If you’re from the Northeast, you probably feel a bit like this today. Meet Christopher David Ryan, the talented illustrator behind these winter-appropriate graphics. His minimalist lines and personalities mirror pop culture and add perspective and visual commentary to themes we’re used to consuming. For a fun reel, visit his site, it’ll be a bright addition to your Wednesday.
Moving the needle forward and creating fresh work can be challenging. These artists are doing just that. Whether they’re combining illustration and graphic design, collage and paint, or woven threads in tandem with other styles, everything you see here will influence trends and styles in the coming year. Have a look, get to know these characters and share a few of your favorites with us!
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1. Lotta Neinimen’s crisp, flat and precise landscapes.
2. Adam Lister’s modular cubism.
3. Ayaka Ito’s surreal and unexpected combinations.
4. Sandra Nanushka’s floating objects.
5. Grant Gronewold’s pattern collages and illustrative storytelling.
6. Hanna Waldron’s tedious and meticulous woven graphics.
7. Lucas Grogan’s indigo murals turned textiles.
8. Paul Glabicki’s primary expression.
9. Sophie Duran’s figurative and collaged web.
10. Nina Warmerdam’s quirky grids.
Last night, I discovered Marcus Oakley’s work on instagram. I was reeled in by this image, but found myself scrolling through his blog til 1 in the morning. I love the sketches, the shapes, the color ways and the painted cardboard objects. The process makes a lot of sense, as one style begets the next, and so on. To view Oakey’s steady stream of work, check out his blog, it’s filled with gems of the texture, pattern and illustration variety.
Rachel Levit is an illustrative force you should all be aware of. Her drawings are simple, yet carry immense storytelling through line, pose and profile. Her repetition feels a bit like modern day hieroglyphics as she swings from professional realms. One day she’s producing artsy leggings and the next, an illustration for the New York Times. Have a look at her blog, you’ll find delight in the scroll.
Flowers are everywhere – as to be expected…we’re upon summer! What’s interesting though, is the type of flower we’re seeing. Every season, we get accustomed to new design styles, and this time around, painstaking detail and illustration is front and center.
Line work dominates, reminding us of the medical journals that started popping up when organic and artisanal packaging started filling store shelves. It almost doesn’t matter if the colors are vibrant or muted, as the illustrations tell the story.
The style transcends products both locally and abroad- as the imagery above is from Sweden, the Philippines, New York, Miami and Paris. While we’re used to seeing flowers and vines from fashion and beauty, it’s most interesting to see the application blown out of proportion and scattered throughout the home sector…that’s when we know the design is here to stay, at least for a few years.
1. Genus Chair by Pillip Estlund 2. Wallpaper from A Bakeri Grows in Greenpoint (via Design*Sponge) 3. Nature & Human Collection by Lesia Paramonova 4. Illustrative work-in-progress by Daryl Feril 5. A Beautiful oversized knit I shot while in Stockholm 2 weeks ago 6. and another photo I took while at & Other Stories
Two weeks ago, I visited Comic Arts Brooklyn. It was so good it could have lasted the whole weekend (I wish it had). The work was varied across genders, ranging from the clever to the dark to the intricate. I left several prints richer and a few new pieces (pictured above on my living room chairs) are from Natalya Balnova. Natalya’s illustrations are whimsical, dark and witty. They play with color beautifully and present moments in time, humanizing the funny behaviors we often fantasize about or exhibit.