This artwork, titled Smile, is one of Mariana’s projects completed during her Bachelor’s Degree, focusing on human expression, portraits and caricatures. Her work is composed of 50 black and white caricatures of random people, drawn on kraft and white paper. Divided into two panels of 25 drawings each, it measures up to 2 metres in height and 1.5 metres in width. Inspired by daily life’s expressions, her project incorporates a graphic, linear style, using inking techniques such as linear hatching, crosshatching, contour hatching, scumbling and block shading. Depicted with exaggerated laughter, bared teeth and distorted features, these caricatures aim to embrace the unguarded expressions of people unconcerned with flattering poses typical of composed portraiture and photography. Rather than conform to everyday beauty standards, these imperfections capture the expressions as they truly are, authentic and spontaneous.