside
with our two kids.”

How long have you been creating gorgeous cakes? My
first cake was for my son’s 1st birthday 3 years ago, it was
a disaster!! However, 2 years later I tried again and made
my daughter’s 4th birthday cake, a 3D castle. This time
I loved the way it turned out and it piqued my curiosity. I

Starting out as an animation artist, Fernanda quickly realised

started reading about cakes and sugar sculptures and

that she preferred painting and so transferred to digital

realized I could do something fun with it. At the end of
last year I decided I would give it a go again. My first
“real” gig was with DreamWorks for the company’s studio
release celebration event of “Rise of the Guardians” in late

I fail alot, but I
know to keep going.
The challenge
keeps me hooked.

November. I didn’t think much was going to come of it, but
the cupcakes where a hit and subsequently, they decided
to book me for “The Croods” release event in March 2013,
“Turbo” in 2013, and I’ve since done a few other studio
events. I also made my very first 3D cake “The Elf” last
December for a studio Christmas party. I could not BELIEVE
how fun it was. People went crazy over it and I got hooked.