We love working with talented artists from around the world, and this year, we invited Cinta to capture Automattic’s holiday spirit in an illustration for our holiday card. We’re excited to introduce Cinta and share her wonderful work with you!
How would you describe your artistic style in three words, and why those three?
Colorful, conceptual, and playful. I like combining strong visual impact with ideas that invite interpretation and a sense of joy.
What draws you to your medium?
I’m drawn to traditional techniques such as ink on paper because drawing with brushes and a fluid medium like ink allows me to give the line a strong sense of expressiveness and texture. I enjoy working with the imperfections and unexpected accidents of analog processes, as they add a sense of soul and authenticity to the final illustration. I then apply color digitally, combining the warmth of traditional media with the flexibility of digital tools.
Can you share a bit about your muses or favorite subjects to illustrate?
I am deeply inspired by nature and by early 20th-century European painters. I love drawing characters that connect emotionally with people, and animals are among my favorite subjects, especially dogs.
I love drawing characters that connect emotionally with people, and animals are among my favorite subjects, especially dogs.
When creating the illustration for Automattic’s Holiday Card, what inspired you most? What made the process enjoyable?
When I received the commission, I started thinking about situations that transport me into a holiday mood, places associated with joy. It was also important to me that the illustration felt very sensory. After sharing different ideas, the musician emerged as the character best able to convey that feeling.
I especially enjoyed the sketching stage, the first approach to the idea. I also loved the color process, playing with different palettes and seeing how much an illustration can change with different color choices.
Which digital platform has shaped your career the most, and why?
Instagram, for sure; it’s the most visual one. I actually started out on Blogspot, hahaha.
How does your working environment influence your work?
My environment is very important for both my creative process and my mood. I have a studio at home, and the way my desk is positioned in relation to the window and natural light really matters to me. The plants, books, and objects around me also play an important role, as does living close to nature.
I’m deeply inspired by Thoreau’s ideas and his book Walden, Life in the Woods.
“It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.”
— Henry David Thoreau.
What do you hope people feel when they encounter your work?
I hope people are first drawn in by strong shapes or bold colors, and then “read” the image, discovering different layers of meaning. I hope my work makes them think and brings a smile to their face.
Cinta is a regular contributor to El País and has worked internationally with clients such as The New York Times Magazine, Google, Casa Camper, Tatte Bakery, and Courrier International. Across editorial illustration, books, and advertising campaigns, she enjoys telling emotionally engaging stories through expressive characters.
Her work has been recognized with several awards, including the APIM General Category Award (2024), a Special Mention (Accésit) at the ABC Museum of Illustration Press Illustration Competition (2023), an Honorable Mention at the 11th Ibero-American Illustration Catalogue (2020), and a Special Mention at the international illustration competition Ilustrarte (2018).
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