diana-toledano-round-painting-2019-small.jpg

¡HOLA! Nice meeting you!

My name is Diana, pronounced the Spanish way: De-Anna. I am an illustrator, writer and educator. I am also a Pisces who love books, patterns, and dancing my heart out.

Originally from Spain, I grew up in Madrid where I studied Art History & Illustration. Now I live in California with my little bilingual family and two cats.

My work can be found in books and products all over the world. I enjoy playing with different techniques to create detailed mixed media illustrations. I am fascinated by deep stories that offer every child a place of refuge and wonder.

With a background in museum education, I love doing school visits, teaching workshops for adults and speaking at conferences. I’m also the co-founder of Picture Book Surgery. – Learn more about my teaching & school visits here.

Selected client list

Chronicle Books • Beach Lane • Little Simon (Simon & Schuster) • Sourcebooks • Alice Éditions • Usborne Publishing • 826 Valencia • Flow Magazine • Hello Dearest Magazine • Red Cross of Spain • Steven Linens • The California Academy of Sciences • Scholastic Book Club

Representation 

Contact my agent Deborah Warren at East West Literary Agency for children’s books in the US, Canada and the UK: dwarren@eastwestliteraryagency.com


Want to know more about me?

I enjoy long walks, dancing like nobody is watching, meals with friends, reading books, and visiting museums.

I think little things are cute. Tea spoons? Adorable. Tiny turtle-shaped chopstick holders? Adorable too. Mosquitoes are the one exception to this rule.

I love water. I dream of having a swimming pool! Or a lake, or a hot tub, or a warm ocean… In a pinch, even a puddle will do.

Being an immigrant is hard sometimes (I miss my family, my friends and… tapas!), but I love living in California.

When it comes to art supplies, I’m a total geek. I never leave an art store empty-handed.

If you want to get me a present, here is an idea: I adore old photographs of smiling people. Were they happy? Were they in love? What’s their story? Oh, so many questions…

I speak Spanish, English, a bit of Italian and a few words in Arabic. Once upon a time I studied German but please, don’t ask me about that.



Selected Awards & Exhibitions

20th Anniversary Postcard Show, Land Gallery PDX 2019.

The Beautiful and the Sublime Show, Scotts Valley Library 2019.

Winner, Best Portfolio Award, SCBWI Golden Gate Conference 2018.

Shortlisted, “A Place for Edouard”, the Nami International Picture Book Illustration Concours 2017 (award & traveling exhibition).

28th Annual Children’s Book Illustrator Exhibit, Sun Gallery 2017.

Selection, Latin American Ilustración 5 Award 2016.

Winner, Best Portfolio Award, SCBWI San Francisco Illustrator Day 2015.

Tiny Show, Studio Gallery 2014.

DianaToledano-studio-details4.png