Soulful illustrator creating vibrant, color-driven worlds for joyful visual storytelling and design. elenapensiero.com Hi, I’m Elena Pensiero, a southern Italy-born illustrator, artist and graphic designer currently based in Rome, with a background in fashion. I graduated in 2017 from the Master’s in Editorial Illustration at Ars in Fabula, Macerata, and my work has been published by Gribaudo, Feltrinelli, and La Margherita Editore, and featured in Repubblica’s Robinson and the 2019 AI Annual. I create dreamlike illustrations using vibrant, expressive color to bring imaginative worlds to life, exploring hidden beauty and capturing what is invisible to the eye. I’ve built a career as a freelance illustrator and graphic designer, collaborating with publishing houses and brands, and I enjoy developing text analysis, visual research, sketches, storyboards, and final full-color illustrations that convey mood and meaning for both children’s and adult audiences.

Elena Pensiero

Soulful illustrator creating vibrant, color-driven worlds for joyful visual storytelling and design. elenapensiero.com Hi, I’m Elena Pensiero, a southern Italy-born illustrator, artist and graphic designer currently based in Rome, with a background in fashion. I graduated in 2017 from the Master’s in Editorial Illustration at Ars in Fabula, Macerata, and my work has been published by Gribaudo, Feltrinelli, and La Margherita Editore, and featured in Repubblica’s Robinson and the 2019 AI Annual. I create dreamlike illustrations using vibrant, expressive color to bring imaginative worlds to life, exploring hidden beauty and capturing what is invisible to the eye. I’ve built a career as a freelance illustrator and graphic designer, collaborating with publishing houses and brands, and I enjoy developing text analysis, visual research, sketches, storyboards, and final full-color illustrations that convey mood and meaning for both children’s and adult audiences.

Available to hire

Soulful illustrator creating vibrant, color-driven worlds for joyful visual storytelling and design.

elenapensiero.com

Hi, I’m Elena Pensiero, a southern Italy-born illustrator, artist and graphic designer currently based in Rome, with a background in fashion. I graduated in 2017 from the Master’s in Editorial Illustration at Ars in Fabula, Macerata, and my work has been published by Gribaudo, Feltrinelli, and La Margherita Editore, and featured in Repubblica’s Robinson and the 2019 AI Annual. I create dreamlike illustrations using vibrant, expressive color to bring imaginative worlds to life, exploring hidden beauty and capturing what is invisible to the eye.

I’ve built a career as a freelance illustrator and graphic designer, collaborating with publishing houses and brands, and I enjoy developing text analysis, visual research, sketches, storyboards, and final full-color illustrations that convey mood and meaning for both children’s and adult audiences.

See more

Language

Italian
Fluent
English
Fluent
Spanish; Castilian
Beginner

Work Experience

Freelance Illustrator at Self-employed / Freelance (Clients include Gribaudo Feltrinelli Editore, La Margherita Editore, Gaby Books Editore, Comune di Guidonia Montecelio)
January 1, 2018 - Present
Text analysis, visual research, development of sketches and original concepts, creation of storyboards and characters, production of final full-color illustrations.
Editorial Graphic Designer at CityWorld Magazine
May 1, 2024 - February 1, 2026
Layout design for five bimonthly magazines covering Milan, Rome, Venice, Florence, and Naples, and an annual edition for Capri.
Freelance Graphic Designer at Edart Comunicazione & Edart Edizioni
October 1, 2005 - Present
Layout design for brochures, books, art catalogues; creation of logos, corporate images, and marketing materials; photo retouching, vectorial infographics.
Assistant Fashion Designer at Jan-Jan Van Essche
November 1, 2013 - July 1, 2014
Assisted the designer in creating collections and organizing photo shoots. Hands-on work with the loom, sewing garment details and prototypes, packaging stock. Welcomed buyers in the showroom during Fashion Weeks.

Education

Master’s Degree in Illustration for Publishing at Ars in Fabula, Macerata
October 1, 2016 - June 1, 2017
Bachelor’s Degree in Design and Fashion Disciplines (DAMS) at University Diploma
September 1, 2009 - July 1, 2013
Three-Year Diploma in Illustration and Screenwriting at Scuola di Fumetto Cassino
October 1, 2005 - June 1, 2008
Annual Theatre Course, including weekly workshops in mime, Stanislavski Acting, and Clowning at Scuola di Teatro Ducale, Urbino
October 1, 2012 - June 1, 2015
Life and Academic Drawing at In Form of Art, Napoli
October 1, 2018 - January 31, 2019
Drawing and Painting at Claudia Manelli, Rome
October 1, 2021 - June 1, 2022
Editorial Illustration, Level 2 at Pencil Art, Roma
October 1, 2022 - March 1, 2023
Advanced Watercolor at Scuola delle arti e dei mestieri, Roma
October 1, 2023 - June 1, 2024

Qualifications

Bachelor’s Degree in Design and Fashion Disciplines (DAMS)
September 1, 2009 - July 1, 2013
Master’s Degree in Illustration for Publishing at Ars in Fabula, Macerata
October 1, 2016 - June 1, 2017

Industry Experience

Media & Entertainment, Education, Professional Services, Retail, Other
    paper PICTURE BOOKS

    My illustrated books are small, colorful worlds where stories unfold through images as much as through words. Each project is an exploration of emotion, rhythm, and imagination, guided by a deep love for storytelling.

    My style is playful and intuitive, with a naïf touch and a strong focus on color. I enjoy creating vibrant, expressive, and energetic images—where characters, shapes, and decorative elements intertwine to build a rich and engaging visual narrative.

    Across my different books, what remains constant is a sense of wonder: an invitation to slow down, observe, and enter a world where color and emotion are the beating heart of every story.

    In my projects, I seek a balance between expressiveness and clarity, developing images that can speak to a wide audience while maintaining a strong authorial identity.

    You can see my picture books by clicking on the link below
    https://www.twine.net/signin

    paper illustrated portraits for children and dreamers

    I create custom portraits from photographs, transforming them into gentle, illustrated keepsakes.
    I like to think of them as “portraits for children and dreamers” — images that hold a sense of wonder, memory and imagination.

    Each piece is created using my signature mixed media technique, combining watercolor, gouache and high-quality water-soluble wax pastels on 100% cotton Arches Aquarelle Satiné paper. These materials allow me to build soft textures, luminous colors and a timeless quality that endures.

    The decorative, colorful elements that surround each portrait are an essential part of my visual language — they add warmth, storytelling and a touch of magic. The subject itself can be interpreted in a more realistic or more stylized way, depending on your preference, while always preserving its unique essence. I also love portraying animal companions.

    If you feel drawn to a different style from my body of work, we can explore it together and shape a portrait that truly reflects your vision.

    See some samples by clicking on the link below
    https://www.twine.net/signin

    paper ILLUSTRATIONS FOR BRAND IDENTITY

    This project consists of a set of 137 illustrations and lettering developed for a visual identity for the children’s book publisher Gaby Books. Created between October and December 2024, the work combines watercolor, gouache, wax crayons, and colored pencils to build a vibrant and cohesive visual language.

    You can view some of the illustrations by clicking on the link below.
    https://www.twine.net/signin