She especially enjoys drawing women with extraordinarily long arms and legs, almost coming out of their frame. “These playful proportions make them both strong and awkward,” she says. “I will often use these expressive and dynamic body shapes to tell a story.”

Lucia works on editorial and commissioned illustrations and self-initiated projects, as well as selling riso prints and postcards via Etsy. But while some creatives see client work as a necessary chore, Lucia sees it very differently. “I like the freedom to do my own work, but I also really like editorial illustration,” she says. “It’s the perfect balance between working with my hands and my head.”

While studying illustration at AKV Sint Joost in Breda, she discovered the love of figure drawing and hasn’t looked back since. “In my illustrations, I represent a kind of woman who is not only beautiful, fashionable and strong, but who can also be awkward, questionable and funny, all at the same time,” she explains. “No matter how serious a subject matter, I always look for a kind of lightness and humor in my illustrations. It’s a reminder not to take things too seriously! I want my work to be fun and relevant. “

Lucia works in a shared studio in Rotterdam. “Someone left an old risograph there that I love to use,” she reveals. “It only contained one color, black, and that had a big influence on my style and my work process. It forces you to work in a more minimalist and daring way. My work has thus become simpler and more graphic. . But I love using different materials, such as ink, pencil and paper cutouts. I find it very important that there is always a spontaneous and whimsical feel in what I do, even though it is digital .

Visually, she is inspired by a lot of things. “They include people on the street, color schemes at the supermarket, and chatting with friends,” she says. “I also have a great passion for second-hand clothes, books and ceramics stores. But the drawing itself is my biggest inspiration and an essential part of finding new ideas. I admire the loose and elegant way of drawing of Picasso and Matisse: you can see their ease and their joy. “