Colombian Illustrator Daniel Lievano Turns Everyday Ideas Into Award-Winning Visual Language

Colombian illustrator Daniel Liévano has gained international recognition for his unique visual language, which combines metaphors, symbols, and words to convey ideas. Born in Bogotá, he studied advertising and graphic design at Jorge Tadeo Lozano University, where he developed an interest in the relationship between ideas, words, and visual communication. Lievano does not practice advertising or graphic design today but considers illustration to be an intermediate field between the two.

His work is characterized by a fascination with symbols, metaphors, and etymology. He traces this interest back to a graphic design history class about cave paintings and to a high school class on etymology taught by an American teacher. For instance, the Spanish word "recuerdo" (memory) is composed of "re," meaning again, and "cordis," meaning heart, symbolizing the act of passing through the heart again.

Lievano's graphic novel, "Gravity," published in 2020, was inspired by curiosity rather than a desire for recognition. The book explores time, gravity, and memory through a series of chapters. He believes that gravity affects everything, much like emotions, which are felt and named but not fully understood. The book won a gold medal from the Society of Illustrators of New York, opening doors to other recognition, including work with The Lancet and The Boston Globe.

Despite the challenges of freelance illustration, Liévano aims to secure work abroad, as freelance work alone is not financially sustainable. His next project delves into the "identity of lines," examining why straight lines are associated with tradition and correctness while deviating lines carry negative connotations in many cultures.