Well loved Chilean illustrator Camila Estela G. describes themself as a ‘sentimental artist’ on social media— what they are highlighting is the emotive quality of their illustrations. The characters Estela draws show their feelings in an exaggerated clarity, the likes of which are found in stage play actors. Estela does this by using repetitive, almost scratch-mark-like lines to underline her characters’ emotions, emphasizing the creases, wrinkles, and depth of her characters’ faces.
These illustrations and the different emotions each piece and each character convey help people better identify their very own feelings. For a viewer, time spent viewing Estela’s work is akin to time spent contemplating an emotion wheel, a visualization tool used by mental health experts to help people better identify their emotions. This is done because the identification of a person’s thoughts has been known to be the first step towards better mental strength and emotional regulation.
It is not too far-fetched to say that Estela’s work, where characters are able to clearly express their feelings without constraints, has given her audience a safe space to express their own. Estela’s viewers are given the chance, through her work, to acknowledge and feel their emotions without judgment. With her characters, audiences are able to laugh, cry, and be freely curious, developing a greater sense of mental well-being. This is why Cam Estela’s work is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of Good Health And Well-Being.
Cam Estela’s emotionally rich illustrations offer more than visual storytelling; they provide a gentle guide for viewers to better understand and process their own feelings. By portraying raw, relatable emotions with expressive detail, she fosters a space of empathy and self-recognition, encouraging emotional awareness as a form of healing. In doing so, the work becomes a quiet yet powerful tool, embodying the idea that embracing our emotions is the first step toward managing them and living more mindfully.
Find out more about illustrations by Cam Estela and their other pieces on her website www.camestela.com or Instagram @cam.estela.