Hi, I’m Elena Martín, an illustrator and designer who loves bringing stories to life through colorful, expressive artwork. My travels across Toronto, Leicester, New York, and Madrid shaped my creative lens, and in 2022 I made Los Angeles my home. I studied at ESDIP in 2018 while balancing work, then earned a certificate from Otis College of Art and Design after moving to LA. I founded Aquarelen, my illustration and design studio, because drawing is my true passion. I freelance in children’s illustration, editorial work, and event stationery, and I’m proficient with Photoshop, Procreate, InDesign, and social media management. A quirky note: spiders aren’t my thing, but they don’t slow me down. Outside client work, I volunteer with the Kivuvu Association, creating posters and stationery and donating part of my profits to support education and health in the DR Congo. I balance freelance projects with a Studio Assistant role at Color Me Mine Santa Monica, which keeps me inspired. I was born in Madrid in 1995 and loved drawing from an early age; I even spent years at Colpisa Agency in Madrid as a journalist before shifting toward art. My path has included moments of stepping back from drawing to focus on studies, and I’m grateful for every opportunity to combine storytelling with design.…

Elena Martín

Hi, I’m Elena Martín, an illustrator and designer who loves bringing stories to life through colorful, expressive artwork. My travels across Toronto, Leicester, New York, and Madrid shaped my creative lens, and in 2022 I made Los Angeles my home. I studied at ESDIP in 2018 while balancing work, then earned a certificate from Otis College of Art and Design after moving to LA. I founded Aquarelen, my illustration and design studio, because drawing is my true passion. I freelance in children’s illustration, editorial work, and event stationery, and I’m proficient with Photoshop, Procreate, InDesign, and social media management. A quirky note: spiders aren’t my thing, but they don’t slow me down. Outside client work, I volunteer with the Kivuvu Association, creating posters and stationery and donating part of my profits to support education and health in the DR Congo. I balance freelance projects with a Studio Assistant role at Color Me Mine Santa Monica, which keeps me inspired. I was born in Madrid in 1995 and loved drawing from an early age; I even spent years at Colpisa Agency in Madrid as a journalist before shifting toward art. My path has included moments of stepping back from drawing to focus on studies, and I’m grateful for every opportunity to combine storytelling with design.…

Available to hire

Hi, I’m Elena Martín, an illustrator and designer who loves bringing stories to life through colorful, expressive artwork. My travels across Toronto, Leicester, New York, and Madrid shaped my creative lens, and in 2022 I made Los Angeles my home. I studied at ESDIP in 2018 while balancing work, then earned a certificate from Otis College of Art and Design after moving to LA. I founded Aquarelen, my illustration and design studio, because drawing is my true passion. I freelance in children’s illustration, editorial work, and event stationery, and I’m proficient with Photoshop, Procreate, InDesign, and social media management. A quirky note: spiders aren’t my thing, but they don’t slow me down.

Outside client work, I volunteer with the Kivuvu Association, creating posters and stationery and donating part of my profits to support education and health in the DR Congo. I balance freelance projects with a Studio Assistant role at Color Me Mine Santa Monica, which keeps me inspired. I was born in Madrid in 1995 and loved drawing from an early age; I even spent years at Colpisa Agency in Madrid as a journalist before shifting toward art. My path has included moments of stepping back from drawing to focus on studies, and I’m grateful for every opportunity to combine storytelling with design.

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Language

Spanish; Castilian
Fluent
English
Fluent

Work Experience

Studio Assistance at Color Me Mine Santa Monica
June 10, 2025 - Present
I welcome customers and guide them through the pottery painting process—from selecting pieces and explaining materials to offering creative guidance as they paint. I also create custom pieces on request and complementary gifts for in-studio parties. Additional responsibilities include preparing ceramics for pickup or shipping, maintaining store organization and cleanliness, and assisting with inventory management.
Freelance Illustrator at Aquarelen
December 16, 2022 - Present
Founder of my personal illustration studio ‘Aquarelen’. I design illustrations for multiple formats: children's books, press, events, stationery, and brands.
Jornalist and illustrator at Colpisa Agency
October 1, 2018 - August 15, 2022
Responsible for the creation of content for multiple newspapers including researching, analyzing, interviewing, writing, and illustrating. Topics related to culture, education, lifestyle, health, and science.

Education

Illustration studies at ESDIP Art School
January 1, 2018 - July 22, 2022
Certificate at Otis College of Art and Design
October 10, 2022 - August 27, 2026

Qualifications

Add your qualifications or awards here.

Industry Experience

Media & Entertainment, Education, Non-Profit Organization, Professional Services, Retail, Other
    Machus Suanzes Foundation logo design

    The Machus Suanzes Foundation is a non-profit organization founded by Ricardo La Porte Ríos and María Jesús Suanzes de Mercader, a Spanish couple who decided to dedicate part of their inheritance to social projects in Africa. This logo was designed at their request.

    https://www.twine.net/signin

    The typographic play with the shared final S reinforces the idea of unity, continuity, and legacy, symbolizing the passing of a purpose from one generation to the next. The small handprints within its curves suggest that every action, no matter how small, leaves a mark.

    At the same time, this symbolic S can also be read as a representation of the founders themselves: two intertwined paths that have walked together throughout their lives and now come together in a shared gesture of giving.

    'El Virolai Rociero' single cover artwork

    El Virolai Rociero is a musical fusion of two beloved Spanish devotional songs: El Virolai, dedicated to the Virgin of Montserrat (Catalonia), and La Salve Rociera, honoring the Virgin of El Rocío (Andalusia).

    For this reinterpretation by Coro Laraland, I illustrated and designed the single’s cover, creating a symbolic Virgin figure that blends iconic elements from both Marian traditions. The goal was to visually express the piece’s cultural and spiritual fusion, uniting two regions through a serene, meaningful image rooted in faith and tradition.

    The illustration was later adapted to a range of merchandise, including notebooks and bookmarks, extending the visual identity of the project beyond the digital release.