Comic books have long evolved from superhero narratives aimed at children and young adults. These days, you can find anything from horror comic books to autobiographies and even history books, all translated to colorful imagery that helps draw you inside.
Most recently, we’ve come across the unique comic art of Ana Galvañ. Situated at the crossroad between editorial illustrations and comic art, her work doesn’t come off as childish or cutesy, but rather appeals to a more sophisticated audience (amongst her selected clients you can find The New York Times and The New Yorker).
Often sticking to a restricted color palette of blues, yellows, and reds, her illustrations stand out for their grainy texture, an homage to vintage comic books.
“I have always tried to remove the coldness from my digital works, adding worn textures or screen dots,” Galvañ explained her creative process in an interview with the WeTransfer blog. “I also usually add some vintage Photoshop filters, which change the original colors.”
According to Galvañ, she’s drawn to the potential of telling a story through comic art: “I’m a comic book artist by nature, rather than an illustrator,” she admits. “So there’s always this narrative element present in my pieces, even when I make a single illustration.”
“I like to work on imaginary worlds in which any surreal event is possible,” she adds. “But it’s based on realistic surroundings. In that way, the surprise of absurd scenarios causes a bigger impact. I guess creating fantastic universes is one of the reasons I like to draw and tell stories.”
