Client: The Washington Post

Project: The Marshmallow Test

Series for the Washington Post on the Marshmallow Test and its application to vulnerable groups of children, in this case Mayan children from the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. The article denounces the prejudices with which many scientists evaluate these children, using as a reference the results of children from privileged environments. In addition, they also omit other surprising abilities that marginalized and racialized children develop before other children.

In this series I wanted to reflect that what is wrong is the instrument with which these children are “looked at”. Also how invasive and uncomfortable it can be for a child to be presented with tests and objects that do not make sense to their everyday life or needs, and finally, how children re-signify the objects that researchers give them and transform them into something unexpected and wonderful.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

Personal illustrations based on a pop-Mexican aesthetic that reflects everything I love about my country. It’s people, traditions, and colors.

The first image was part of the “Starter Pack” trend, which came as a response to a previous trend in which AI -AI-generated images were used to represent artists as dolls with accessories that define their personality. Artists from all around the world protested against AI by taking this trend and making handmade art to make their doll-package portraits.

Client: Storytime Magazine
Project: The Opossum and the secret of fire

Storytime is a UK-based children’s literature magazine that collects myths and stories from different cultures. This one is the Aztec myth of how the opossum tricked the Sun God and stole the fire to give it to mankind. In this story the possum steals the fire by setting its own tail on fire, which is why this animal has a hairless tail still today.

Client: The Washington Post

Project: Cover art for Weekend Section

Illustration depicting upcoming movies for the Fall Season, including titles such as Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Women Talking, Puss in Boots: The last wish, and Avatar: The way of water.

The idea was to combine all these movies with the concept of Holidays, since Thaksgiving was coming. So I created a scene where all the characters from such different backgrounds and stories were sharing a meal, homaging both the pictures and the meaning of Thanksgiving.

This was one of my favorite collaborations because I love cinema and very good movies were out that year. But definetely the best part about this cover was illustrating Tenoch Huerta, amazing Mexican actor, who became part of the Marvel Universe. As a homage to our background I drew his character, Namor, eating tacos during this Thanksgiving feast.

Client: CIDCLI - Seminario de Cultura Mexicana

Project: Yáotl en la tierra de los muertos

Yáotl, a brave young boy, goes through the Mictlán, or the Aztec land of the dead, in order to find his father. As he goes deeper into the undeworld he encounters a variety of obstacles and haunting enemies.

Client: Planeta and Penguin Random House

Project: “Cuentos de buenas noches para niñas rebeldes” and “Valientes: Mujeres que abrieron brecha”

These illustrations belong to two beautiful books that tell the story of brave women through history, both in Mexico and the world. I had the honor of reading the biography of amazing women and doing the portrait of important people such as Revolutionary fighter Carmen Serdán; migrant-related activists, Las Patronas; first gay and female football coach, Katie Sowers; songwriter Violeta Parra, and writer Chimamanda Ngozi, among others.

Instead of doing anatomically perfect portraits, I tried incorporating metaphoric elements that would emphasize the personality and achievements of each one of them, in order to create curiosity around the character and represent the most important aspects of their lives.

Client: The Washington Post

Project: Weekend Covers

The first one illustrates three upcoming music festivals: National Cannabis Festival, Project Glow and Brocolli City Festival.

The second cover was to celebrate Soul Mega brewery’s Megafest, a beer festival combining the best of beer and music within a bloc party vibe celebration.

Client: Aphik - Cambridge University
Project: Cambridge Primary Reading Anthologies

Abuela Cooks is a short story about Diego, a Mexican-American kid who finds his roots through her grandma’s cooking.

Client: Storytime Magazine

Project: The Gift of Corn

Storytime is one of the UK’s leading children’s magazines. Their colorful pages depict tales, myths, and legends of the world. It was my great honor to illustrate the Aztec myth of the origin of men.

In this story, the god Quetzalcóatl is tired after many failed attempts to create the human race. With the help of his brother Xólotl, the dog-shaped god, Quetz steals bones from the underworld and creates humans from them, but the plan ends up in defeat since the created humans are very weak and fragile.

He’s about to give up when he notices an ant carrying something shiny and interesting: a maize kernel. Quetz finally makes a strong human race using maize dough to shape the humans, and corn transforms into one of the main grains of Mexican culture, even into the present.

For this project, I went for shiny colors that would be attractive for the kids and I also used Aztec glyphs to create some of the shapes of water, mountains, and clouds.

Client: Disney Plus

Project: Papás por Encargo opening titles

Disney Plus’s on-stream series “Papás por Encargo” tells the story of California, a girl who since her mother’s disappearance, has been “adopted” by three young musicians. Now, after a clue of her mother’s whereabouts California and her three foster dads must travel through Mexico onboard of a colorful ice cream truck.

For this project, I worked with a colorful color palette that reflects my country’s identity. I was asked to create animals, plants, and the main character’s portraits.

Client: Edelvives

Project: 2021 Edelvives’ Catalogues Covers

Cover design for the editorial various catalogs. The following are small descriptions of the concepts that inspired each illustration.

Literature. Books are doors to hidden worlds that can transform you.

Highschool. This is a time for young people to start thinking about the future and possible careers, but also a time for social skills and good memories.

Subscription program. New books are like bottles in the sea looking for someone to find them and give them a new home.

Religion. Religious literature can be fun and provide positive values.

Some personal illustrations :)

Personal project.

Each year I design a set of Year planners inspired in Mexican folklore.