What brought you to illustration?
From a very young age, I always loved drawing. I enjoyed reading comics, but also inventing my own stories and, of course, drawing pictures—those stories where the stories couldn't exist, like fights between vampires and Superman, or mummies versus Mickey Mouse.
Illustration "Walkers"
What does a typical work day look like for you?
I generally start every weekday at 11 am. I always do a little sketching in my sketchbook before starting, choosing the right music and atmosphere for the project. I usually divide my work into two parts: in the morning, before lunch, I do sketches and the creative design work, and in the afternoon, I do the technical part of outlining and coloring the illustrations.
Illustration from the 'Tecuanes' series
Are there any illustrators who influenced/ influence you?
I've had many influences ... but I think Maurice Sendak, Edward Gorey, Saul Steinberg, and Lane Smith have influenced my work the most.
Illustration "Big Blue"
What was your very first illustration?
My first paid illustration was almost 30 years ago; it was a small cartoon for a baby magazine in Mexico City.
Illustration "Mis Amigos invisibles"
What inspires you? Where do you get your ideas?
I'm inspired by many things: film (especially composition), particularly Wes Anderson and Hayao Miyazaki; art, for example, I love José Luis Cuevas and the Mexican printmaker Guadalupe Posada, mainly for their use of black and white.
Illustration "Ferotge. El retorn"
Do you have a favorite illustrator/artist/author?
Wow, I have several "favorite" illustrators ... in Mexico, Manuel Monroy; the Spanish artist Julia Sarda; and the French artist Isabelle Arsenault. I think they're the most important.
Illustration "Paula y su vestido rojo"
Do you like listening to music or audiobooks while working, or do you prefer silence?
When I read texts, I prefer silence. When I'm sketching, I like modern classical music by Hans Zimmer, Alexandre Desplat, and Max Richter. But when I'm working on color and technique, I prefer rock, mainly 80s hard rock.
Do you have a favorite place to work?
My studio ...
Illustration "La mochila roja"
Is there a particular story you'd love to illustrate?
There's a Mexican legend I'd love to illustrate; it's a story of drama and ghosts: "La Llorona"
Illustration "Kala"
What's your favorite illustration you've done so far?
The "Kala" illustration series.
Illustration "Big Blue"
What do you do when you're not illustrating?
I like to cook, but I don't follow recipes; I invent dishes. I also like playing video games, and I'm currently writing some stories.
Illustration "Mis fantasmas favoritos"
What makes the art of illustration special for you?
It's a fantasy world, a world where you can color according to your own rules. It's a happy world where I like to be.
Illustration "Kike y Kiki"
What makes a good illustrator?
I think a good illustrator is someone who knows how to conceptualize, who understands the power of the message and the strength of the symbol. It's not necessarily the best artist or the one who masters the technique; in my opinion, it's the one who knows how to communicate directly through images.
Illustration "My First Scare"
Do you sometimes struggle? Do you need motivation? And if so, what helps? Do you experience any kind of artist's block?
I think we all go through creative blocks. Sometimes it helps to watch a movie I haven't seen before, or go for a walk in the park and observe what's happening. For me, it helps to set parameters and rules to break the block, like a game. For example, when I created the illustration "My First Scare," rule number one was a black background... only two or three colors, no background, and only two characters. I created the illustration with those rules, and it worked. I never face a blank page.