Nadia Aldirani

I collaborated with a young writer on the development of Returner, an original comic rooted in Arabian mythological traditions and historical atmosphere. Our creative process centered on building a believable world that blends cultural authenticity with a subtle layer of fantasy.

The project began with extensive visual research into regional history, architecture, clothing, and environmental context to ground the setting in a recognizable time era. From there, we explored references to Arabian folklore and mythological creatures, interpreting them in a way that felt evocative rather than literal—allowing the narrative to carry a sense of magic while remaining emotionally relatable.

My role focused on visual development and character design. I worked through iterative sketches to define silhouettes, costumes, and physical traits that reflected each character’s personality, background, and narrative arc. Special care was taken to balance historical influence with stylization, ensuring the designs supported the comic format while maintaining cultural texture.

The workflow included:

Worldbuilding through visual research to establish an authentic setting.

Character exploration and design iteration, refining expressions, proportions, and attire.

Integration of mythological elements as atmospheric storytelling devices rather than decorative motifs.

Sequential composition planning, ensuring clarity of action, pacing, and readability across panels.

This project reflects my interest in narrative-driven illustration, where design, research, and storytelling intersect to create immersive visual experiences.

For this project, I was commissioned by Dar Al Banan to illustrate the children’s book Beautiful Colours. The artwork is protected under NDA, so only process information can be shared.

The objective was to develop a warm, engaging visual language that would support early-age reading while reinforcing the story’s theme of discovery through colour. I worked closely with the editorial direction to ensure that each illustration functioned narratively as well as pedagogically guiding the reader’s attention, clarifying emotions, and enhancing comprehension through visual cues.

All illustrations were created in Procreate, allowing for a flexible workflow that combined the sensibility of traditional painting with the precision of digital production. I began with exploratory sketches to establish character softness, readable silhouettes, and balanced compositions suitable for young audiences. After approval of the visual direction, I refined linework and built colour using layered digital brushes designed to emulate natural media, ensuring a tactile and approachable feel.

Particular attention was given to:

Colour harmony and contrast to support the book’s educational theme.

Expressive yet simple forms to maintain clarity at small print sizes.

Consistent visual rhythm across spreads to guide page-to-page storytelling.

Print-conscious detailing, ensuring textures and saturation translated well to physical publishing.

This project reflects my approach to children’s illustration: combining storytelling, developmental sensitivity, and production-aware execution to create imagery that is both expressive and functional within the book format.