Translating ideas into visual stories — bold, human, and hand‑crafted.

I’m Rosário Durão, a cross‑disciplinary illustrator, lettering artist, and visual communicator.

My work is shaped by a background in translation, design, and teaching — a cross‑disciplinary approach that lets me turn complex ideas into bold, character‑driven visuals for publishing, advertising, editorial, and licensing. Learn more…

Whether you’re working on something specific or just curious about a potential collaboration,

A smiling elderly woman with short gray hair and glasses, wearing a bright green shirt, outdoors with a blurred natural background.

Portfolio – Selected work

A magazine titled 'ELLE' with a large red dotted bow on the cover, placed on a marble table.
Book cover titled "Separated: Survival in a World that Splits Women Apart" by Tessa Cross showing an illustration of a woman with mirrored silhouette, wearing a green coat and red high heels, standing on a red surface.
A yellow book titled 'Fière' featuring a cartoon illustration of a confident woman with long red hair, large expressive eyes, a green top, and black pants, with a quote at the bottom that reads 'Against the odds, she carved her place in the world.' The background appears to be a reddish-brown textured surface.
Open magazine with article titled "The Art of Celebrating" featuring a cartoon character wearing a red turban and glasses, sitting on a yellow pillow, with text and images of a trophy and a cocktail glass.
Modern living room with framed black and white cartoon artwork of a girl with large eyes and flowers in her hair, white armchairs, potted plants, coffee table, and minimalistic lighting.
Cover of Radiance magazine, June 2024, featuring a cartoon woman with large glasses, curly hair styled in two buns, sitting in a blue armchair, wearing white clothing and jewelry. The magazine is a special issue about style and confidence.
A black and white illustrated book cover with the title "Femmes Fatales" in bold, and a girl with large eyes, red lips, wearing a large hat and a red dress, smoking a cigarette. The background features a large moon and palm trees, with a red wavy ground.
Outdoor advertisement with a stylized illustration of a meditating woman surrounded by yellow flowers, promoting relaxation and balance with text about pausing, recharging, and breathing.
A hand holding a set of cards with a cartoon girl with blue hair and eyes, wearing a blue coat, with the words "My place is... everywhere" on the card. The background is pink.
Open magazine featuring an article titled 'The Power Suit' with a black-and-white illustration of a woman with a short bob haircut, carrying a briefcase, walking in an urban setting.
Poster advertising the musical 'Rubi' at Broadway Theater with a cartoon illustration of a red-haired woman in a black dress.

Curious about illustration, lettering, and creative reinvention at 60+?

In my monthly newsletter, Studio Notes, I share insights from my journey, my work, and thoughtful observations.

Testimonials

“Just one session with Rosário changed my whole approach to design! 

“She is bold and inspiring, with careful attention to process and product.”

Christopher ChoGlueck – Professor of Ethics

“Working with Rosário on our brand image and communication fully met our expectations.

“She drew on our ideas and emotions to shape the visuals, words, and composition, and brought fresh energy to our work.”

Teresa Sequeira – Producer

“Rosário Durão has been at the forefront of industry design practice in the thirteen years I’ve known her.

“Rosário taught Design Thinking to graduate students in 2022. She used simple, strategic changes in color and visual separation to clarify findings in my conference presentations. Rosário's creativity designing our program logo and fliers married institutional identity to the uniqueness of our program.

“Rosário is an enthusiastic and kind collaborator with excellent design skills.”

Elisabeth Kramer-Simpson –
Professor of Technical Communication