Code Barcelona had the pleasure of sitting down with Profe James, a Mexican illustrator with a truly unique style.
His passion for science fiction and cryptozoology has become an art form in itself—one we found absolutely fascinating.
We’re sure his work will catch your eye, just as it did ours.
Here’s an excerpt from our conversation with him.
Don’t miss the insights from this imaginative and inspiring creative.
Interview with Profe James: Illustrating Sci-Fi and Cryptozoology
Code: First of all, I want to take this opportunity to congratulate you on your work. With that said, shall we get started?
Code: How are you, Profe James? I’m sure our readers are eager to get to know you better, so the obvious question is… Profe James? Where does that nickname come from? And while we’re at it, can you tell us a bit about your creative beginnings and the path that brought you here?
Profe James: Hi, thank you so much for having me.
Before I became an illustrator, while I was studying design, I coached a kids’ soccer team and also took guitar lessons. Since I was their coach, the kids always called me “profe”—short for “professor”—and would say things like, “Profe, can we play?” or “Profe, can you tie my shoes?” So, for everything, it was “Profe.”
At the same time, I was learning guitar and would listen to songs I wanted to memorize so I could play them later. Whenever I trained the kids, I’d play those songs during warm-ups or practice. One of those tracks was the James Bond 007 theme by The Ventures. Since I played it all the time, the kids recognized it and started calling me James Bond, which, combined with “Profe,” became Profe James.
One day, I needed a pseudonym for an illustration contest and used the nickname the kids gave me. From that moment on, right after graduating, I started signing everything as Profe James. Now, everyone just calls me Profe.
Code: Your passion for science fiction and cryptozoology really stands out. Does that passion come through in your work? How so?
Profe James: I see science fiction as one of the most creative expressions of the human mind.
Space travel, monsters, creatures, and spaceships have fascinated me since I was a kid. They were probably my earliest introduction to science, and the stories born from sci-fi gave me endless references and sparked my curiosity about the unknown and the things we wish were true—like time travel, creatures hiding from humans, aliens, alternate dimensions, and so on.
In my work, I often take sci-fi characters out of their original context and place them in new illustrated scenes that tell a short story—sometimes with a twist.
Code: I usually ask about the creative process and sources of inspiration. In your case, is it hard to find inspiration in things that don’t exist, like sci-fi and cryptozoology? Where or how do you find inspiration?
Profe James: It’s not hard at all—quite the opposite. Thinking about sci-fi icons and reimagining them in new contexts is always inspiring for me.
I love spending time reading about science, watching movies, or going down YouTube rabbit holes with videos about aliens. I enjoy watching Carl Sagan, and I’m also a big fan of Star Trek, for example.
Code: To get a sense of how you work, tell us—how do you approach a project? Can you walk us through your creative process?
Profe James: I start by thinking about what I could add to a sci-fi icon to make it tell a new story, rather than just recreating it in my style. Then I imagine scenarios that allow me to tell a mini-story—something fun to look at. I start gathering elements to build that scene.
Next, I sketch and define a graphic style, then consider the final format, which really influences the color palette. Once I start illustrating, I like to spend a whole day with the finished piece to spot any mistakes I might have missed and fine-tune them. I usually try to avoid the obvious solution and push myself in a different direction.
Code: Now’s your chance to talk about one of your pieces. Which one would you highlight? Tell us a bit about it.
Profe James: In 2017, I met a band called “La Tripulación del Capitán Milou.”
They approached the studio I run with Hugo Mendoza because they wanted us to create illustrations for their new singles.
For this project, we wanted to develop a concept that would give the singles a very organic launch, accompanied by these illustrations. We drew a lot from Pacific Island art to create an adventurous atmosphere, since the concept centered on an explorer’s long journey to find what they’re passionate about.
Since the band’s music is all about the sea and their vibe is very beachy, we decided to create fantastic aquatic creatures that could later be turned into patches—similar to NASA mission patches. We thought that just as space missions have their own patches, the marine missions our characters would go on should have theirs too. These patches were sold alongside the singles’ release.
Code: Before we wrap up, I’m going to ask you the four questions we ask all our guests. Ready?
Code: What’s the coolest thing about being an illustrator and creative?
Profe James: Being able to visualize the stories I want to share with people.
Code: And the worst part?
Profe James: The struggle (and pain) of landing projects that actually pay well.
Code: How do you see the illustration scene?
Profe James: It’s incredibly diverse, with lots of competition and many different ideas about what art and illustration are. In the end, I think illustration is going to become even more important within the graphic arts.
Code: What are you working on now? Any new projects you can share?
Profe James: Right now, I’m designing and illustrating information at Pictoline. I’ve also gotten into designing tattoo flash, and I run a studio with Hugo Mendoza (also an illustrator) where we create artwork for the music industry. Lately, I’ve been exploring ways to visually express my other big interests—flora and fauna—and developing new concepts around that.
Code: That wraps up our conversation with illustrator Profe James. We encourage all our readers to check out his work by clicking the links below.