The Joy of Drawing, Beyond the Sketchbook

Chema Peral was born and raised in Vilanova i la Geltrú, in Catalonia, Spain. After studying at a local art and design school, he went on to study illustration in Barcelona. He has published three graphic novels.

Growing up with comics

One of Chema’s lasting childhood memories is a drawing his father made for him. It was the first drawing he had ever received as a gift. Drawing has been part of his life for as long as he can remember. He loves working in pencil and always carries a sketchbook.

As a child, he read Spanish comics, later becoming absorbed in Japanese manga. Osamu Tezuka is among his favourite comic artists. His strongest influences include the clear-line tradition of French and Belgian comics, known as ligne claire, and Cubism.

While still at school, he began making fanzines—small, self-published booklets—and handing them out to classmates. He continues to make and publish them through his own small imprint.

Stories shaped by music

Chema’s love of music extends to DJing and collecting records. Music-related commissions, including record sleeves and event flyers, are projects he approaches with the excitement of a child.

Music also finds its way into his comics. Published in 2018, his graphic novel Budapest follows a former soldier, weary of fighting, on a journey towards a place said to offer happiness. He worked on the book during a four-month residency in Angoulême, France, where Thomas Dolby’s song “Budapest by Blimp” became an influence. The book is printed in blue ink.

Since 2024, he has also created cover illustrations for a music podcast hosted by a DJ friend. A recurring diver appears in each image, often near the sea and always in a scene connected with music.

From the sketchbook to canvas and skin

For Chema, the sketchbook he carries is his most authentic means of expression. Drawings from its pages can become larger works on canvas, developed with a limited palette. In 2023, he exhibited acrylic paintings exploring urban cycling culture and its place in everyday life.

He has also worked on paper with watercolour, crayons and Indian ink. Painting on canvas brings a different kind of focus: with paint on his hands, he becomes absorbed in the work in front of him.

Tattooing began as an experiment at the end of 2020, when he gave a friend a tattoo out of curiosity. It grew into another part of his practice. Working directly with people who want his drawings on their skin helped him rediscover the pleasure of making images. After years devoted to illustration and comics, tattooing opened an unexpected direction in his work.

Drawing across different fields

Chema has illustrated for newspapers and magazines in the United States, the United Kingdom and Spain. His commissions also include posters for music events and illustrations inspired by films. Alongside this work, he exhibits original pieces in galleries, where he can meet and speak with visitors.

In 2026, he created illustrations for a limited-edition beer release and a communications campaign for a Spanish government ministry. That September, he began a weekly comic in the Sunday edition of a Catalan newspaper. He continues to combine work in publishing, music and advertising with painting, tattooing and making fanzines.

Photos: Marc Bordons