Getting To Know The Bees! Laura Estrada Ferraz

4 November 2021

This time it's the turn of Beehive Illustrator Laura Estrada Ferraz to answer behind the scenes questions in our feature "getting to know the Bees.

Tell us about where you live and work?

Since the past year, I have been living in the southwest of Madrid with my partner [who is also an illustrator]

In a house full of children's books, comics, and paintings, where we have a home-office for each one.

My space is full of plants, diaries, and cups of coffee. It has two screens to illustrate: the computer and the Cintiq, and the radio on while I work.

What inspired you to be an illustrator?

As a child, I spent my days drawing in Paint, using the computer mouse.

Until when I was a teenager my uncle gave me a small bamboo graphic tablet. Then I learned to use Photoshop and drew a lot more.

I thought that when I grew up I would be a designer and that, in my spare time, I would do some drawing. But I couldn't avoid trying to make a living from illustration.

Now, when I see my work published... I feel I decided well.

What do you do to overcome a creative block?

I have some lists of ideas to be illustrated in a Word file and some are from a long time ago. When I feel blocked, I try to move on and choose an idea from the list.

Also, I like taking walks in bookstores and listening to interview podcasts.

Seeing the beginnings of illustrators that I like seems inspiring.

How would you describe your day job to a child?

I get up very early and have a good breakfast with a warm coffee and cookies.

Then I read the story that I have to illustrate and I imagine what the characters and backgrounds will be like.

I do a lot of quick sketches and clean them up when they make me laugh. If editors like them too, here's my favourite part: colouring them while listening to music.

What is your guilty pleasure

How difficult, I have so many! As you may have guessed, the main ones are coffee and chocolate.