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Poppy ThaxterDigital, Drawing & Doodles: 6 more brilliant illustrators from here, there and everywhere (Part Two)
Continuing on from our first selection of eye-catching illustrators, we are delighted to share six more artists from our jam-packed roster of favourites. Whether they’re filled with dazzling digital colours or exemplify analogue craftsmanship, we surely agree that the work of these illustrators brings a special touch to the projects they belong in.
For us, the works of Jessie Wong are moments of pure optimism and joy. With her bright and colourful paintings, she communicates an endless love of the world around her. One of our favourite examples of this can be found within Decade’s rebrand of Maisonette, an expertly-curated marketplace for baby and children’s products. Continuing the fresh vibrancy of the brand’s colour palette and typographic elements, Wong brings character and fun to the visual language in the form of her smiley-faced cast of characters. In addition to Maisonette, her charming illustrations have attracted clients such as Refinery29, WGSN and Chobani.
An antidote to overtly clean digital vectors, Pol Montserrat’s signature textured, gestural ink brush style can be found within Paula Rodríguez Studio’s identity for Café Nuances. The work of the Barcelona-based artist and illustrator supports the serene typographic execution and subdued hues of the identity’s colour palette. The simple and abstract feel of his mark-making – usually created with Chinese ink, Indian ink, or gouache – was a perfect fit for the project, capturing the identity’s contrast and tension of form. Within his wider portfolio, Montserrat’s minimal, textured, and highly expressive illustrations are hard not to fall in love with, as they capture an imperfect humanness – appearing in projects for both local and international editorial and branding projects.
Edinburgh-based illustrator Jack Fletcher lent his welcoming, playful, and eccentric characters to Oliver Hilliker’s identity project for Glaswegian running store Achilles Heel. Together with the store’s mix of fun and focus, Fletcher’s spirited and dynamic drawings capture the tone of those behind the scenes, as well as the primary typeface’s compelling application and construction. His confident use of line work, colour and form mirror his eclectic approach to his creative practice, experimenting with surface, material and process in abundance – and we can’t get enough!
The work of Rotterdam-based illustrator Joren Joshua is immediately recognisable thanks to his witty and absurd pieces, filled with personality, energy and humour. With a nod to editorial comics of the past, he imbues his practice with fresh, dynamic characters and a lively use of colour. These key elements played a fundamental role in telling the brand story of Pursue Hard Seltzer, a project Oslo-based design studio Olssøn Barbieri invited him to collaborate on. Joshua worked closely with the studio to develop a poetic and playful collection of illustrations – developing captivating tableaus that convey the tastes of each seltzer. Highly expressive, and filled with a cartoonish dynamism, his characters have also featured in a plethora of Dutch and international publications such as de Volkskrant, De Morgen and The Guardian.
An award-winning illustrator and educator from Ukraine, Tania Yakunova brings her love of 20th-century avant-garde art and design to her unique 21st-century illustration style. With a primary interest in minimalistic expressive art and amusing characters, her works are recognised for their bold composition and rhythm. With a field of work spanning from commercial and editorial illustration to internationally exhibited artworks, she’s worked with big names such as Apple, Google, Penguin Random House, Coca-Cola and The Washington Post. One such project includes PORTO ROCHA’s identity for Upwork. Appearing alongside two other illustrators, Yakunova’s work seeks to capture the idea of diversity and collaboration, whilst conveying the humanity and personality of the brand. Their hand-drawn, painterly quality brings warmth, personality and an analogue quality.
Living and working in London, Thomas Hedger is an award-winning visual artist and Illustrator. Known for their strong lines, flat vectors, and fluid shapes, his pop-art-esque pieces are an exploration of mood, colour and space. Any tea drinkers out there may recognise his punchy illustrations gracing the packaging of London-based start-up OFFBLAK Tea. Furthermore, Hedger has lent his talents to fellow London-based agency OMSE on several occasions. In his work for Hackney Church, Hedger drew some joyfully intricate scenes for the East London brand’s identity and products. Similarly, he was one of five illustrators to provide a unique illustration (interpretation of a plant’s growth) for the green-fingered online marketplace Sproutl.