The smell of new beginnings hangs in the air! Or maybe it’s just the lit incense sticks of our staff witch? As we step into 2026, our queeroscope has gotten a new look. Charlotte Muniken—whose illustrations have already appeared in several previous issues of queer.lu—created a new illustration for each zodiac sign. We chatted with the illustrator about their own witchy side and got a behind-the-scenes glimpse of this astral project.
queer.lu: How was it illustrating the 12 zodiac signs?
Charlotte Muniken: At first, having to create 12 illustrations was quite the intimidating task! Especially as it is the zodiac signs, which carry a lot of assigned symbolism and are very meaningful to people. But I always wanted to do it, so I felt like I couldn’t pass on this opportunity! And since I am currently working on my Master’s thesis and project, I had to come up with an idea that is fun but could be doable in time.
What were your first steps when you embarked on this project?
The first thing I did was read up on each sign and learn about their correspondences. I love horoscopes and discussing people’s charts, but I’d say I’m much more familiar with some signs over others. (Virgos and Scorpios haunt my life…)
For my graduation project, I am researching all different forms of Magic practices and concepts, and relating them to art and crafting as a form of magical expression. That is where I discovered the concept of correspondences, which, broadly speaking, refers to symbolic and material associations assigned to each zodiac sign. This correspondence is thought to encompass a zodiac’s essence or bring good luck to a person of a particular sign, among others.
The most popular correspondences, and the ones I knew about beforehand, are the four elements, water, fire, air and earth. As well as the corresponding birthstones. Mine is the amethyst! What surprised me in this research was to learn that each sign comes with a corresponding body part or area! I had never heard of it and thought that would be a great starting point. So, I tried to incorporate or highlight each zodiac sign’s corresponding body part in their design. Some are more obvious than others [wink]. I also created a colour palette to represent each element as the main colours for each sign.
Where do you currently draw most of your inspirations from—and how did that influence your approach to this project?
I am huge into visual symbolism and hiding little things in my work. I am very glad that my current research allows me to indulge in this interest. I love learning about obscure folklore and magic practices, and have identified as an eclectic satanist for many years, so sneaking in little occult or demonic imagery is always close to my heart when making art. Although when working for clients, I usually keep that stuff to a minimum, so it remains family-friendly. 😉
Were there any surprising challenges along the way?
When having to illustrate a large amount of characters, the challenge is always to make sure to create a diverse range of people. Different body types, ages, ethnicities, expressions, etc. But that is also the most fun part! I always like to think of my characters as the cast of a TV show and ask myself: Do they have personality? How would they interact? Would they be friends? Enemies? Lovers? Exes? Romantically ambiguous co-workers?? Your awkward cousin?
Another challenge was to refrain from adding too many details (I would have loved to draw them analogously, with pen on paper on my trusty light board), but I had to keep in mind the time and the size of the printed final.
How did you approach “queering” the zodiac signs?
Like with character design, I like to think of queer folks as this beautiful constellation of personalities and possibilities. Of course, there are ways in which people like to express and signal their queerness to the world, but at the same time, I like to always remember that this community comes in all different ways of existing. Sometimes that is bold and fierce, and sometimes it is soft and inconspicuous. Sometimes it’s a teenager who still has much to discover about themself; other times, it’s an older person who has lived and loved many lives.
If you would describe your own zodiac sign with one anecdote from your own life, what anecdote would you share?
It feels impossible to give one singular anecdote, because I feel like I constantly relate to my zodiac sign on so many levels. I like to say that I’m a very eccentric introvert. Anecdotally, I’ve been told many times that at first, I can come across as intimidating and self-assured, but once one gets to know me, I’m just a bit of a weirdo and chatterbox who likes to gossip. Also, I got my first pair of glasses a year ago, and now I don’t frown as much in public anymore. That has helped!
Ok, so tell us! What’s your zodiac sign?
Aquarius!
Is there anything else that is important for you to share with our readers?
I wish there were 24 zodiac signs, just so I could draw even more characters.
