Auburn graduate, Paulina Arroyo, is releasing her first graphic novel, “Goin’ to the Party,” this February. With a degree in graphic design, she displays her work through her illustrations within her novel to tell the story of 18-year-old, Paloma Alfaro.
Arroyo's love for telling a story through pictures, and even a crush, sparked her passion for graphic design that she hopes to continue into the future.
“This guy that I liked gifted me the journal,” Arroyo said, “I really liked him, so I would write a lot about him, so I guess he would be inspiration and life in general.”
From there, Arroyo carried her passion for writing and graphic design into college. The idea for her novel became the product of a college assignment.
“When I was doing my senior project, I was going to do a sustainability magazine. Then the day before we were supposed to turn in our proposals, I completely changed everything. I wanted to do something illustration-heavy, something I can be really experimental with. I think that’s what my book ended up being,” Arroyo said.
Arroyo’s novel is inspired by her life experiences and is a form of expressing herself.
“The inspiration behind it was my journal, and the inspiration for my journal is my life,” she said.
From this novel, Arroyo made benefits that would get her through one assignment and carry over into the future.
“The main purpose of the book was to complete my senior project and graduate. But, I also wanted a good piece in my portfolio, something that shows my style, that I can also write and experiment. It’s also to tell my story and to have something that accurately represents who I am as a person and as a graphic designer,” she said.
Arroyo’s novel builds her status as a graphic designer, but also is the start of a collection she can cherish in the future.
“We don’t remember everything, so when I’m old I want to look through these books and remember fun stories and look at something that sparks a memory,” she said.
In the future, Arroyo plans to use her graphic design degree to create books and “to explore different realms” of graphic design.
“I want to illustrate as much as I can,” she said.
As of now, Arroyo sees her future working as a graphic designer for children’s books.
For those interested in graphic design and any form of literature or art, Arroyo said, “Start by doing it for yourself. When you want to get things out of your head, write it. When you want to make a fun comic for your friends, just do it.”
She explained that there is no need for extravagance in any piece; it needs to be a form that represents you individually.
“Goin’ to the Party," is part one of three in a series by Arroyo, and will be available in late February at Sidetrack Coffee, where she also works as a barista.
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Piper Bosart, junior in journalism, is the assistant culture editor for The Auburn Plainsman. She has been with The Plainsman since January, 2022.
