She first learned about drafting from her father. She studied at the Academia de San Fernando in Madrid and later moved to Barcelona where she lived the bohemian lifestyle. Due to the impending movement Nazis during the war, she relocated to Paris where she met her good friend Leonora Carrington (also an artist) and developed her own style of Surrealism and had many of her works published. However the war continued to push through into France and she (along with many other artists and writers) was exiled to Mexico. This exile had a huge effect on her work and helped in developing her unique style.