Cam Estela’s Emotion-Driven Illustrations: A Visual Journey into Mental Health and Self-Awareness

Well-loved Chilean illustrator Camila Estela G. describes themselves as a ‘sentimental artist’ on social media— what they are highlighting is the emotive quality of their illustrations. The characters Estela draws show their feelings in an exaggerated clarity, like those seen on stage actors. Estela uses repetitive, almost scratch-mark-like lines to underline her characters’ emotions, emphasizing the creases, wrinkles and depth of her character’s face.

Emotive illustration by Cam Estela of a woman comforting a girl. Image courtesy of Cam Estela’s website.

These illustrations and the different emotions each piece and each character convey help people better identify their very own feelings. For a viewer, seeing Estela’s work is akin to time spent contemplating an emotion wheel; a visualization tool used by mental health experts to help people better identify their emotions. This is done because identifying a person’s innermost thoughts has been known to be the first step towards better mental strength and emotional regulation, as it gives them a better chance to feel their emotions and allow them to pass without causing a mental and emotional toll.

Emotive illustration by Cam Estela of a confused man checking an artefact through a magnifying glass. Image courtesy of Cam Estela’s website.

It is not too far-fetched to say that Estela’s work, where characters are able to clearly express themselves without constraints, has given her audience a safe space to express their own. Hence, viewers of Estela’s work too have the chance to give their own emotions a chance, to feel them without judgment as they are able to identify and empathize with the human emotions clearly portrayed in her work. With Estela’s characters, audiences are able to laugh, cry, and be curious freely, giving both their characters and audiences a chance to better regulate them, so that they can live life to the fullest with mental well-being. This is why Cam Estela’s work is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of Good Health And Well-Being.

Emotive illustration by Cam Estela of a woman lying on the floor, looking at her reflection with mascara running down her cheeks. Image courtesy of Cam Estela’s website.

Cam Estela’s emotionally rich illustrations offer more than visual storytelling—they provide a gentle guide for viewers to better understand and process their own feelings. By portraying raw, relatable emotions with expressive detail, Estela fosters a space of empathy and self-recognition, encouraging emotional awareness as a form of healing. In doing so, their work becomes a quiet yet powerful tool for mental well-being, embodying the idea that embracing our emotions is the first step toward managing them and living more mindfully.

Find out more about illustrations by Cam Estela and their other pieces on her website www.camestela.com or Instagram @cam.estela.