• I feel like I’ve been posting About Christoph Niemann a lot lately, but he’s been creating such a wide range of interesting pieces that I feel like it’s warranted. He created a large scale mural in collaboration with The Horst Janssen Museum in Oldenburg, Germany, illustrating a person drawing, with their creations springing to life along the outside of the building. What’s quite novel is that what you see during the day is then transformed at night because of a carefully laid out white neon, giving the space an entirely new meaning. Such a wonderful public intervention, I bet this is lovely to see throughout the day and the night.

    The Horst Janssen Museum Comes to Life Thanks to Christoph Niemann
    The Horst Janssen Museum Comes to Life Thanks to Christoph Niemann
    The Horst Janssen Museum Comes to Life Thanks to Christoph Niemann
  • I’ve been spending a lot of time on Posts lately, a social app that still feels like a cute little community of creative folks. I’ve been able to find some interesting folks to follow, such as designer and illustrator Hannah Lee. She recently announced her upcoming 2024 calendar (it’s available for pre-order) which features a super clean design paired with her very charming illustrations. I love how they come as loose sheets so that you can hang up as she has photographed, it looks so wonderful.

    Charming and Minimal 2024 Calendar by Hannah Lee
    Charming and Minimal 2024 Calendar by Hannah Lee
  • We all need a bit of peace these days, and it seems like the folks at Hong Kong publisher viction:ary might be feeling the same way. One of their more recent releases is a book titled Life Stills, Art and Illustrations Inspired by Serenity, featuring artists and illustrators showing how their perspective on disconnecting and liesure time.

    “Despite being told that life is short and that we should enjoy it, it has become increasingly hard for modern people to find a moment of peace amid the restless hubbub of the modern world. Nevertheless, there is still happiness to be found in even the smallest things — from a fresh breeze in the morning to a warm cup of coffee in the afternoon, or just a beautiful sunset.

    LIFE STILLS invites readers to submerge themselves in the tranquil illustrations within, and never hold back from romanticising even the tiniest silver lining in life.”

    'Life Stills' Art and Illustrations Inspired by Serenity
    'Life Stills' Art and Illustrations Inspired by Serenity
    'Life Stills' Art and Illustrations Inspired by Serenity
    'Life Stills' Art and Illustrations Inspired by Serenity
  • Japanese artist Yasuo-range considers herself a “graphical illustrator” which is a pretty apt description. Her work, which seamlessly blends digital and physical mediums, has influences that wander between abstraction, influences of the Bauhaus, and Japanese minimalism. There’s something so lovely about how she abstracts objects into these colorful still-life scenes. She gives our brains just enough information to start to pick out particular items, but in some cases, not quite enough, giving you time to look over the pieces trying to discern what is what.

    Abstract Illustrations by Yasuo-range
    Abstract Illustrations by Yasuo-range
    Abstract Illustrations by Yasuo-range
    Abstract Illustrations by Yasuo-range
  • An illustrator based in Japan, born in Tokyo and graduated from the Department of Graphic Design at Tama Art University, Taku Bannai works in a broad range of areas such as advertisements, books, magazines, and artwork for record covers. He captures our everyday scenes in a papercut, minimalist style, which creates a “blank space,” as he calls it, which allows the viewer to imagine their own stories. I find his work so calming, and I love all the small imperfections that can be found throughout.

    Art and illustration by Taku Bannai
    Art and illustration by Taku Bannai
    Art and illustration by Taku Bannai
    Art and illustration by Taku Bannai
  • If you haven’t heard of Close it’s a coming-of-age film about “two teenage boys whose close friendship is thrown into disarray when their schoolmates notice their intimacy, causing a rift between them.” It’s been highly regarded critically, winning the Grand Prix at Cannes Film Festival, amongst many other nominations and prizes.

    Old friend of TFIB Matt Lyon, an illustrator based just outside of London, has created a sublime poster for the movie, drawing on the visuals of flowers that permeate the film. I love Matt’s use of halftones and textures, as well as his unexpected twist of racking the focus of the flowers to bring in some interesting depth to the piece. And that color palette (which is a signature of Matt’s work tbh) that really works so well here. Incredible work.

    Close film poster illustration by Matt Lyon
  • There’s something so wonderful about the carefree illustrations of Tokyo-based illustrator Nori Okawa. To me, I see a spontaneous mixture of manga and pop art combined into some new form of expression. It’s zany and over-the-top, yes there’s something to these pieces that keeps drawing me in, I keep seeing more details and nuances that I missed in my first impression. I wish I had a giant, painted version of one of the pieces below hanging on the walls of my apartment.

    Nori Okawa
    Nori Okawa
    Nori Okawa
    Nori Okawa