My name is Giulia Pallanca, I’m an illustrator based in Bologna, Italy, I grew up in Sanremo and I am half Puerto Rican. I create chapter books, picture books, comics and covers, with a fresh, colourful style that can turn painterly or shift into loose, crisp linework. I work across traditional and digital media, from gouache and acrylic paint to Procreate. Fantasy, miniature natural worlds, girlhood and coming-of-age stories sit at the heart of my work, and I’m known for giving characters and their worlds personality, movement and visual variety.

I graduated in E-design and Illustration at the Nemo Academy in Florence and I’m currently finishing my undergraduate studies in Comics and Illustration at the Academy of Fine Arts in Bologna. I’ve worked professionally for about five years, mainly as a copy artist, where my adaptability, reliability and clear communication have helped me build an ongoing relationship with Collaborate. My clients have included publishing houses such as Hachette and OUP as well as private commissioners. My process starts with ideas and references, then character work, storyboarding, palette selection and a style sample before finals. I’m especially strong in creating lively gouache and acrylic illustrations and compelling characters full of interaction and emotion.

As a child I was always drawing favourite characters for fun, and I was mesmerised by the illustrations in chapter books and series like Fairy Oak, W.I.T.C.H. and Winx. That mix of girlhood and magic still stays with me. Today I’m inspired by folklore, graphic novels, fantasy and sci-fi books, nature, and music; finding the right soundtrack for a project makes it feel almost cinematic. Outside work I love cooking and testing new vegan recipes, practicing yoga, lingering over breakfast or an afternoon treat at a café, and diving into video essays, films, books and pop culture. When people see my work, I hope they feel close to the characters and drawn into the warmth, details and little imperfections on the page, just like I used to do as a kid (and still do now!).