Lara Pickle on creating art in different languages, why she focuses on mental health in her graphic novels, and her advice for young creatives

Joana, the main character of Lara Pickle‘s award-winning debut graphic novel “I Feel Awful, Thanks,” goes through an experience familiar to many young adults: her first real, adult job! The catch? Joana is a young witch, her first job is with a high-profile coven, and she’ll have to move to the big city of London alone to take the position.

We love Pickle’s dynamic, expressive linework, watercolor-esque colors, and focus on detailed, natural backgrounds and architecture. She combines fantastical storytelling with grounded, emotional character stories in such a compelling way. And she’s been a Wacom user for many years, from her early work in animation and games to her graphic novels and visual development work.

Though she’s a Wacom Cintiq Pro user typically, we wanted to know what she thought of the recently released Wacom Movink pen display. Would it allow her a bit more flexibility to work outside of the office, perhaps surrounded by some of the natural environments and colors that so often show up in her work? With the Wacom Movink in hand, she ended up creating the beautiful short film below. We also spoke to her about her background and inspiration, why she focuses on mental health in her work, and the advice she has for young people who want to follow a similar career path to her. That interview is below! Note: this interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Did you know you wanted to go into art from a young age, or did you discover your talent and passion later?

I’ve always been a very creative kid. Ever since I was very young, I spent all my time drawing, imagining and creating my own stories, and sometimes – because I’m an only child – playing alone by myself!

I’ve always just loved drawing, so I never really considered doing anything else other than this, which is why I decided to study Fine Arts in university. I wasn’t sure what career choices I’d have, but I just went for it anyway. I discovered that animation was a thing in my first year, and set my sights on that, though I will say … I had always dreamed of becoming a comic artist because of how much I admired two mangakas in my adolescence, Rumiko Takahashi and Hiromu Arakawa.

You got a Bachelor’s a Master’s degree in art and animation. How did you decide that this educational path was right for you? In 2025, would you recommend that creative young folks go to art school? Why or why not?

As I mentioned before, I only knew that I wanted to draw, but wasn’t sure what career paths I could opt for when I first started studying Fine Arts. But once I started my first year, I discovered animation being a thing, and I fell in love with the craft!

But I didn’t directly go into visual development. I actually started working as an animator, as I wanted to be one myself, only I realized a couple years in that it just wasn’t for me. I then switched to background and prop design, and went along with that for a while, switching once more later on to visual development and location design as a main thing.

But I’m very grateful that I got to do so many things. I learned how to do character design too, and illustration, and even dipped a bit into storyboards! I think that, at the end of the day, I just loved doing anything and everything that had to do with creating stories, and it just somehow worked out.

I’m grateful that I studied Fine Arts because it pushed me to learn a lot of fundamentals, like anatomy, figure drawing, still drawing, sculpture, painting … but I think it’s not necessary to specifically go to art school to improve your craft. Especially not nowadays, where there’s so much stuff on the internet that’s there for free. I definitely didn’t have all of these courses, paid and not, and platforms like Schoolism, when I was young!

But ultimately, it’s a personal choice, and the best part of going to school, in my opinion, is meeting peers with the same aspirations and ambitions as you, and that’s incredibly valuable too.

You’re from Spain, but live in England, and create work in both Spanish and English. Do you feel like you’re able to say things differently in different languages, or is it mostly the same? For example, you translated your debut graphic novel, which we’ll talk more about in a moment, into English from Spanish. What was that process like?

Well … Spanish is my first language, so to some extent, it does come a bit more naturally to me than English, but I am fluent in English as well, so mostly I’m just very grateful that I can get to express myself in such a rich variety of ways. That being said … it is different! Some nuances and expressions can only be expressed in certain languages, which makes it a bit challenging when it comes to translating.

With my comic, I didn’t have major issues really when translating, but some smaller bits and pieces were a little bit more challenging to pin down. Mainly, because I wanted to find expressions that would sound, at the very least, similar to the original meaning. It ended working out in the end, though, and I got to revisit and polish a bit more the dialogues to bring a higher level of cohesion to this new edition.

What was your first experience with a Wacom device? Have you always worked digitally, or do you have a background in traditional art as well? What is your current digital art setup like these days?

I first used a Wacom device when I got into university! I bought myself a Wacom Intuos Pen & Touch as a present for myself for the new beginning, and it was wonderful – though I was such a rookie back then! I was very impressed with the smoothness of the device, because I had used a different tablet before this one, and the feel was quite wonky. So for a while, I just thought digital art was not for me – I’m glad Wacom got to change my mind, though!

But before that, I did draw A LOT traditionally. I used to draw my own comics on paper, alongside some of my friends, and it’s one of the most treasured memories I have from teenagehood.

My current digital art setup is a Wacom Cintiq Pro 24 – with the chonky stand included! – and a 27″ iMac. Aside of that, I do have a MacBook Pro and a Wacom Movink as my “on the go” set up. It’s super handy if I have to travel somewhere and need to do some freelance work, as I can connect both my computers to iCloud, and use the Wacom to just do my work as I’d normally do!

How has the experience been so far with the much-smaller Wacom Movink? What do you like about the device, and how does it compare to your larger Cintiq that you normally use?

What I like the most about the Wacom Movink is just how easy it is to handle! There are no extra cables, just the one, and the tablet is super light weight, which is wonderful for carrying it around. I’ve also used it to work at cafes, when I needed a break from my main desktop, or a change of air, or a new sip of inspiration!

One thing I was also very pleased about is that I can use the same Pro Pen from my Cintiq Pro on the Movink. The Pro Pen 3 that comes with the Movink is very good, but it’s a bit too thin for me, and because I somehow grab the pencil with a strong grip, it feels a bit uncomfortable. So I prefer the old one that’s more puffy and thicker.

The biggest difference for me though it’s just the size! Honestly, I love how portable it is, but it’s true that for very small details that visual development sometimes entails, it’s hard to work on a small device. I really hope Wacom does a 16-inch Movink 16! I think that would be the absolute best size. I actually own an old 16-inch Cintiq 1– it was my first ever Cintiq! – and the size was honestly perfect. I still have that one as a back up, and up until I got the Movink, I still used it as my “on the go” tablet.

Your debut graphic novel, I Feel Awful, Thanks, tackles mental health, specifically around the experience of young professionals entering the workforce – by telling the story of a young witch’s first job. Why did you want to tackle this subject, and in this way?

Yes! I wanted to talk about young adulthood, and about the need to romanticize things that are just as imperfect as anything else. Joana always had this need for things to be perfect because that’s how she thought she’d be happy. She thought she could control that, but that’s just impossible, because life is unpredictable, and things don’t always go the way we always want them to.

I think it’s an important subject because – as I came to realize – a lot of people struggle with these kinds of issues. And the problem is that, when this is not tackled, and feelings get buried down, our mental health takes a detrimental toll. This is why I decided to talk about this, in this way! I definitely would have loved to add in many, many more things, and in fact, I had to cut down a lot from the original script, because it could have easily gone to 500+ pages!

Did your main character Joana’s experience mirror your own at all, when you were just starting your career? To what degree does your personal life and experiences show up in your work?

Joana and I are actually quite different personality-wise! The original story as I wrote it in the first drafts, did have a lot more of ME in them, but as I did my research, and talked to many different people, I started distancing myself from the story. There are quite a few things that are based on personal experiences, like the horrible housemate … but most of the experiences and storyline is a mix of different people’s stories, as well as mine, and also my own creative license, as I had to make the rhythm and narrative work!

And more than mirroring the start of my career, I think it just talks about the feelings in themselves. I wanted it to be something anyone could relate to. It’s just the need for control, and the new beginnings, and how Joana has to deal with that and navigate through her struggles to find herself once more.

Joana has to focus on processing her emotions in order to keep her life on track, including getting some professional help. How would you suggest young creatives, whether in art school, about to enter the workforce, or just starting their careers, might take care of their mental health? Do you have any advice?

It’s hard to say, because everyone’s personal situation is different. And the current global situation isn’t helping very much, either, unfortunately. But I will say, it’s important for everyone to remember that nobody is on their own. If someone is going through a hard time, I urge them to lean on their loved ones – friends, family, partners, pets – because like everything else in life, time goes on, things can change at any moment, and the bad feeling is only temporary.

I am fortunate to have had professional help myself for many years, and it’s given me many tools to deal with my mental health. But even so, bad days, or bad weeks, are just bad, and sometimes it’s just as important to let yourself feel the emotions. Like a channel, where they enter, they do their thing, and, eventually, they leave.

It can feel very lonely, and you can feel very out of sync with everyone else in your life, but I assure you that there is always someone that is willing to sit in the dark with you, and just keep you company! My advice is to take things slow, don’t push yourself to do a thousand things if you don’t have the energy to. Sometimes, surviving is hard enough! So if, aside of that, you get to do a drawing or two, that’s just an extra win!

Another thing that helps me, personally, is always reminding myself of the things that are important in my life. Like, writing out a list of things that I’m grateful for. You can be grateful for anything, from something big like getting a job, to just being able to get out of the bed or the house when you didn’t feel like it!

Oh and of course, I suggest limiting your social media time! Unfortunately, the world nowadays is a bit grim, so controlling the amount of unnecessary noise coming through is important, especially if you’re not feeling like being able to handle it at the time!

You made a lovely short film featuring the Wacom Movink, called “Let the Music Move Your Creativity.” You’ve done a number of illustrations of your favorite songs, and have talked about how important music is to your process. You even organized I Feel Awful, Thanks into a “playlist” format! Why is music so important to your creative process?

I think it’s because I just connect with songs and lyrics! Music has always transported me to a different level … like, when I was younger, I used to imagine all of these insane music videos for the songs I was listening to, I’d create my own stories based on them, and it was so much fun!

To be more poetic, I’ll also say that I can just tune in with the songs that I can relate to depending on my mood, go on a walk, and imagine that I’m in a movie. That I’m the protagonist and that this music is the soundtrack that plays while I do my thing. And I just love that! It creates a profound and intimate moment between me and myself, which is something that I’ve come to appreciate more and more as I grew older.

It’s also because sometimes, music feels like poetry – to me it is, anyways! – and it can put into words feelings that you didn’t even know how to explain. It’s just that “Oh, yeah! That’s it, that’s exactly how I feel!” kind of thought. And it instantly creates a special connection. But aside of that, I love that most music is both specific and ambiguous enough that it stays open to interpretation, which makes it relatable to so many different people!

You’ve said that your next graphic novel will tackle another difficult subject: generational trauma between mothers and daughters. Why did you want to focus on this subject? Can you give us a sneak peek into the story you’re hoping to tell?

Yes! I’m currently working on a pitch for that story at the moment, alongside my agent, and we’re very happy with how the story is coming along.

This subject is something that has affected me personally for a long time; I’ve always had a complicated relationship with my mother. We love each other, but we have very different – and clearly generational – ways of dealing with things. A while ago, and thanks to understanding more about this through therapy, I started getting interested in this topic, so I read a lot about it. This is when I discovered that there’s a very specific type of generational trauma passed on from mothers to daughters, and it just made sense to me.

When I talked about this with some of my friends, they felt very similar to me. Most of my woman friends have had – to some extent – fairly complicated stories with their mothers, and I just thought it was an important topic to talk about.

Aside of that, it’s a story that goes into understanding why these characters are the way they are. In this case, the mother in the upcoming story is someone who has lived through Communism in Romania ever since she was young. And the way she was raised, and her environment made her believe very specific things about life.

But ultimately, it’s a story about love. Love between mother and daughter, and love between the mother and the father. I think that it will be quite an emotional one, filled with history and little insights based on my parents’ true story – though, of course, it’s not their story exactly.

You’ve worked in a variety of artistic fields, from visual development, to art direction, to backgrounds, to concept art, to color, to illustrations – for animation, music videos, cartoons, books, and more. You wrote and illustrated your own graphic novel, and are working on another! Why do you do so many different things? What are the pros and cons of having a variety of different types of projects on your plate?

To be honest, ever since I started working … I just never stopped. Sometimes, I’d work many jobs at the same time, which I do not recommend! But I always love doing things, I love creating stories, and I just can’t sit still. Maybe it’s because of my ADHD, that makes me have three thousand things in mind at the same time, but I’ve always been the type of person that’s always doing something.

The benefits of this, of course is that now I have a wide variety of skillsets, and it has given me such a broad perspective into a variety of industries that in turn has helped me improve as an artist and a person. But the drawbacks are, of course, that I’ve always had a hard time saying “no” to things, and there was a point where I burned myself out to the brim!

I was so burned out that I had to finally take some time off, and just forget about drawing, just make sure to enjoy life and nothing else. It really did help, and nowadays I’m trying to be more mindful of the projects I work on, and the amount of time I spend working as a whole.

Do you have any general advice for young artists who want to pursue a creative career?

Make sure to polish your basics when building up your skillset! Color theory, shape language, life and figure drawing, composition, etc! Those are super important assets when it comes to having a good portfolio.

But aside of that, I’ll say, just be patient. Breaking into the industry is not the easiest, especially right now, but take time to improve your work, create your own stories, have fun with them, and support each other; create a beautiful and supportive community. Don’t hesitate to take alternative paths that can feed into your creativity, because everything can be an asset, or an experience to learn from! Ican assure you, this will make a whole world of a difference!

And of course, always do your best, as you can, at your own pace! Art – and life, in general – is not a race or a competition!