La siesta literally translates as a short nap of 15-30 minutes. However, this definition is far from the 3-hour break taken in the middle of the working day. Pretty cool, right? La Siesta is one of the strongest Spanish traditions that is still being practiced up to now.

In Spain, we have “la siesta” – a little break (20-30 minutes) that we dedicate to sleep after lunch. Sometimes it can be prolonged up to 2 hours. Of course we can’t always afford this rest, because we have work; chores or simply we are out of home. But one day that moment arrives and we can get an instant to rest, we reach the highest relax state, even if it’s only a few minutes.
-Juan Carlos

For this reason, I decided to capture that magical moment with this project. The best thing about “la siesta” is being in a company, hugging that special person, your pets, or being surrounded by any object that truly identifies your personality (a vinyl, a camera, etc.). That context and that hug create a magnetic force, which make you smile till you fall asleep, like characters do in “la siesta”.
-Juan Carlos

Normally I paint with watercolor and color pencils, but this project had to have volume, it had to be alive. I chose to use colored cardboard to combine different color range for each family portrait, drawing details and framing them to ennoble the scene. There are all kinds of families, but I think this project shows us that everybody, at least for an instant, can disconnect from concerns and relax in a cozy place.
-Juan Carlos

How would you describe your style and who are your inspirations? :)
This is a question that I’m not sure how to answer. I guess that my own influences made me draw in a specific manner. Although sometimes those influences have any similarity with my drawing style, I feel their presence in some of my illustrations. Some of my favorite illustrators are: Brosmind, Jean Julien, McBess…
-Juan Carlos

I always give tips which I have received before because they worked ok to me. There is any secret formula or something like that. Simply we have to keep in mind three things: work, resolve and creativity.
-Juan Carlos

About Juan Carlos

Juan Carlos works as a freelance illustrator in his city, Valencia (Spain). He studied fine arts In Valencia (UPV) and Barcelona (UB). Then, in 2012 he studied Illustration and courses about hand-silkscreen, lettering and he loves to work on illustrated magazines, books, apps .. and of course, designing characters. See more of his work on Behance or his website.