Joe Requeza: The Filipino vision behind Rebecca Yarros’ dragons

A Filipino artist has found his place among the creators shaping one of fantasy’s most celebrated worlds.

From the myths of Bicol to the dragon realm of Rebecca Yarros, Joe Requeza has always found inspiration in creatures that exist between imagination and legend. His latest work brings that passion to an international audience as he illustrates dragons for Threshing Day, a milestone that places Filipino creativity at the heart of a global fantasy phenomenon.

Dream commission

The artist received an inquiry about commissioning several dragon pieces after the team discovered his online portfolio on ArtStation. It was only later that he learned the project was connected to Threshing Day, a book set in the world of Yarros’ bestselling The Empyrean series.

“I got an email inquiring about commissioning several dragon pieces but I didn’t know it was for Rebecca Yarros’ book,” Requeza told DAILY TRIBUNE. “They found my online portfolio (Artstation) and loved it. I was one of the two candidates and thankfully, I was RY’s favorite.”

The opportunity came with excitement — and a lot of uncertainty.

“To be honest, I was a bit skeptical at first. I didn’t want to expect too much and get my hopes up so I just kept working on projects while anxiously waiting for confirmation,” he recalled. “The anxiety went away when I signed the official contract.”

The project was more than an illustration job for Requeza. It became a milestone that showed how Filipino artists can contribute to internationally recognized creative projects while working from home.

“Getting a project for a series with that kind of massive reach proved that location doesn’t limit what you can do,” he said. “There is an incredible amount of creative talent here in the Philippines, but international opportunities on this scale don’t come around every day.”

Building dragons from words

Requeza has long been fascinated by fantasy creatures because they allow artists to create beyond the boundaries of reality.

“I’ve always liked the freedom of it,” he explained. “Drawing real life means sticking to strict rules, but with creatures and imaginary worlds, you get to invent everything from scratch or in my usual case, guided by authors’ descriptions of their worlds and creatures.”

For Threshing Day, Yarros’ descriptions served as the foundation for his designs. The instructions may have been simple, but every detail mattered.

“The descriptions were pretty simple. Dragon name > color > tail > personality. The rest (poses, backgrounds, expression) was all up to me,” Requeza said.

While he had room to interpret the dragons visually, staying faithful to the source material remained his priority.

“I started by treating the book descriptions as strict blueprints,” he shared. “Rebecca is very specific about details like tail types, colors and personalities. Keeping those exact traits was non-negotiable for staying faithful to the lore.”

To make each dragon stand apart, Requeza focused on their individual personalities and physical characteristics rather than simply changing colors or features.

“Instead of drawing one generic dragon body and just swapping the color, each dragon got its own weight and silhouette,” he said. “A dragon like Tairn needed to look massive, battle-hardened, and heavy, while a breed built for speed needed leaner muscle and sharper, more aerodynamic proportions.”

Among the dragons he illustrated, Tairn became his favorite. The artist even created a clay model to help guide his process.

“I even modelled him on clay just for reference,” he said.

Filipino mythology

Although Requeza was creating creatures from Yarros’ imagination, his own experiences in the Philippines have also influenced the way he approaches fantasy art.

Growing up in Bicol exposed him to local folklore and mythical beings that shaped his creative perspective.

“I stayed in Bicol when I was young and there were stories about tikbalang, manananggal, kapre, etc all the time,” he said. “What always stood out to me about Philippine mythology is how eerie, raw, and grounded the creatures feel.”

Those influences helped shape his appreciation for creatures with a sense of history, texture and connection to their environment.

Requeza also believes Filipino illustrators bring unique strengths to the global fantasy and publishing industry.

“Filipino illustrators bring a strong sense of resourcefulness, high adaptability, and a genuine hunger to deliver great work,” he said. “Working remotely from the other side of the world means you have to be consistent, communicate well, and constantly push your skill level to stay competitive.”

The world ahead

After helping bring another author’s dragons to life, Requeza hopes to one day share a fantasy world of his own.

“Honestly, it’s always going to be dragons,” he said. “Even after painting so many of them, I never get tired of exploring what else they can be. I hope one day I can publish a book about dragons.”

Threshing Day represents more than a career achievement for Requeza. It is proof that Filipino artists can find their place in global storytelling.

“I hope it stands as proof that a Filipino artist, whether working from home or anywhere, can contribute to one of the biggest fantasy worlds in publishing without compromise,” Requeza concluded. “More than a personal milestone, I want it to show other local artists that our geography doesn’t limit our reach. If the skill is strong, the global industry will take notice.”