Who • Juan Hernaz

Ilustration as a dialogue with the reader.
Appealing to his intelligent thought, recreating atmospheres, nuances and concepts that expand the meaning of words. Inquire into new readings. Communicate the artist’s perception in order to suggest new meanings, modeling resources at the service of the message.

Juan Hernaz creates illustrations for posters, advertising campaigns, theatrical sets, product development, illustrated cartographies, corporate memories and, especially, children’s and youth literature.

His work is the result of deep and thoughtful analysis and has been recognized with various national and international awards, including the International Picture Book Award ‘Ciutat de Benicarló’ in 2016 and in 2017, the Illustration Award at the Young Art Contest from Castilla y León (consecutively between 1998 and 2005), the Theatre Oh! Award for the Best Set Design in 2013, 2015 and 2017 or Gold and Silver Medals at the Vision Awards, ARC Mercomm Awards and Stevie Awards (USA) in the 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 editions for his illustrations for different annual reports developed in collaboration with Graffiti Studio (Istanbul).

He regularly works with publishing houses, entities, graphic studios and clients from Spain, France, the US, China, Turkey, India, Israel or Singapore, in areas ranging from the illustrated literature and picture books to corporate illustration, theater projects, botanical, illustrated cartographies or advertising illustration.

As a teacher, he has directed and taught the University Extension Class on Picture Books at the University of Oviedo (2017-2020) and usually gives conferences and master classes in regular collaboration with teaching programs, seminars and meetings around the children’s literature and illustration of the OEPLI (Spanish Organization for Children’s and Youth Books), the IBBY (International Board on Books for Young people), the Chilean Nordic Center for Children’s Literature, the University of Oviedo, or the Spanish Association of Friends of Children’s and Youth Books, at the Universities of Cádiz, Cantabria, Complutense of Madrid, Rey Juan Carlos, Valladolid, La Laguna, Alicante, León or Almería, among others.

Juan Hernaz is member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and is internationally represented by:

Essie White
Storm Literary Agency
(USA – UK)

Juan Hernaz is an illustrator. He understands his work as a dialogue between images and words, able to create atmospheres rich in nuances and concepts. He developes illustrations for theater scenographies, posters, advertising, packaging, annual reports and, specially, children’s books.

Between 1998 and 2005 he was consecutively awarded in the Annual Youth Art Contest – Illustration of Castilla y León. In 2013 he received the Performing Arts of Asturias – Oh! Award to the Best Set Design for his work in Nora; an award that he received again in 2015 in the category of Best Costume and Characterization for his work in the creation of the characters for Llumeru; in 2017 he received the Oh! Award to the best Set Design for his work in Mucho ha llovido, all of them theatre plays produced by Factoría Norte Theatre Company.

In 2014 he was awarded by Arjowiggins-Torraspapel in the national contest IV Igloo Festival for his work in the catalogs of UP Gijón; in the 5th, 6th and 7th (2015-2016) editions of this contest he obtains five Mentions of Honour of the jury who recognizes his work in the books of the 3rd, 4th and 5th Story Contest about the Environment and the advertising stuff created for the 5th and 6th contests.

The Gübretaş Corporate Annual Report 2013, project developed by Graffiti Studio (Istanbul) and with the work of Juan Hernaz as illustrator, obtained in 2014 a Gold Medal at the XXVIII International ARC Awards (MerComm) and the 2013 Vision Awards (LACP USA) as well as the prestigious Golden Stevie^® Award (The International Business Awards) for the best European annual report. The 2014 edition of the annual report, illustrated for the same company, was awarded with the Silver Medal in the 2014 Vision Awards and with the Grand Award Winner, Best of Turkey, in the XXIX International ARC Awards.

In 2016, his book “La maleta del abuelo” (“Grandpa’s suitcase”), written by Fátima Fernández, won the 3rd International Illustrated Book Award ‘Ciutat de Benicarlò’. In 2017, his book “Por pequeño que parezca” (“However small it seems”), by the same writer, won the 4th International Illustrated Book Award ‘Ciutat de Benicarlò’.

He works within and outside Spain with public and private institutions, publisher houses, media agencies and independent professionals.