2025 Grad Show

Alicia Mercado

VCD – Advertising & Graphic Design

aliciamercado.com

My artistic practice is rooted in visual problem-solving. In my illustration work, I carefully choose details to subtly communicate aspects of a character’s life that aren't stated in the text. I often diverge from the original narrative and make my own assumptions. For example, the titular character in Mr. Giva’s Hats is not given any explicit personality traits, but his obsession with eccentric, physics-defying hats suggested to me a vibrant and chaotic inner world, so I placed him in a colourful, cluttered home.
I approach graphic design in a similar way. I imagine the audience’s habits, beliefs, and personal histories to better understand how they’ll interact with the work. I mentally construct their physical and mental world to inform decisions when developing a project.
I use acrylic inks and watercolours in my illustrations because they allow me to build up value and atmosphere gradually. These mediums can create vibrant, believable spaces where the strangeness of the story feels real. Similarly, when a design is finalized, the imagined audience becomes tangible. That design might eventually float into their world and land right in their hands.