Roberta Ragona  - Tostoini

Hi! My name is Roberta Ragona but it’s way easier to find me as&nbsp;<a href="http://www.tostoini.it/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Tostoini</a>.’m an illustrator with a soft spot for anthropology, peculiar animals and interesting stories. Born in Sardinia, living in Milan, missing the sea all the time. <img src="https://www.tostoini.it/http://www.tostoini.it/blog/2024/12/Campanella_Marialucia_PawChewGo2024_@marialucia.campanella-44-1229x1536.jpg" title="">My experience in illustration ranges from picture books and editorial to museums set-ups, educational materials, brand communication, adv, children apps and lots more. I have a penchant for non-fiction illustration and a silly sense of humour. I have an expertise in graphic recording, scribing, and visual facilitation. I love projects where is possible to tackle serious topics with a certain lightness, and light and silly things explored with absolute seriousness. My illustrations have appeared in books published by Albero delle Matite, Effequ, Quinto Quarto, Sperling &amp; Kupfer and in a lot of other places that are not books. My first book as author&amp;illustrator it’s debuting at Turin International Book Fair in May 2025. If you happen to stumble on one of my illustrations online it’s fairly certain it’s going be one of a manatee.<img src="https://www.tostoini.it/http://www.tostoini.it/blog/2025/03/cover-portfolio-1.jpg" title="">I love how much variety my work can provide, and it's grown and evolved with a lot of nudging and experimentation. However, balancing projects for my clients often means that personal work gets often put aside. There are two projects that are very dear to my heart: the first one is a picture book that I would love to develop as author as much as illustrator (more on this in a bit).The second one it's my most beloved character, the Lamentino. I had the chance to have a lot of fun with this over the years thanks to my patreons (thank you y'all!). "Lamentino" is a pun on the Italian name of the manatee: the manatee is called "Lamantino" in italiano, and "lamentarsi" means complaining, grumbling. So a "LamEntino" is a disgruntled manatee. Why is he sad? I mean, he lives in the warm, soothing waters of tropical seashores, nibbling seaweeds in the sun!<img src="https://www.tostoini.it/http://www.tostoini.it/blog/2019/10/lamentino-ramen-930x620.gif" title="">I made all kinds of silly manatee stuff in the past years: illustrations, of course, but also gifs, calendars, textile pattern, surface designs, pins, you name it!&nbsp;Wanna help to make the world a place full of lamentini? The deals is this: I work on my book, you get to see everything I did before anyone else, and as a thank you I will design something manatee-related every month. Digital contents every month (illustrations, wallpaper calendars, telegram stickers, gifs and so on, depending on the month) and tangible rewards every three, six month or twelve months, according to which tier you choose.&nbsp;They could be postcards, posters, stickers, notebooks, enamel pins, temporary tattoos: I'm always working on new stuff.<img src="https://www.tostoini.it/http://www.tostoini.it/blog/2019/04/manatee-telegram-stickers-tostoini.jpg" title="">And once a year, without fail, a Lamentino the manatee calendar. Patreon is the space where you will access to my work in progress, my process posts and my visual research. With your support on Patreon I can have the ability to set aside some time to focus on my personal projects being confident to still be able to pay the bills! :)<img src="https://www.tostoini.it/http://www.tostoini.it/blog/2025/04/mockup-calendario.2024.jpg" title="">If you are not sure, but curious to give it a try, don’t worry: you can edit or cancel your pledge anytime you want. If you'd like something in particular for your pledges, anything that I did not mention in the pledge description, feel free to share your thoughts with me! I always make personalized stuff: this year the Manateerrific tier will get a personalized ex-libris, for instance.<img src="https://www.tostoini.it/http://www.tostoini.it/blog/2021/06/bottone-patreon-tostoini.png" title="">Want to know more? Find me on &nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/tostoini/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Instagram</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/tostoini.bsky.social" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Bluesky</a> and <a href="http://tostoini.etsy.com" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Etsy</a>. Oh, and I also have a&nbsp;<a href="https://tostoini.substack.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">newletter,</a> thanks to my amazing patrons!

Free

(plus patreons commission you should see as 1.22€ on your credit card)Every month: a digital content (an illustration, a gif, a wallpaper calendar...it depends on what I'm working on that month, but it will be silly for sure)2/3 times a month i'll update you about what I'm working on, what I'm reading or watching or listening that I think it's worth your time, and tell you stories about weird animals.Full access to the patreons goodies archive: Telegram stickers set, Giphy gif, Instagram stories stickers, pattern wallpapers, work in progress, patreon posts, ...Voting power in poll about what I should draw next and the new merch I will makeSubscription to my monthly newsletter (in Italian)A lifelong supply of gratitude

Intertidal zone

(plus patreons commission you should see as 3.05€ on your credit card)All the rewards listed in the Intertidal Tier (digital contents, updates, archives, voting, newsletter subs, gratitude), plus: <ul><li>Once a year: a printed copy of my yearly manatee calendar</li><li>Once a year: a silly postcard</li></ul>

Coastal zone 2.5€ 

(plus patreons commission you should see as 6.10€ on your credit card)All the rewards listed in the Epipelagic Tier (digital contents, updates, archives, voting, newsletter subs, gratitude), plus:<ul><li>Once a year: a printed copy of my yearly manatee calendar</li><li>Twice a year: a silly postcard</li><li>10% off on my Etsy shop</li></ul>

Bathyal zone 5€ 

(plus patreons commission you should see as 12.20€ on your credit card)All the rewards listed in the Epipelagic Tier (digital contents, updates, archives, voting, newsletter subs, gratitude), plus:<ul><li>Once a year: a printed copy of my yearly manatee calendar</li><li>Four times a year: a silly postcard or something similar</li><li>15% off on my Etsy shop</li></ul>

Abyssal zone 10€ 

(plus patreons commission you should see as 24.40€ on your credit card)All the rewards listed in the Epipelagic Tier (digital contents, updates, archives, voting, newsletter subs, gratitude), plus:<ul><li>Once a year: a printed copy of my yearly manatee calendar</li><li>Four times a year: a silly postcard a silly postcard + pins or magnets or temporary tattoos or stickers (depends on what I'm working on) </li><li>After a year of subscription, you will receive a special reward. It could be something I choose - mugs, totes, early access to my books, custom-made rewards like personalized ex-libris and handmade art - or something of your choosing in the same range. </li><li>25% off on my Etsy shop</li></ul>

Hadal zone 20€ 

My eternal gratitude

Complete post archive

Voting power in poll about what I should draw next and what new manatee merch I will make

Work in progress and storyboards from the picture book I will work on

Monthly digital illustration

Yearly manatee calendar

Yearly manatee postcard

A manatee calendar background for your computer and phone

Telegram sticker set

Fan requests

Twice a year postcard from my archives

Twice a year manatee postcard

10% discount on my etsy shop

Four times a year: a manatee postcard

Four times a year: a postcard from the archive

20% discount on my etsy shop

25% discount on my etsy  shop

After a year of subscription, you will receive a special reward. It could be something I choose - mugs, totes, early access to my books, custom-made rewards like personalized ex-libris and handmade art - or something of your choosing in the same range. 

Recent posts by Roberta Ragona - Tostoini