Comic For January: Diana Walter

What did you want to be as a child?

My primary school teacher once said, “If Diana doesn’t become a biologist, I’ll eat a broom!” Sometimes, I think about handing him one. But I also started writing and illustrating books as a child – being an author was always a dream of mine. I also wanted to be a detective, have my own restaurant, and be a singer. So, everything was still up in the air.

How would you describe your style?

Very fluid. I like to experiment, mix techniques, and adapt my style to the work at hand. A great example of this are the portraits I illustrated for the Tschuttiheftli for the 2024 European Championship: I modelled the players' heads from clay, 3D scanned them, and then digitally painted them. That was great fun. I prefer working analog, but I also love experimenting with combining both digital and analog techniques.

Do you have a favourite colour?

A warm dark red.

What topics are particularly close to your heart?

The interplay between animals and humans, as well as nature and urban spaces.
The question of who takes up space where and why. Making the invisible visible.

Where did you grow up, and did that influence the course of your life or your drawings?

I grew up in Untersiggenthal (AG), with two very dedicated biologists as parents. That had a huge impact on me. Every family outing into nature was essentially a zoological and botanical excursion. So, as a child, I had a lot of knowledge about the environment – and I’m very grateful for that. I think this affinity comes through in my work time and again.

What brings you joy at the moment?

Scoopable persimmons. Picture books by Eva Lindström. The clucking of our hens before they lay an egg. Particularly soft oil pastels.

What’s the most challenging thing in your life right now?

At the moment, pretty much everything in my life is up in the air. It’s exhausting but also very exciting.

What do you love drawing the most?

Cheeky animals.

What can comics, cartoons, and illustrations do that other media can’t?

With pictures, anything can be told. Abstract things, things that can’t be seen, things that don’t even exist. New perspectives and new worlds open up. They can simply be beautiful and entertaining, but they can also punch you in the face hard. I love the combination of image and text in comics, how they play off each other and complement each other – that’s something special.

Could you list a few of your favourite things (or moments or experiences)?

My violet-pink striped tights. Swimming in rivers. A jug that looks like a cat. Cooking for friends. The sound the laptop makes when you send an email.

What do many people not know about you?

I absolutely love dancing around with my hula hoop.