Artist Patrick Ballesteros is always one of the busiest booths in Artist Alley, because he has a knack for convention aisles into something closer to a Saturday morning daydream. With his signature childlike-inspired style and gentle, whimsical takes on fan-favorite characters, Ballesteros creates pieces that feel equal parts nostalgic and new. At both San Diego Comic-Con and Wondercon, his booth has become a gathering spot for collectors looking for art that celebrates fandom through warmth, humor, and heart.
In 2026, Ballesteros returns to WonderCon Anaheim at Booth #A-08 with an all-new lineup of prints and debuts for attendees to explore.
[UPDATE March 26]
Want to give your WonderCon badge a little extra pizzazz? Patrick is bringing back his popular badge inserts, now with an all-new look (to match the all-new design of the WonderCon badges). He’s created two new badge inserts, featuring some friendly neighborhood heroes and some pop culture icons.
Each badge insert is $9 and limited to 80 each, with a limit of two per design per person.
[UPDATE March 25]
Please walk, do not run in the exhibit hall… but you still better hustle it over to Patrick’s booth for his framed Mini Originals. Each year, Patrick creates one-of-a-kind, original artwork celebrating everything from Disney icons to heroes from a galaxy far, far away, and beyond. This year, he’s created 20-24 in total, and will be releasing 6-8 each day of the con.
They’re available on a first-come, first-serve basis for $75 each, with a limit of one per customer. Keep an eye on his social media closer to the convention for the exact release schedule, and try to lay claim to your favorite before it’s snatched up.
Outside of the exhibit floor, you can also catch Patrick on the “Travel Sketching 101” panel on Saturday, March 28 from 12:30pm-1:30pm in Room 213AB. Patrick will guide you through his process, experiences, and tips for sketching in public, whether that’s while traveling abroad or simply doodling in his local coffee shop.
[UPDATE March 24]
Patrick’s booth is always a treasure trove of playful, stylish art, so mark an X on your map for #A-07 to discover some untold treasure. This year, he’s ready to hoist the sails with “Fight Like a Pirate”, a swashbuckling new print that channels the spirit of a certain straw-hatted crew and their never-ending quest for adventure.
The new debut is an 8″x8″ open-edition print on linen paper and will be available for just $20, so it’s well worth adding to your bounty.
[UPDATE March 23]
Patrick is adding a new entry to his Composer Series with “Goldsmith’s Glee”, a WonderCon debut that pulls from the legendary work of composer and conductor Jerry Goldsmith.
His scores helped define everything from Alien deep space adventures to Egyptian tales of mummies and mayhem, and Ballesteros packs all of that into one piece. You’ll spot nods to many of your favorite films over the last 50 years, layered together in a way that feels like flipping through a greatest hits album… just with a lot more aliens, monsters, and space adventures. The piece is laid out like a flowing musical score, with each scene building into the next as Jerry conducts it all together.
“Goldsmith’s Glee” will be available as an 11″x14″ open edition print on linen paper for $30 at #A-08 in Artist Alley.
[UPDATE March 18]
Patrick Ballesteros sets sail into familiar waters with “Like Father Like Son”, a new piece debuting at WonderCon that draws clear inspiration from one of the most beloved pirate legacies. The 5″x12″ piece (on linen paper) is centered on a certain straw-hatted bond that changed everything, with Japanese text at the bottom reading “Thank you, my son”.
You can pick it up at WonderCon Booth #A-08
in Artist Alley for $20.
[UPDATE March 5]
Patrick is back with another entry in his “CAP-tivating Crew” series, which celebrates characters whose hats are just as iconic as the legends surrounding them. With “Sinfully Fun,” Ballesteros tips his cap to one of the most-recent (and best) vampire films ever made, where a certain backwards cap-wearing troublemaker and his night-owl friends prove that things can get a little bitey after dark.
Stacked with sly nods to the film, the piece captures the Oscar-nominated film through Ballesteros’s signature kid-style storytelling. “Sinfully Fun” will be available as an 11″x14″ metallic print for $30 at WonderCon as well as Emerald City Comic Con.
[UPDATE February 25]
Patrick is kicking off his brand new 2026 art series, CAP-tivating Crew, at WonderCon with its first release, “Dippin’ into the Weird.” The series celebrates characters whose headwear is instantly iconic, starting with a tribute to everyone’s favorite mystery-obsessed kid in a blue pine tree cap and the unforgettable summer he spent cataloging creatures, chasing clues, and uncovering the secrets of a very strange small town.
Rendered in Patrick’s kid-style aesthetic, the 11″x14″ linen paper print brings Dipper and Mabel’s paranormal adventures to life with playful nods to the series’ strangest corners. You can pick it up for $30 at Booth #A-08 at WonderCon in March (or at Emerald City Comic Con in Seattle).
