Illustrator Juanjo Guarnido, who managed to turn comics into art

The debate about whether comics can be considered art has been going on for a very long time. But it is enough to get acquainted with the work of the Spanish illustrator Juanjo Guarnido, as any doubts disappear. It is very difficult to deny that the works of this master belong to the masterpieces of visual art — you can see for yourself.

In the Spanish city of Granada, where Juanjo Guarnido was born in 1967, absolutely everyone knows the artist. Granadians are proud of their compatriot, who is considered the best of the best. This is fair, because not everyone manages to hold the position of the leading animator of the European division of the Walt Disney studio for several years, work with Marvel Comics and win the first prizes of the Prix de la Découverte contests in Switzerland and Avenir in France.

Guarnido, unlike many illustrators working in the comics industry, is a professional artist. He studied classical painting, drawing and sculpture at the University of Granada, but even then he knew that he would devote his life to illustrations and graphic novels.

The formation of Juanjo was not easy — the very narrow Spanish market was cramped for a young and ambitious artist. Problems with orders forced him to leave his hometown in 1990 and settle in Madrid. It was also not easy to find a job for the soul in the capital, and Guarnido had to get a job on television.

For three years, the master was engaged in the design of television shows and soap operas, until his resume was noticed in the Walt Disney studio. The young illustrator was offered a job at the Walt Disney Studios office in the French city of Montreuil and he agreed. Guarnido was later transferred to Paris, where he took part in many high-profile studio projects.

The artist has contributed to many projects of the company, but he considers the work on the picture "Tarzan" as the main animator to be the greatest success. An important milestone in Guarnido's life and work was his acquaintance with Diaz Canales— a Spanish director, comic book author and writer. The co-authorship of two talented people gave the world the famous comic book series "Blacksad".

Gradually, working on a joint project with Canales fascinated Guarnido so much that he left his job at the Disney studio and devoted himself entirely to working on the project "Blacksad", which turned into a real graphic novel. It was this creation of talented Spaniards that brought them fame, and Juanche also received a number of prestigious world awards.

The illustrated novel about the City of Sin inhabited by animals is fascinating, but, alas, it is dedicated to a fictional world. But the comics of the Israeli illustrator Yehuda Adi Devir are mundane and vital and therefore cause no less interest.