Back to the Drawing Desk

I’m starting a new kind of newsletter and I want to share two little updates with you.

First, this is the beginning of a series where I’ll take you through a very special experience: the entry-level course I’m currently doing at Ars in Fabula.
Ars in Fabula is an illustration school based in Macerata, Italy. In collaboration with the Academy of Fine Arts of Macerata, it offers a first-level Master’s degree in editorial illustration.

Second, at the end, I’ve added a small personal section to ReSketching, a quiet space to share things I’ve enjoyed or that have stayed with me.
Social media feels a bit overwhelming lately, and I prefer to live the moment instead of posting in real time.
But I still love sharing, so here’s where I’ll drop a few favorites: a place I visited or an event I loved, a series or film (yes, I’m a movie addict), a picture book I’m into, or a podcast or song that keeps me company. Hope you enjoy it!

Two years ago, while I was working on some book covers, I got a big proposal: to illustrate a full children’s book, not just the cover, but all the interior pages too.

My excitement matched my insecurity. Me? Illustrate a children’s book? I wanted to say yes... but could I really do it? Well, as I’ve done many times before, I said yes first and figured I’d deal with the fear later.

Long story short: I did the book. I learned. I enjoyed it. And honestly? For being my first book, I think the result was pretty decent.

That book, Cuentos encadenados by Pilar López Ávila, isn’t today’s main story, but it opened something in me. I’ve always loved picture books, but I never imagined I could actually make one. I assumed it was a field where I had nothing to offer.

But someone trusted me to tell a story through images, and that changed everything.

At that time, I had just moved to Italy and was enrolled in the illustration course I mentioned in my earlier newsletter. In the following year, the program focused on specific illustration fields: character design, editorial illustration, book covers and posters, environments, and… illustration for children.

That last module hit me hard, in the best way. We used a real book competition as an excuse to explore the process behind a picture book.

I felt something shift inside. I was excited. I learned so much. That project lit a fire in me, you can still see the results here.

After that, I became very excited about the world of picture books, and that’s when I knew: I had to go to the Bologna Book Fair. If you want the full story, I wrote a whole newsletter about my first time there, but what matters is that I left the fair convinced that I wanted to dive fully into the picture book world.

At the time, I didn’t know how to explain it. But now I can: I had realized picture books are not just 32 pages of pretty images. They are the illustrator’s voice. Their take on the story. A bridge between author and reader. A window into someone’s inner world.

STUDY.

I had already heard about Ars in Fabula, a well-known illustration school in Italy (and Europe). But one day, I was listening to the amazing Felicita Sala in her interview in the Illustration Department Podcast, and she mentioned that she teaches there.

I looked up the school’s programs. They offer two training courses and then a Master’s. Of course, I wanted the Master’s... but there was a detail: the classes are in Italian.

My native language is Spanish. My English is okay. And Italian? I’m still learning. After three years in Italy, I understand almost everything. But understanding is not the same as speaking, especially if you're a freelancer working solo from home, and mostly send emails in Spanish or English.

Plus... I’m not exactly the most extroverted person.

So I chose the beginner course. It made sense. I might have experience as an illustrator, but the children’s book world is new for me, and so is the language.

Spoiler: it was one of the best decisions I’ve made in years.

The teachers, the tutors, and my classmates are incredibly patient and kind. I feel truly lucky and supported.

This was a long introduction, I know, but I want to document my full process through this course. Because honestly? It’s been a beautiful, eye-opening experience, full of small AHA moments, both creatively and personally.

My goals for this course are:

• Narrative: Learn how to tell a story visually.

• Technique: Return to traditional materials and take a break from the screen.

• Expression: Let my inner world come out through illustration.

The final project is, of course, an illustrated book, so in the next newsletters, I’ll tell you how I experienced each stage: from character design to color tests, what challenged me, what I learned, and what I loved.

In the next one, I’ll talk about choosing which story to work on, and how stepping out of my comfort zone opened a door I had kept shut for a long time. (Yes, I know it’s a cliché, sorry!)

And just so you know, I’m writing these newsletters in real time, I’m currently in the last months of the course. So, if you have any ideas, questions, or feedback to share, I’ll be more than happy to hear them!

And now…time for the new section:

• Out of the Studio
  Last weekend, we went to Imola to see the Formula 1 Grand Prix! Not exactly illustration-related... but definitely exciting. We've recently gotten into F1, and with so much happening, we couldn't miss this race: Ferrari's passionate home crowd, Hamilton's debut with the team in Italy, Kimi Antonelli, the only Italian driver, racing at home for the first time, and—most exciting for me—The return of Franco Colapinto, the first Argentine driver in F1 in 23 years.

  It was our first time at a Grand Prix, and we loved it. The atmosphere was amazing, full of families, friends, young fans, and older fans. Such a great experience.

  Bonus tip: If you know nothing about F1, I still highly recommend Drive to Survive on Netflix. It’s super addictive, even if you’re not into sports.

• Seen & Felt: The Four Seasons
  Beautiful, fun, and even introspective. And the titles are gorgeously designed.

• For the Shelf: Cenerina ha una grande stoffa a fiori
  A super sweet book, beautifully illustrated in just two colors!

• Echoes: Alicia Baladan on Il Mondo Invisibile Podcast
  In the course, we had the pleasure of having Alicia Baladan as a guest. I can’t not recommend this interview on Il Mondo Invisibile podcast, it really touched me. (Sorry, it’s in Italian!)

Thanks for reading 💛