I'm Des Cultivo, a Filipina visual artist, creative designer, and illustrator currently based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
My educational background has given me a deep understanding of different mediums. I was academically trained in traditional painting and illustration, which gave me an additional advantage in navigating between these two worlds and even combining them. I believe it's actually the other way around: being an artist and illustrator has had a major impact on my identity as a designer. It has made me more sensitive to composition, visual elements, and the emotions I aim to convey through my creative work. In both disciplines, I tell stories through visual composition.
My illustrations are highly personal, serving as an extension of my inner world. Nature has always been a place of refuge for me, and its influence naturally finds its way into my work. I am particularly inspired by botanical forms, organic shapes, and fluid, expressive lines. Art Nouveau remains one of my strongest stylistic influences, inspiring my appreciation for elegance and natural movement. Combined with elements of whimsy and realism, these influences help shape a visual language that feels both imaginative and deeply rooted in the natural world.