Idoia Iribertegui

Illustrator

©Rubén García Blazquez

Sketching like a movie director

Idoia draws inspiration from history, caricatures and stories of the past
She has practised and studied drawing and design since childhood
In 2023, she represented Spain at the Guadalajara Book Fair

Since childhood, drawing has been Idoia Iribertegui’s way of escaping and expressing herself. She was always the student who, instead of taking notes, would sketch what was being explained. "I have a much stronger visual memory than a textual one," she says. She studied fine arts in Salamanca, specialising in graphic design. Later, Idoia completed a postgraduate degree in advertising creativity in Barcelona and trained in illustration and picture books in England. "I am constantly learning, attending fairs, conferences and talks," she says. Idoia's strengths lie in character design, creating atmosphere, visual storytelling from a text, and experimenting with traditional materials. She works with watercolours, Indian ink and pencil. What she loves most about being an illustrator is the ability to experience different lives through the stories she illustrates.

Interview

©Rubén García Blazquez

©Rubén García Blazquez

How did you come to your craft?: It is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life, to draw and tell stories. I was always very aware that to achieve this I had to study, explore, and learn beyond my comfort zone. For me, there was no other option but an artistic career.
Did you grow up with drawing and illustration?: I started by studying the art books my parents had at home, simply out of curiosity, and by drawing what I saw. From the age of eight onwards, I do not remember anything other than drawing and reading as my main sources of inspiration and escape.
Which books have influenced you as an artist?: The stories of Oscar Wilde, Jane Austen, Edward Gorey, Wilkie Collins and Edith Wharton have shaped my path. I am also inspired by the past, tradition, abandoned places, eccentric characters, absurdity, humour, and the unexpected.
How would you define your work?: Classic contemporary. I am captivated by stories of past family sagas, mysterious places lost in time, unusual, exaggerated, or striking characters, while at the same time, I remain connected to simple storytelling and a sense of humour.

Idoia Iribertegui is a master artisan: she began her career in 1993 and she started teaching in 2011