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Softness with Horror: An Interview with Sara (bl00dina)
bl00dina’s work lives in between gore and grace, medicine and magic, violence and vulnerability. Based in Paris, she fuses a lifelong draw to horror with a tenderness that disarms you. I sent her a few questions about her influences, emotions, and how Pilates and pastries fuel her creative life.
How did you first get into ero guro (as you say) art? Was there a specific moment or piece that made you fall in love with it?
I’ve always drawn slightly gory things, honestly, I never really went through a phase where I drew anything other than somewhat gruesome art. As a kid, sure, I had a brief period of drawing horses and princesses, but I quickly moved on to darker, more emo-style drawings LOL. Over time, I feel like I naturally found my own balance, and now I don’t even have to force it, blending softness with horror just comes intuitively to me.
Your work is both beautiful and unsettling—it creates such a strong emotional impact. What kinds of feelings or reactions are you hoping to bring out in people?
To be honest, I don’t really have specific expectations for how people should react. It’s not something I’ve thought deeply about. That said, it means the world to me when someone tells me my art helped them heal from trauma or simply made them feel better. As long as I feel the emotion I’m trying to express through the piece, whether it’s anger, fear, disgust, resilience, or sadness… I believe others can feel it too.
Who or what inspires your style the most? Are there any artists, films, music, or books that have shaped your creative world?
Absolutely! I really admire Masamune Shirow, Junji Ito (especially his character Tomie) and Shintaro Kago. I’m also deeply inspired by anything related to vampires. It’s kind of an obsession, to be honest. If I had to name two major influences that shaped me into the artist I am today, it would be vampires and medicine.
You’re based in Paris. How does the city influence your art—visually, emotionally, or even just spiritually?
Visually, I’d say the cathedrals and chapels inspire me a lot, especially when I want to draw characters connected to knights or medieval themes in general. Emotionally, though… I’m not sure it’s a positive influence (which is more often than visually). Paris can really drain you. It’s such a beautiful city, but everything moves so fast that you don’t even get the time to appreciate it, you risk losing yourself, and your mind. That said, it’s often when I feel empty or sad that I create my best work. Art becomes an escape, a safe space for my emotions.
What do you enjoy outside of making art? How else do you express yourself or recharge creatively?
Oh, I love this question! I’m super into Pilates right now. I do it three times a week to release stress (though, to avoid tendinopathy like I have now, maybe stick to twice a week, I kind of regret overdoing it, lol). I also adore discovering cute new cafés. Give me a little strawberry cake and a matcha latte and I feel instantly revived. At home, I bake all kinds of things (cookies, cakes, pancakes, you name it). I love learning new skills, and I recently picked up pottery too. I guess I’m a pretty hyperactive person overall, but if you remember one thing about me, it’s this: I love matcha, pastries, and working out.