Esther Morales  is an illustrator and drawer. She is currently studying her final year of Fine Arts in the Facultad de Bellas Artes de Salamanca , and is fully involved in various personal projects like the publication of an illustrated children´s book and a series of illustrations called “Dymorphisms” about the relationship between the rational part, and the more impulsive, animal part of human beings.

We know Esther because she was one of the first people to create her profile on The Art Boulevard. She wrote to us a while ago to offer to help and collaborate with us, so we decided to interview her about “how to go from being a Fine Arts student to professional artist”

Good afternoon, many thanks for accepting to do this interview and for contacting us.

Let´s start from the beginning: Why did you decide to study Fine Arts and dedicate yourself to art? And why did you choose to do so in the Faculty of Fine Arts in Salamanca?

For me, studying Fine Arts was one of those impulsive decisions that turned out well. I was actually going to study translation but, at the last minute, I realised that I had to pick something that really satisfied me, so I clung to what made me happy and didn´t think about the fact that it is a somewhat “peculiar” profession in many people´s eyes.

Since I was very young I remember having a pencil in my hand so I can only say that art is my passion.

As for choosing the faculty at Salamanca, I did it for the city more than anything else, since the faculty is not well known, I only saw it for the first time the day that I did the matriculation test before beginning the degree. Salamanca is and always will be “my city”, although I wasn´t born there I feel like it is mine and it is always going to be a special place for me, a place to return to.

Now that you are in you last year at the faculty, how are you preparing yourself the year ahead and your first “solo” steps in the world?

Well I would be lying if I said I´m not a bit (or very) scared, and more so with the economic situation of the country. But I have always been a very positive person and I believe that with work and effort one can get where they want to go.  

Does the Fine Arts faculty of Salamanca prepare its students for their entry into the art world? Are there programmes, conferences, work offers within the faculty itself to prepare one for life after university.

With regard to this, above all else, I would point out the work done by our teachers, who spend their time bringing us to meet galleries to meet artists, curators and professionals in the art world who advise us and tell us about their experience. In other subjects like Graphic Design or Illustration, the teachers focus on the transition to the world of work, concluding with a series of “final works” which we can then show to a company, which we greatly appreciate. 

What are your next steps going to be? What are you working on now? 

Currently, besides my job and class work, I am drawing as much as I can to improve my portfolio so that a year from now I can try to look for work in the field of editorial illustration and concept art for animation and video games.

This summer, as well, I have been writing and illustrating a children´s book with  Tatanka, also  of Salamanca, which will be released this December, called “Felix Meets the Forest”. This has been my first real contact with the professional world and honestly I couldn´t be happier.

How did the opportunity to work with Tantanka come about?

The opportunity to work with Tantanka came as a total surprise to me. My illustration teacher, Tomás Hijo, gave us, for our final assignment, a project to do a series of illustrations for a children´s book. When I handed him my proposal of Vulpes the little fox (protagonist of the story along with Felix) he really liked it and he suggested that I take it to Tantanka. Tomás, besides an illustrator and teacher, is an editor there. So I am immeasurably grateful for having been given the opportunity, it has been an intense summer in which I have worked hard every day to a deadline and, besides really enjoying the experience, I have learned so much about good page layout and proofreading. I couldn´t ask for more!

What would you say is the most difficult thing facing you as a student of fine arts about to begin their artistic career?

Above all the uncertainty of not knowing if I will find work, but I think that I have my objectives pretty clear and I know the world that I want to move in, narrowing in on this one space is something that I think will also help me. Now is the time to work hard and find a place for myself in this world I´m so passionate about.  

What would you like to suggest to The Art Boulevard? What type of information, activities or themes, do you think would help you right now in your career?

Honestly, everything that The Art Boulevard already provides every day, above all in relation to the visual arts, that interests me, but I would highlight the Lab  and the Café  which tells me what is going on today events  e oportunities  in the art world, like exhibitions or possible job offers.

 Esther's Blog

Portfolio