About

I’m Carla Manea, illustrator.

My DNA mostly consists of Gustave Doré’s drawings in the Divine Comedy my grandparents had, of the adventurous pictures that represented the words in White Fang, which my father used to read over and over again. Now I am a professional illustrator, with a soft spot for large, black, square eyeglasses.

My career has been: I studied arts in High school, then illustration at the Milan School of Comics, followed by numerous specialisation courses, such as the one I attended at Fabbrica delle Favole in Macerata or the training at Fondazione Štěpán Zavřel in Sarmede. I have been teaching at the Padova International School of Comics for a few years now.

I enjoy observing the connection between pictures and words, and I was helped by my experience as a graphic designer for an agency as well as by my study of book design.

Whenever they ask me why I do the things I do, I answer that in life, passion is what moves you. For instance, in front of a piece of chocolate cake with cream and cherries, I feel a huge love I cannot resist.

Versione Italiana

ITA. Sono Carla Manea, illustratrice.
Il mio patrimonio genetico è perlopiù composto dai disegni di Gustave Doré della Divina Commedia dei nonni e le immagini avventurose delle parole di Zanna Bianca, lette e rilette da mio padre. Oggi sono un’illustratrice professionista con una fissa per gli occhiali grandi, neri, quadrati.
Il mio percorso è stato lineare: arte al liceo prima, illustrazione alla Scuola del Fumetto di Milano poi e infine tanti corsi di specializzazione, come quelli alla Fabbrica delle Favole di Macerata o quelli della Fondazione Štěpán Zavřel di Sarmede. Da qualche anno sono docente alla International School of Comics di Padova.
Mi piace vedere l’immagine legata alla parola e in questo mi hanno aiutata l’esperienza come grafica in agenzia e lo studio sulla progettazione dei libri

Poi se mi chiedono perché faccio quello che faccio, rispondo che nella vita è la passione che ci muove. Per esempio, io davanti ad una fetta di torta al cioccolato con panna e amarene, sento un grande amore al quale non so resistere.

Selected clients

Rue des Enfants (Fr) | Agaworld (Korea) | Berg Publisher (Uk) | Anno Domini (Uk) | Festos-EMSE Edapp for El Pais and La Vanguardia (Spagna) | Patakis (Grecia);

Mondadori | Mondadori Electra | Il Battello a Vapore | DeA Planeta | Rizzoli Educational | Giunti | Giunti-Scuola | Pearson | Piemme | Eli La Spiga | Edizioni Corsare | Gruppo Periodici San Paolo (with more than 5 years ongoing collaborations with Il Giornalino – Super G – Gbaby | Famiglia Cristiana | Paoline Ed. Libri | Edizioni San Paolo | Il Pozzo di Giacobbe | Buk Buk Editore | Raffaello Edizioni | GradoZero Edizioni | Gabrielli Editore | Il Messaggero dei Ragazzi | Baldini&Castoldi | Garzanti Editori | Campanotto Narrativa | and much more.

I’ve collaborated with Mart Museum – Trento | Communication Agencies | Public institutions | Companies such as Comete Gioielli | Miluna Gioielli | Calergi Worldgem | Cuoa Impresa | Assovetro | Unione Venete delle Bonifiche.

I’m currently teaching illustration at the Comics International School in Padua.

Exhibition and Awards:

  • Short-list finalist for The AOI at – WIA – World Illustration Awards – ‘Professional Book Cover illustration category’ 2024
  • “AI AM: Disegno dunque sono” Exhibition
    100 self-portraits from 100 Illustrators;
    illustrifestival Vicenza 29-06 | 29-09-2024
  • “Mind the gap” Exhibition. 12 profiles of women holding roles in the STEAM field, from 12 Illustrators;
    illustrifestival Vicenza 27-09 | 03-10-2024
  • Long-list finalist for The AOI at – WIA – World Illustration Awards – ‘Science & Technology category’ 2024
  • Long-list finalist for The AOI at – WIA – World Illustration Awards – ‘Professional Book Cover illustration category’ 2024
  • Annual Autori di Immagini 2024
    Silver medal – Educational Book
    Selected in Cover Childhood Edition
  • Society of Illustrators New York 65 th USA 2022 Selected in Book Series
  • Annual Autori di Immagini 2023
    Selected in Cover Childhood Edition
    Selected in Educational Childhood Serie
    Selected in Childhood Edition Serie
  • Un mostro? Pussa via! Group exhibition curated by Biancotangerine during the ‘Graphic days Torino’ event – 2022
  • ‘Chebéeéello’ Could you draw me a sheep, please ?
    A group exhibition at Gam Torino – Educational Area –
    Curated by Imperfect_comunicazione during the ‘Graphic days Torino’ even – 2022
  • Annual Autori di Immagini 2022
    Selected in Childhood Edition Category – Cover
  • Society of Illustrators New York 64 th USA 2021
    Selected in Book Single Image
  • Annual Autori di Immagini 2021
    Doble Selected in Childhood Edition Category – Cover
  • Inchiostro Festival 2019
  • Pawchewgo – Milano – exhibition market 2019
  • Draw job: touring exhibition – Tapirulan – Cremona; Zoo – Bologna; Studio d’Arte Andromeda – Trento 2019
  • “30×30” Illustri festival 2017
  • I Colori del Sacro, Diocesan Museum  (PD) III, IV, VI and VII  edition
  • Selected in 2014 by the AIE (Italian Publishers Association) with ‘Chicca‘ in the 100 unmissable books, section boys – Bologna Children’s Bookfair) 
  • Bloom; an open-air exhibition. Posting illustrations on election panels in the historic center of the town of San Vito di Leguzzano (Vicenza) 2012
  • Museo Italiano del Fumetto e dell’Immaginazione (Muf) exhibition in the area ‘Ragazzi San Paolo‘ in conjunction with Lucca Comics 2011
  • DisegnoInsegno (sostenuta da Il Battello a Vapore – Piemme) ’98; to name a few.