Carina Santillan

BA Graphic Design with Animation Minor

Designer Website: CarinaSantillan.com

DESIGNER STATEMENT: I have always admired the cartoon field; whether they were the Sunday “funnies,” cartoon shows, graphic novels or nowadays, webcomics, they have always found a way of capturing my attention. I think the most beautiful thing about this market is that you have the chance of displaying a dual talent; one is for the artist’s ability to tell and create the story and the second one is their ability to display that story artistically in an engaging way. However, many do not consider cartooning to be at the same level as other art mediums, because of its often informality. My work challenges that; I work to combine designs into my cartoons to display that it is a serious medium, capable of exhibiting the same messages and ideas any other art form can. Good illustrations and cartoons require design because design is everywhere and part of everything. Thus, my designs and illustrations will always contain that. It is a way of putting myself into every work that I make: a signature of sorts. Combining all three art forms is not my challenge, it is just my way of doing art.