Sara Bernardi

A messy studio

Bologna, ITALY

Improving everyday life by bringing illustration into everyone's lives with objects decorated with art prints.

Sara Bernardi is an illustrator and printmaker specializing in linocut and mixed media. Born in Cagliari, she trained at the Foiso Fois Art High School before moving to Bologna, where she graduated in Comics and Illustration and in Fine Art Printmaking from the Academy of Fine Arts.

These paths came together in 2018 with the creation of A Messy Studio, the project that brings together her research between illustration and handmade practices. Her work stems from the desire to make illustration part of everyday life, transforming it into accessible, lived-in objects.

Creative Director of the BOit! Competition, and a teacher of illustration and printmaking, she also works as a freelance illustrator for independent magazines, bookstores, associations, and publishing houses. Her most recent editorial projects include La Camera Degli Animali by Francesca Scotti (Il Saggiatore), Manteia (Kaba Edizioni), and Pino, un albero una bimba una storia vera, which was awarded at the Andersen Festival – Baia delle Favole in 2025. In the same year, she co-founded Altrove, a cultural association dedicated to promoting artistic practices.

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Techniques

Sara creates her prints using the linocut technique, carving and hand-printing on paper and fabric. From the initial concept to the carving and printing process, all the way to the creation of the final products, each piece is unique, marked by small variations that reflect its handmade nature.

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Are your fabric products washable?

Yes, my products are washable, preferably in the washing machine at 30°C.

Do you create both the designs and the prints on the fabrics yourself?

Yes, I create my products from scratch: from the design, to the printing, all the way to crafting the final fabric piece.

What inspires your illustrations? Where do your ideas come from?

My illustrations often originate from collaborations, existing stories, or personal experiences. Each illustration has a story behind it—from the simplest pattern to the most complex image. I rarely create visuals purely for aesthetic purposes; my goal is always to tell a story.