We’re looking forward to introducing you to Valentina Berdegue. Check out our conversation below.
Good morning Valentina, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: Who are you learning from right now?
Right now, I’m learning a lot from creators my age on social media. Filming has never been my strongest skill: lighting, composition, and getting those bright, energetic shots don’t come naturally to me yet. But seeing peers create such thoughtful, well-crafted content has been incredibly motivating.
I’ve also realized that video isn’t optional anymore. For illustrators, it’s become an essential tool for growing your channels, building an audience, and ultimately getting jobs. Art directors, agencies, and brands want to see not just the final illustration, but the process, personality, and storytelling behind it, and video is the best way to communicate that.
The great thing is that the illustration and creative community online is generous and open. The people whose content I admire are always sharing tips and behind-the-scenes insights. I’m studying their process, analyzing their shots and storytelling choices, and using that to build my own visual language. It’s a skill I’m actively developing, and I’m excited to get better at it.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi! I’m @doodle_cadet, an illustrator and visual storyteller exploring the playful, heartfelt, and sometimes chaotic corners of everyday life. My work lives at the intersection of character design, color, and emotion. I love creating worlds that feel intimate, expressive, and a little bit whimsical.
I’m a jet-setting Mexican with a global mindset; traveling and discovering new cultures is one of my biggest sources of inspiration. I grew up moving and drawing nonstop, making characters, dressing them, imagining their worlds, and that childhood energy still drives my work today.
What makes my work unique is its focus on the female experience: the ups and downs, the humor, the frustrations, the tenderness, and the small but meaningful moments that shape everyday life. I love illustrating the complex emotions and situations that women experience. My characters often feel like snapshots, captured with color, playfulness, and honesty.
Right now, I’m expanding my body of work, pushing my animation and video skills. I’m developing new personal pieces for competitions, collaborations, and future prints, while building a more intentional presence across my platforms.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
I don’t know if it’s my earliest memory of feeling powerful, but it’s definitely one of the first. When I was a kid, I used to sing “opera.” Maybe not real opera, but I fully committed to it: dramatic gestures, big notes, the whole performance. I was such a quirky, individualistic kid. I never really fit in, and honestly, I didn’t care. The idea of pretending or being boring just didn’t appeal to me at all.
I was the youngest of four siblings, all with huge personalities, so performing became my way of standing out. I loved the attention it drew, especially from adults. Let’s be real, a seven-year-old singing opera is pretty hard to beat. I loved the way adults reacted: amused, surprised, and encouraging.
Looking back, those moments made me feel powerful because they validated my weirdness, my loudness, and most importantly, my creativity. It was one of the first times I felt that being different wasn’t something to hide; it was something to lean into.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering has taught me things that success never could. I’m a creative, I suffer all the time! You think having inconsistent income and bougie taste is easy? I’m at a stage in my career where I’m finally getting a couple of illustration gigs here and there. Not enough to fully support myself yet, but enough to show that my persistence is paying off and that I need to keep going, and keep growing, to become the version of myself I’m aiming for: a spectacular, independent, sexy illustrator traveling the world and working on incredible projects with amazing brands and people. There is no success without suffering. I’m surrounded by incredibly successful people, and every single one of them has had to grind, and keep grinding, to get where they are. Success wouldn’t be success, and it definitely wouldn’t taste as sweet, without all the hard work, frustration, rejection, and late nights behind it.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
Myself. I’m committed to making it as an illustrator whether that happens tomorrow or when I’m fifty. Social media makes it seem like success has an expiration date, like your dreams need to come true in your 20s or early 30s or you’ve somehow failed. That’s just not true. Everyone has a different timeline. One of my biggest inspirations, Yuko Shimizu, didn’t become a fully independent illustrator (able to live off her work) until her 40s. And she’s a GOAT. Her story reminds me that there’s no “too late.” There’s only showing up, improving, and staying committed. I can work a day job in the creative industry and still build my illustration career on the side until it becomes sustainable, and that is not failure. That’s dedication. That’s patience. That’s believing in myself for the long haul.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
Hell no, and anyone who tells you differently is a liar! We all need encouragement from time to time. I’m really lucky to have an amazing support system that lifts me up when I’m feeling low and celebrates me when I show them something I’ve worked hard on. Their reactions remind me that my work has value, even if a post only gets five likes on Instagram. If my effort was never recognized by anyone, it would be incredibly discouraging; anyone would feel that way. Humans are wired for connection and feedback. Praise isn’t the reason I create, but it absolutely fuels me, keeps me going, and reminds me that I’m doing a good job.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.valeberdegueart.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doodle_cadet/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valentina-berdegue/
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