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Hello! My name is Miriam Figueras, I’m 33 and I’m an illustrator and graphic designer from Barcelona, Spain, where I currently live. Although I had been drawing and illustrating from a very early age, I didn’t fully pursue this passion until this year when everything seemed to finally fall into place.
Besides art, cinema has been very close to my heart and especially classic films. My childhood heroes were Gene Kelly, Cary Grant and Errol Flynn. English wasn’t obviously my main language but because of those movies I adored, I felt compelled to learn it, also at a very early age.
So after finishing high school and facing the dreaded decision of choosing a career, I opted for Audiovisual Communication which, at that time, I thought was the closest to cinema I could get. I hadn’t yet considered an artistic career as a profession and I soon found out that the path I had taken was not the one for me.
I dropped after one year and then started Multimedia Engineering but, again, I felt the move wasn’t right. I explored my options at that point and decided to study Graphic Design which I eventually completed. Looking back I can see now that the classes I loved the most where the ones including drawing sessions and illustrating techniques. Art had been there the whole time, I just didn’t realize.
After I finished my studies, I started working at a small comics publishing company focusing on editorial design. Although I liked it, the job didn’t last long and then I shifted to agencies, working as a multidisciplinary graphic designer. A few years later, it dawned on me that the professional life I was living wasn’t still the one that fulfilled me. It was high time that I finally took the step of a lifetime and that’s when I became a freelance illustrator and self-proclaimed artist, at last.
Having finally found my place and this amazing creative community through Instagram, I can say without a doubt that I couldn’t be happier. Mine has been a long journey to discovering the artist I always longed to be.
I also delved into watercolors after watching the amazing creations online and bought a new set of new materials, in addition to the ones I already used, like Kuretake’s Watercolor Palette or Winsor & Newton professional watercolors. I love illustrating food, plants and meaningful objects. I’m hugely inspired by traditional British botanical scientific art, vintage cookbooks and contemporary illustrators I keep on bumping into. There’s so much amazing creativity out there. Despite my obvious international influences, I also try to give more visibility to products and wonderful dishes of Catalan and Spanish gastronomy.
My creative process begins with a pencil sketch, as detailed as possible in order to capture the light and different hues of the object I’m painting. I normally continue with a very light and transparent first layer of watercolor. Then I gradually add more and more pigment until I have reached the desired saturation. I either finish my illustrations using Prismacolor Colored Pencils for more definition or just my trusty Graphite 2B Pencil with which I love giving emphasis on shadows and object juxtaposition. Depending on the subject, specially when I do client work, I use Copper Gouache or Finetec Pearl Watercolors for detail. I’m nuts for that metallic effect!
At the moment, I’m also working on my new website which will also include a blog where I will further explain my process, influences and projects. Sharing my passion and connecting with other artists has meant the world to me. That is what makes me want to improve and pursue a happier life which, for me, has to be filled with art and creativity. By being my better self, I can improve the lives of those around me. This has been my journey.
Miriam Figueras
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Hello Miriam! Your art is so bright and vibrant. It has put me in a happy place. Thank you. And thank you Charlie for sharing Miriams art.
Hello Susan! Thank you for your kind comments, they also made my day.
Miriam, your art is gorgeous. How interesting that you use pencils for a final touch – a very subtle process but the resulting image is wonderful.
[Sorry, I replied as another comment and not as an actual reply ;)] Thank you so much, Sharon. Yes, I really like using pencils because, for me, they work out perfectly in terms of achieving definition. I love things that are carefully and gently created and that’s what I aim for.
Thank you so much, Sharon. Yes, I really like using pencils because, for me, they work out perfectly in terms of achieving definition. I love things that are carefully and gently created and that’s what I aim for.
Very beautiful work Miriam! Congratulations for this wonderful feature and now I also follow you on Instagram! Keep up with your great creativity! And thank you Charlie for this beautiful feature! 😉 <3
I am so happy that you liked it! Thank you very much and also your comment on Instagram! I will keep on doing my best and I hope to meet wonderful artists like you all ✨ This is wonderful!
You’re welcome Miriam and yes this is really wonderful and here there is a beautiful community of artists! Stay connected and keep in touch! <3