ANA CURBELO
Curbelo is a multi-award-winning freelance illustrator and multidisciplinary creative whose career spans illustration, art direction, and visual storytelling. With a distinctive style rooted in bold character work, conceptual precision, and narrative integrity, Curbelo has built an international reputation for crafting work that is both aesthetically powerful and socially impactful.
Her illustrations have appeared in global campaigns, publications, and cultural moments. Notably, her work for The Tampon Book—a subversive illustrated campaign that challenged tax inequality in Germany garnered global attention and was instrumental in changing national legislation. The project swept the awards circuit, winning multiple accolades including a White Pencil for Impact at D&AD, a Cannes Lions Grand Prix, and press coverage across the world. It remains a defining example of how illustration can be a vehicle for activism, wit, and change.
Curbelo's character-driven illustration style is instantly recognisable, vibrant, expressive, and deeply human. Whether designing for editorial, commercial, or cause-based work, her characters feel alive: each gesture and facial expression carefully crafted to evoke emotion and engagement. This attention to storytelling has led to high-profile collaborations with clients such as BBC, Microsoft, and Most Wanted Wines, as well as continuous demand across sectors ranging from media to tech, culture to consumer goods.
Before focusing fully on illustration, Curbelo made her mark as a creative within the BBC—having been headhunted straight out of D&AD New Blood. Her multidisciplinary skillset allowed her to work across departments and formats, shaping the visual identity of flagship programmes like Blue Planet, Peaky Blinders, and Top Gear. She has photographed festivals for BBC Pictures, art-directed large-scale productions for BBC Radio 1, developed social content for BBC News during key political moments, and directed talent including Kit Harington and Aidan Turner.
Since 2018, Curbelo has balanced life as a freelance illustrator and creative concept developer. Her creative work goes beyond visual design, she crafts 360° campaign concepts, brand narratives, and digital experiences that leave lasting impact. She has collaborated with some of the world’s most prominent brands, including Meta, YouTube, Netflix, Adobe, Coca-Cola, and Pimm’s. Her ability to bring fresh thinking, strategic storytelling, and bold visuals to the table has made her a go-to creative in competitive agency and brand circles.
Curbelo’s creative campaigns have earned accolades from Cannes Lions, The Webby Awards, and Promax UK, cementing her status as a cross-disciplinary talent who brings both artistic integrity and commercial insight to every project.
Born and raised in the Canary Islands, she later studied Graphic Communication at Loughborough University before settling in Stoke Newington, London, where she continues to work from her independent studio. Whether illustrating a cultural icon, conceptualising a brand launch, or building a visual universe from scratch, Curbelo leads with curiosity, courage, and colour and creates work that connects.
Installation as part of Moniker Art House
