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case study_3
Context
On this occasion, the vignette focused on a controversial political situation in Ibiza involving the purchase of six supposedly “new” public buses that were in fact second-hand, highly polluting and widely criticized in local media.
The satire targeted two leading political figures from the Island Council, placing them at the center of a scene that reflected public discomfort: excessive smoke emissions, accessibility complaints from citizens with reduced mobility and growing social debate.
This piece is part of Caricaturasibiza, an independent satirical project launched in 2013, aimed at generating critical reflection through humor while maintaining a refined digital illustration finish.
Challenge
The main challenge was to visually synthesize a complex political controversy into a single powerful and readable composition.
Key challenges included:
• Representing all six buses clearly within a coherent perspective
• Emphasizing heavy smoke pollution without losing visual clarity
• Including recognizable caricatures while avoiding direct textual references to real names
• Integrating citizens wearing gas masks to reinforce the concept
• Incorporating new dialogue balloons referencing accessibility complaints
Another important challenge was maintaining the project’s distinctive visual identity: bold foreground linework, detailed backgrounds, mixed media integration and a strong narrative header with a different color for each episode.
Technical and narrative constraints:
• Balancing satire and legal safety
• Achieving accurate facial resemblance using photo references
• Managing complex composition with multiple vehicles
• Ensuring readability of balloons and visual hierarchy
My Role
Tasks: Full conceptualization, sketching, caricature development, digital inking, color production, text writing refinement and final compositing.
• News research and visual documentation analysis
• Hand-drawn sketch proposal and client approval process
• Digital inking with reinforced foreground silhouettes
• Facial deformation studies using photo references
• Color base creation with textures and volumetric lighting
• Integration of photographic reflections and environmental elements
• Final compositing and legal content supervision
Action
Concept & Sketch Phase: I designed a bus stop scene where the two political figures appear in the foreground preparing to board the polluted buses while putting on gas masks, symbolically “suffering” the consequences of their own decisions. The six buses were arranged in perspective to ensure visibility and compositional rhythm.
Digital Production: The approved sketch was scanned and used as a base template in Photoshop. Separate stroke layers were created for each character and relevant element, using thicker outlines for foreground emphasis. Color bases were applied with textured fills and treated photographic references for realistic yet stylized skin tones. Highlights and shadows were painted using exposure tools to simulate coherent lighting.
Final Integration: Additional balloons referencing mobility-access complaints were incorporated. Reflections of Ibiza landscapes were composited into bus windows to geographically anchor the scene. The header color was selected to subtly reference one of the political party’s institutional tones.
Result
The final vignette successfully condensed a multifaceted political controversy into a single impactful image that resonated with local audiences. The exaggerated smoke, gas masks and bus alignment reinforced the satirical tone while maintaining aesthetic refinement.
The piece upheld Caricaturasibiza’s identity: visually polished, technically complex, legally cautious and narratively sharp. Production time ranged between one and two full working days depending on revisions and complexity.
The project achieved:
• Clear visual synthesis of a controversial public issue
• Strong resemblance caricatures without explicit naming
• High-detail digital illustration with mixed media integration
• Reinforcement of a 10-year satirical editorial project
En el 2013 se publicaron las primeras viñetas de Caricaturasibiza. Al principio tuvieron periodicidad semanal, ha habido fases con periodicidad quincenal o mensual y largos periodos de descanso también. A día de hoy la acción continúa gracias a Francisco Vilás, un cliente particular con gran sentido del humor que no ha dudado en solicitar ser caricaturizado e incluido en las piezas como un personaje más. Hemos creado unas viñetas de ilustración digital a todo color con un estilo y acabado muy particular. Se han criticado a políticos locales de Ibiza y a alguno de nivel nacional como José Manuel Soria (Ministro de Industria, Energía y Turismo, también vinculado a
