Valentina the Sea Lion
Art Direction
2025
I led the art direction for ‘Valentina the Sea Lion: Defender of the Gulf’, a children’s book about a sea lion rescued by Sea Shepherd activists and returned to its natural habitat.
The illustrations were created by Felipe Zapata Zuluaga, following the client’s request for a visual style inspired by Eric Carle. The design team also included Jazmín Morales Zarazua and Charmaine Janelle Ng, with production coordination by Talia Salazar Guerrero.
The story brings attention to the impact of illegal activity at sea on marine habitats and wildlife, while highlighting the role that people and organizations can play in protecting these ecosystems.
My focus as art director was to help shape a visual world with character, texture and expressive energy. The project needed to carry the weight of its environmental message while still feeling warm, engaging and accessible for young readers. To support that balance, we developed a bold, vibrant graphic language with memorable characters, lively settings and subtle visual details designed for a children’s audience.