Simona De Leo

Simona De Leo is a freelance illustrator, primarily working in publishing and editorial. Currently, her output focuses on illustration for fiction and non-fiction book covers, as well as the development of her own art print collection in which she freely follows her creativity without adhering to a specific brief.

“I have been painting for as long as I can remember,” says the illustrator. Simona’s mother was a painter, as are all of her aunts and uncles. She tells us; “I recall my mother lending me her wooden suitcase full of oil colours from her youth when I was around 6 years old, and from then on, I never put down the brush.” Simona studied Painting and Decoration at art school, followed by Comics and Illustration at the Academy of Fine Arts of Bologna. Her skills were further honed with a Master’s in Communication Design and Illustration at Kingston University, London. “Art has always been an integral part of my life,” states Simona.

Her working process is always evolving; “Like a river in motion, we change, and so does my creative process.” Simona’s artistic endeavours began with oil paint, then explored pastels, and watercolours, and she eventually transitioned to digital a few years ago. Shortly after completing her master’s degree, she injured her dominant hand, which prevented her from drawing for a significant period. Once Simona regained the ability to draw, her hand was too shaky for ink and watercolour, so she turned to digital art. However, still nostalgic for the analogue feel, Simona started experimenting with various materials; pastels, charcoal, acrylics, even coffee and tea, creating textures that she could then scan and incorporate into her digital illustrations. “This allows me to retain digital art’s vibrant colour palette while preserving traditional materials’ nostalgic feel,” comments the illustrator.

Although a wide variety of inspirations come to play within her work, it is Simona’s passion for jazz music and the sunny vibes of her hometown in Southern Italy that are the most significant sources. She also takes influence from the beauty of nature and flowers, which often feature in her patterns and compositions. As for artists, Simona tells us; “I admire Van Gogh’s and the impressionists’ works. Among contemporary illustrators, Lorenzo Mattotti, an Italian illustrator and comic artist based in Paris, is a favourite. His work is poetic and captivating—I could gaze at it for hours.”

With numerous plans for the future, and the hope of seeing her illustrations grace more inspiring book covers, Simona will continue to create with the constant desire of further developing her art prints, experiment with screenprinting, and establish collaborations with galleries in London and beyond.

@simona_illustrator
www.simonadeleo.com

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