INTERVIEW WITH RO LEDESMA

Ro Ledesma is a 30-year-old Galician illustrator, living in Barcelona since 2015. Before arriving in Barcelona, she lived for a while in Buenos Aires, working for advertising agencies as an Art Director, she left it to focus on illustration, which she currently works on. Her work can be seen in editorial projects, brands, advertising, walls, etc.... Her clients include brands such as Heura, Penguin Books, Netflix, Santillana and many more. Ro likes to do a little bit of everything without neglecting her personal projects.

You are an illustrator and a muralist. These two disciplines are different, but at the same time they are interconnected. What differences and similarities do you find between them? What does one give you that the other one does not?

As a similarity I would point out that in both of them everything starts from the action of drawing. But the big difference is undoubtedly the format. When you paint in the street everything depends less on you. The surface changes according to the circumstances: the size, the material, the weather, etc... You interact more with the place. You have more fun. Painting in the street gives me peace of mind. It's like going out to play.


When painting a mural, how would you describe your creative process and what materials do you like to work with?

I usually write down everything that comes to my mind in notebooks, so when I start a new mural, I use an idea I already had before. Or maybe not, and I improvise on the day. First, I try to use some colors digitally, just to know which cans I need and which ones I don't, and then I start painting. Sometimes I make collabs with friends and then very interesting things come out from bringing together two styles in one piece.

Objectively and from the point of view of someone who observes your work for the first time, they bring positivity, a sense of calm and good vibes when you see them. As an artist, what are you trying to transmit through them?

I honestly don't intend to bring up anything in particular. When I draw, I try to get out of my head my feelings and whatever it is that I am thinking about. They are usually ideas that come from the day to day, from the music I listen to, from what I read, from the people around me, from everything I live. Over the years, drawing has become part of me. It's my way of keeping what's important, within all the whirlwind of information I have in my head.

So, more than transmitting, I'd say I'm looking to share, and if by doing so I transmit all the beautiful things you say, then great! :)


You also do illustration for children, how does the experience change compared to illustration for adults? And what is your source of inspiration when doing this kind of work for this specific target?

You have to take into account other factors, such as the age of the children you're drawing for or the goals of the project, if it's narrative or educational?
I'm inspired by the same things as when drawing for adults. I try to observe everything around me with curiosity and the desire to know more.


We see that, on your website, besides of your projects, we can also find a playlist. Does music influence your creative process? Could you recommend any song that inspires you?

Music influences my creative process and my whole life. Every morning my day starts with it. I work with music, I cook with music, I walk with music, I do sports with music, it's something that accompanies me everywhere and inspires me a lot. Songs and lyrics trigger ideas that later become drawings. Sharing and discovering new tunes is also something that activates my head a lot.

The song I'm listening to the most this week is "Only You". Both the original by Steve Monite and the version by Teophilus London with Tame Impala are really cool.


How do you think it influences a city to have legal walls?

It energizes and pushes creativity, as it makes it very easy to go out and paint and allows those who haven't yet done so to try it at any time. It enriches the creative community and keeps it moving.


Would you recommend Wallspot to other artists, and how do you think we can improve the platform?

Yes, when colleagues come from other cities and want to paint, I always tell them about Wallspot. One way to improve would be to find new spaces around the city, or even in the surroundings, in less common places. That would be very interesting.