Local artist creates 'El Barrio Milwaukee' coloring book, turning neighbors into Homies-inspired art

The book features cartoons of real Milwaukee residents, celebrating the city's diversity and community spirit.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 9:11pm

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A high-contrast, silkscreen-style grid of a recognizable Milwaukee landmark or object, rendered in a bold, neon color palette that captures the energy and creativity of the city's residents.A vibrant, pop art-inspired celebration of the diverse community and iconic imagery that defines Milwaukee's unique identity.Today in Milwaukee

To show his love for Milwaukee, local artist Carlos Herrada has created a coloring book called 'El Barrio Milwaukee' that features Homies-inspired cartoons of real people from the city. The book includes landmarks, community leaders, musicians, and other residents, allowing Milwaukeeans to connect with and identify the familiar faces. Herrada got photos from people he knew and turned them into the cartoon characters, aiming to make the book kid-friendly while also appealing to adults.

Why it matters

The 'El Barrio Milwaukee' coloring book is a unique way for the artist to celebrate the diversity and community spirit of Milwaukee. By turning real neighbors into Homies-inspired cartoons, Herrada is creating a fun and engaging way for people to connect with their city and the people who make it special. The book also has the potential to be used in Milwaukee Public Schools, further spreading its message of local pride and representation.

The details

Herrada got the idea for the 'El Barrio Milwaukee' coloring book towards the end of 2020. He and his wife collected photos from people they knew in the community, as well as those they didn't know, and turned them into Homies-style cartoon characters. The book features landmarks, community leaders, musicians, and other residents of Milwaukee's south side. Herrada even included the iconic 'S' graffiti that was popular with local kids. The book includes fun activities like matching games, spot-the-difference, and fill-in-the-blanks, making it appealing to both adults and children.

  • Herrada got the idea for the coloring book towards the end of 2020.
  • As of April 16, 2026, Herrada is accepting pre-orders for the book and hopes to fulfill orders within the next week.

The players

Carlos Herrada

The local artist who created the 'El Barrio Milwaukee' coloring book, turning real Milwaukee residents into Homies-inspired cartoons.

GP

A Milwaukee rapper featured in the coloring book, with a music video scene depicted in front of an El Rey grocery store.

Los Impalas low rider club

A Milwaukee low rider club that is represented in the coloring book.

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What they’re saying

“Basically, because it embodies, you know, everything about my neighborhood, from landmarks to people to community leaders, everyone that I can think of that's been part of, you know, we have musicians, we have a little bit of everything. It really felt like El Barrio was the correct name for something like this.”

— Carlos Herrada, Artist

“This project was really cool because people were able to, you know, really connect and identify themselves in this, and a lot of us know each other from the south side, so it's really cool to see, and to see one of your homies, you know, be part of this project. Hey, that's my brother. Hey, that's my cousin or something.”

— Carlos Herrada, Artist

“I would love to have this in (Milwaukee Public Schools). I'm making it kid-friendly, so everybody in the community can own one of these.”

— Carlos Herrada, Artist

What’s next

Herrada is currently accepting pre-orders for the 'El Barrio Milwaukee' coloring book and hopes to fulfill those orders within the next week.

The takeaway

The 'El Barrio Milwaukee' coloring book is a unique and heartfelt celebration of the diversity and community spirit of Milwaukee. By turning real residents into Homies-inspired cartoons, Herrada has created a fun and engaging way for people to connect with their city and the people who make it special. This project has the potential to be embraced by Milwaukee Public Schools and the broader community, further spreading its message of local pride and representation.