ABOUT MARIO NEVADO
Freelance Cover Artist, Illustrator & Designer
Every cover I design starts with the same question: what makes this story impossible to ignore?
Hey! I’m Mario Nevado, a freelance cover artist obsessed with creative projects that have something to say. I’m a digital illustrator, book cover artist, album designer, color psychology nerd and above all, a storyteller with deep love for all things surreal, dystopian and sci-fi. I also write and record music, so you can bet I know the blessings (and struggles!) of the creative industries from within. I believe art should hit you where it hurts, and as a cover artist, my mission is to encapsulate your whole story into an artwork that makes people stop dead in their tracks while they’re scrolling or record-shopping.
Based in Madrid (Spain). I’ve been working for +20 years with clients like Adobe, Goodby Silverstein, Harlequin, Hachette and EMI, and directed more than a hundred design projects for authors, filmmakers and music bands. I hold a BA+MA Fine Arts degree and I’ve been teaching about composition, color theory, and digital imaging at the College of Art & Design (Barcelona); Crehana (Perú) and across several design festivals around the globe, such as Adobe’s Create Now, Photoshop Rockstars, Creative Pro Show and Brief Festival.
Some highlights of my career include having my art screened on the exterior walls of the MoMA and Guggenheim museums in NYC, and participating in Adobe Photoshop’s 25th Anniversary campaign “Dream On”, which premiered at the 87th Oscars Academy Awards and earned a D&AD Pencil, three Cannes Lions and an Emmy nomination. Winning the Exposé Master Award by two consecutive years complete a career built on millions of Photoshop layers, liters of coffee, and an unhealthy relationship with the command Ctrl+Z.
I am always up for collaborating with art directors, producers, musicians and all kinds of authors with good stories to tell!
Every cover I design starts with the same question: what makes this story impossible to ignore?
Hey! I’m Mario Nevado, and as you’ve probably guessed by now, I’m a freelance cover artist obsessed with any project that has a damn good story behind it. I’m a digital illustrator, book cover artist, album designer, color psychology nerd and above all, a storyteller with a toxic love for all things surreal, dystopian and sci-fi. I also write and record music in my free time, so you can bet I know the blessings (and struggles!) of the creative industries from within. I am a firm believer that art should hit you where it hurts, and as a cover artist, my mission is to encapsulate your whole story into an artwork that makes people stop dead in their tracks while they’re scrolling or record-shopping.
Based in Madrid (Spain). I’ve been working for +20 years with clients like Adobe, Goodby Silverstein, Harlequin, Hachette and EMI, and directed more than a hundred design projects for authors, filmmakers and music bands. I hold a BA+MA Fine Arts degree and I’ve been teaching about composition, color theory, and digital imaging at the College of Art & Design (Barcelona); Crehana (Perú) and across several design festivals around the globe, such as Adobe’s Create Now, Photoshop Rockstars, Creative Pro Show and Brief Festival.
Some highlights of my career include having my art screened on the exterior walls of the MoMA and Guggenheim museums in NYC, and participating in Adobe Photoshop’s 25th Anniversary campaign “Dream On”, which premiered at the 87th Oscars Academy Awards and earned a D&AD Pencil, three Cannes Lions and an Emmy nomination. Winning the Exposé Master Award by two consecutive years complete a career built on millions of Photoshop layers, liters of coffee, and an unhealthy relationship with the command Ctrl+Z.
I am always up for collaborating with art directors, producers, musicians and all kinds of authors with good stories to tell!
WHAT CAN I DO FOR YOU?
Album Design
I create cover arts for music albums with a passion. I love rock and metal music, but I’ll design for anyone who needs visuals with an edge. From cover art to packaging design, I cover all your visual needs including stage elements, promo materials, merchandise, deluxe editions, gig posters and more. No matter if you are releasing in CD, vinyl, cassette (it’s back!) or just for streaming platforms: I’ll make sure your cover stops people in their tracks every time.
Film Posters
I like to put an artsy twist on poster designs by using hand drawn illustrations, but if you’re looking for my signature matte painting style, you can count with that, too. I’ll design for most genres, especially if there’s some drama and mystery to their stories. Introduce your release to the world in a way that makes justice to all the hard work your team put into it, while making your audience know they are in for a true work of art before they even take a seat.
Book Covers
Indie author with a great novel trying to make a big entrance? Art Director seeking a professional illustrator for your next big release? If the story is good, I’m in! My art style thrives in fantasy, thriller, horror and mystery, but I’m always open to try new genres and expand the scope of my portfolio. I design book covers, interior illustrations, jackets… you name it. Attract your readers with unforgettable cover art that will transport them straight into your stories!
✨ Selected Career Highlights ✨
Awards
Emmy Awards Nominee
Three Cannes Lions
Pencil D&AD
Digital Arts California
Two Exposé Master Awards
Exhibitions
Fragile Strength
Digital Dreams: Masterpieces of Computer Graphics
Sick Tales: 10 years of Mario Nevado
Creatives Rising
Art Takes Times Square
Workshops
Expressive Digital Portraiture
Crehana Workshops
Photoshop Rockstars
Adobe’s Make It Layered, Make It Yours
Brief Festival
VII Creative Pro Show
LET’S WORK TOGETHER!
My Style
Epic, Emotional and Surreal
▫️Hyper-realism: Accurate and detailed characters and environments trapped in fever dreams.
▫️Vibrant Drama: Fusing dark surrealism and fantasy with bold, stinging color palettes.
▫️Narrative Impact: Compositions and color studies that tell stories with psychological depth.
My Skillset
What's in my toolbox
▪️Digital Matte Painting: A refined, invisible mix of photography, digital painting and 3D.
▪️Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts + MA: Classical training, but contemporary approach.
▪️Zero AI Shortcuts: Real human art that an algorithm can’t dream of.
My Storytelling
Unapologetically Human
▫️Invincible Fragility: Broken figures with existential crisis that represent our inner strength.
▫️Dark Fantasy & Mythology: Creature design, lush environments and magical FX.
▫️Dystopian, Horror & Sci-Fi: Desolate worlds, mystery and collapsing civilizations.
Send me your brief
Drop me a message with the basics: what you need, rough scope, budget range and deadline. The more detail the better — I'll come back to you quickly with questions, honest feedback, ideas and a rate that works for your project scope.
Secure your slot
Once we've agreed on the brief and creative direction, we sign a Licensing Agreement that defines the scope and terms clearly. A deposit then secures your spot in my schedule via SEPA Bank Transfer or PayPal. Now comes the fun part!
Trust the process
Once your spot is secured, we collaborate on sketches and visual composites to lock in the definitive direction (composition, color, layout, etc). I then get to work and send you previews of the designs for feedback and final retouches.
Get your files
When the art is done, I create fully print-ready and web-ready files alongside any extra materials your release needs. Once payment is completed, everything lands straight in your inbox. Now go show the world what you've got!
* All commissions come with legal contract, invoices, authorship metadata and are AI-free.
Get in Touch_
For commissions, wall art questions and invitation to events, I’m all ears!
I usually respond in 24-48 hours in weekdays. I recommend contacting me some months in advance if you are commissioning a full creative project from the ground up, since my schedule is usually full. Rush projects can fit into schedule sometimes, for an extra fee.
You can also say hello at hey[at]marionevado.art and Facebook · Instagram · Twitter · Youtube · LinkedIn
Friendly considerations:
- Please, be specific with your project description, include genre and mood, with visual references if possible
- Scope: cover only, full packaging, extra materials, etc
- Note any budget or timeline constraints
For Licensing Art, please specify
- The artwork/s you are interested in
- Type of license: music, editorial, poster or other
- Print run and territory if known
Thank you! I’ll get back to you shortly! 😊
