Social media illustrated
As an illustrator working with magazines and newspapers, Daniel Castiñeiras is required to bring a variety of subjects to life with his drawings. “My aim is to find out how to translate a written idea into a representing image for a text; illustrating is not just about beautiful images, it's more about visual narrative”.
Daniel, based in Madrid, employs a style characterised by the use of flat designs and simplified forms; his work is notable for bright and harmonious color palettes and the use of texture. He mines his own experiences and sense of humour to tell stories that resonate — bringing editorial to life with colour, pathos and comedy.
One of the themes he explores through his magazine work is the impact of technology and social media on day-to-day life; he illustrates this impact with his characteristic tongue-in-cheek style. Seemingly simple cartoon-like drawings brim with subtext: that life is changing under the influence of technology — where will it lead us?
Collector's obsession: A collector sits back to enjoy his gallery — two walls crowded with the well-known symbols responsible for raising the dopamine levels of social media mavens around the world. Inspired by the 2013 movie The Best Offer, Daniel's illustration depicts social media obsession and our collective hunger for reaching followers and getting likes. Many influencers literally collect likes and follows, as Virgil, the eccentric collector at the heart of the film, collects the portraits of women.
Technology and meal times: Late dining is a much-loved tradition in Spain — as anyone who has ever sat in an empty Barcelona restaurant at 8pm while on holiday will know. We now realise it's not the healthiest practice, impacting digestion and the quality of sleep, but with much of Spain's workforce working late and nightlife stacked around late meals, the culture is proving difficult to shift. Meanwhile, online food delivery apps are lining up to bridge the gap for late workers and diners; in this illustration, Daniel shows the technological juggling act that is balancing work and dinnertime. Illustration for Colpisa / Vocento. Published in El Correo, La Rioja & IDEAL Newspapers. Art Director: Rodrigo Parrado
The end of the face-to-face era? During the pandemic, it became increasingly difficult for NGOs to recruit new members and raise money on the streets. While their traditional approach relied on face-to-face encounters, the legacy of COVID-19 means that most of us now shy away from such interactions. Many charities now use new forms of online interaction with donors, like digital piggy banks, virtual fundraising races and QR donation codes. Illustration for Colpisa / Vocento. Published in El Correo, La Rioja and IDEAL Newspapers. Art Director: Rodrigo Parrado
In love with teleworking: For many, an unexpected upside of a woeful year of health restrictions was finally getting the chance to work from home. Here Daniel’s eager teleworker smiles, cup of tea at hand and blanket over her knees as her dog sleeps blissfully nearby. Published in El Correo, La Rioja and IDEAL Newspapers. Art Director: Rodrigo Parrado
Getting us hooked: This cover and double page commission for the Innova+ supplement of El Correo newspaper illustrates the big business of social media — posing questions as to the motivations of the huge corporations that profit from the addictive behaviour of users. Is society's increasing reliance on tools like Google, Facebook and Twitter lining the pockets of tech multi-millionaires? Illustration for Colpisa / Vocento. Supplement Innova+ Published in Las Provincias and El Correo Newspapers. Art Director: Rodrigo Parrado.
Daniel Castiñeiras is a freelance illustrator based in Madrid, Spain. He graduated in Fine Arts at University Complutense of Madrid. Working mainly with editorial platforms, his clients include Courier Magazine, Politico Europe, El Correo Newspaper, Vocento group media, Läraren Magazine, Alma la red social (Magazine from La Caixa) and El Salto Magazine.