Registration is open until November 6.
Throughout the course, students will explore the process of creating an illustration based on a literary text, from reading and interpreting the text to developing and finalizing the image. The goal is to understand how an illustration emerges from a decision-making process that involves reading, selecting scenes, researching, drawing, and composing.
The course will explore different strategies for interpreting a story and identifying moments that can be transformed into an image. Based on the text, participants will work on identifying scenes, searching for references, generating ideas, and creating sketches as tools for exploring different possibilities before tackling the final drawing.
Each participant will develop their own project using graphite, focusing on the structure of the drawing, space, rhythm, and atmosphere. The process will conclude with an introduction to digital post-production and preparing files for use in publishing projects.
The course thus offers a comprehensive overview of the illustration process, with a special focus on the decisions that transform a text into an image.
METHODOLOGY
The workshop will consist of a total of 16 hours, spread over four consecutive four-hour sessions, designed as a single working process.
Each participant will use a literary text as a starting point to develop their own illustration proposal, moving through the main phases of the process: interpretation, pre-production, development, and final execution.
Day 1: From Text to Idea—Conceptualization
Reading and analysis of the story.
Identification of significant scenes and moments.
Selection of a passage as a starting point.
Initial associations, notes, and research for references.
Day 2 Preparatory Sketches – Production
Exploration of composition and technique through notes and sketches.
Study of framing, structure, scale, and rhythm.
Selection and development of a concept.
Preparation of the structure for the final drawing.
Day 3 Illustration Production
Development of the image based on the selected concept.
Work with pencil and water-soluble graphite.
Study of values, shapes, space, texture, and atmosphere.
Individual feedback and guidance throughout the process.
Day 4: Final Resolution and Preparation—Post-Production
Digitization, post-production, and color grading.
Basic adjustments and file preparation.
Preparing images for print and editorial projects.
Group discussion of the work and analysis of the different interpretations of the text.
To conclude the workshop, the instructor will demonstrate their workflow for the story used, allowing participants to compare the different decisions and solutions adopted based on the same text.
COURSE DETAILS
Title: THE INVOKED DRAWING. Illustration Processes Based on a Text
Instructor: Ismael Pinteño, artist
Location: BilbaoArte. Project Room
Dates: November 23–26, 2026
Time: 4:30–8:30 p.m.
Duration: 16 hours
Target Audience: Artists, designers, creators, and anyone interested in illustration, drawing, and the processes of creating images based on texts. The course is designed for an introductory to intermediate level and does not require prior professional experience in illustration, although basic drawing skills are recommended.
How to register: registration form + letter of motivation sent to bilbaoarte@bilbao.eus with the subject line “El diseño invocado. Illustration Processes Based on Text”
Registration deadline: through Friday, November 6, 2026.
Capacity: 12 participants
Price: €150 (general rate) – €75 (reduced rate for artists and BilbaoArte members)
Ismael Pinteño Visuara
(Algeciras, 1981). He currently resides in Bilbao. A teacher and illustrator noted for his versatility and his use of traditional techniques such as watercolor, graphite, and pen and ink.
He holds a BFA from the University of Seville, with a specialization in painting, and has created illustrations for national and international museums and publishers, such as the Museum of History in Vejer de la Frontera and the Al Shindagha Museum of Mythology and Natural History in Dubai.
Among his most important publications are the covers he created for the literary collection “La huella de.” Ed. Calamar, as well as his contribution to the Spectrum Yearbook #26: International Illustrators of Fantastic Art, U.S.A.
He has worked in film as a conceptual artist and animator, notably on the Goya-nominated documentary “30 Años de oscuridad,” for which he also received the ASE-CAN Andalusian Film Award for Best Technical and Artistic Team. He has received numerous awards for painting and drawing, notably the Gregorio Prieto National Drawing Competition in 2023 and the Luis Vasallo Prize from the Cádiz City Council in 2008.
His most recent publication is the illustrated version of *The Fall of the House of Usher* and *The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar* by Edgar Allan Poe, published by Minotauro. He has taught workshops at art schools through the Ministry of Culture’s Literary Services for Comics and Illustration program.
