Illustrator and graphic designer, Adriana Esquivel, strives to infuse her work with humor and warmth. “I love using color and texture to set the mood of an illustration,” said the Costa Rica-based artist in an interview with Ballpitmag. “More often than not that mood is cheerful, but sometimes a little sarcasm slips in there,” she admits.
Working both digitally and traditionally, her tools include gouache, India ink, fineliners, and colored pencils. “I like how versatile digital illustration can be and how it allows me to have a giant toolbox at my disposal on the go,” she adds.
Each of her colorful pieces begins with a clear vision of what she wants to accomplish. Based on that, Esquivel sketches and plays around with the composition. When she doesn’t have a clear idea she turns to other references. “From there I pick a color palette and start painting!”
Inspired by nature, but also films, books, and “stories in general,” her illustrations tend to hold a narrative within them. “It’s hard to predict how people will react to your work, but I hope it brings people joy,” she says. “I hope they feel good when they look at it and it bolsters their imagination.”
Happy we are!
