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Here you will find a list of all articles about illustration,
illustrators and the representative.
illustrators and the representative.
With his intricate compositions and love of storytelling through printmaking-inspired detail, Zansky's cover artwork reflects the long-standing dialogue between Brazil and Germany, weaving together cultural icons, notable figures and architectural landmarks from both places.
Designed as a gift for partners and associates at important meetings and events, the notebook is accompanied by a glossary that encourages curiosity and cultural exchange.
European Football Finale
Diego Abreu creates a social media poster for CBS Sports Golazo ahead of this year's UEFA Champions League final.
Commissioned by Maza Design, Diego created a social media poster that captures the anticipation surrounding the clash between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal, a meeting shaped by legacy, ambition and the prospect of history being made.
Designed to accompany CBS Sports Golazo's coverage, the piece reflects the sense of occasion that surrounds a final where one club chases history and another seeks to extend it.
WIA 2026 Awards News!
Gina Rosas Moncada has been longlisted in the World Illustration Awards 2026 in the Design, Product & Packaging category.
For her work on a packaging rebrand for JING Tea, commissioned by Big Fish (UK), the project formed part of JING’s wider repositioning as a premium tea company rooted in origin and discovery.
Gina says, "The brief called for a bold and immersive illustration that would evoke exploration, origin, and environment. I created a meditative landscape that balances abstraction and narrative, inviting curiosity while communicating craftsmanship, sustainability, and a strong sense of place."
Selected from more than 4,500 entries worldwide, the longlist recognition puts the project alongside a wide mix of contemporary illustration, where design and storytelling come together in the things we use and see every day.
See the design, product & packaging longlist here.
A Partial Reckoning
Tuhina Sharma's illustration for Inquisitive - a quarterly periodical of Heterodox Academy, responds to an essay on Lee Bollinger’s defence of universities.
Tuhina illustrates A Partial Reckoning, an article about Lee Bollinger’s thoughts on universities and the uncomfortable gaps around how higher education is often framed.
The art shows a precarious balance, not just in the debate itself, but in how financial pressure sits underneath it all. It holds itself as a concept piece driven by energising colour and narrative tension.
Read the article.
RhinoShield: City Collection
Commissioned by RhinoShield’s creative team, the City Collection is a series of 12 illustrated phone cases inspired by cities around the world, illustrated by Season Of Victory.
Each design brings together familiar landmarks, cultural references and everyday details to form a portrait of place that feels personal to both visitors and locals.
The collection spans cities including London, New York, Tokyo, Paris, Taipei, Berlin, Amsterdam, Bangkok, Madrid and Sydney, each built through research into the small visual cues that define how a city is experienced day to day.
Season of Victory also created additional illustrations for their AquaStand range, including a Taipei wrap design and a global skyline composition that connects the wider series.
She says, "This project was such a joy to work on, collaborating with the Rhinoshield creative team. Starting with their brief, I further researched the details of a city - hunting for the symbols, colours and quirks that make each place unique – we then brought them together into a cohesive, collectible series. Huge thank you to Cindy and Munoz for having me on this project!"
The products are available via RhinoShield.
Anne Wilson Longlisted for World Illustration Awards 2026!
A personal piece exploring voice, visibility and the challenge of being heard has earned Anne Wilson a place on this year's longlist.
How do we make ourselves heard in a world full of competing voices? That's the question at the heart of Anne's longlisted entry for the World Illustration Awards 2026.
Selected from more than 4,500 entries, Anne's illustration reflects on how important perspectives can be drowned out by louder voices and the constant stream of information we encounter each day.
Developed from pen and ink drawings and refined in Photoshop, the piece has secured a place on this year's longlist, with the shortlist due to be announced later this year.
Rome’s Fighting Force
Tavo Montañez creates a layered cover illustration for Akal España’s edition of 'Legionario'.
For the Spanish edition of Legionario: El manual del soldado romano by Philip Matyszak, published by Akal España, Tavo was tasked with creating a cover that reflects the book’s immersive perspective on life inside the Roman army.
To echo that layered experience, Tavo combined original pencil drawings, digital illustration and traditional collage, later mastering the composition in Photoshop.
His collage-driven approach is fitting for a book that explores the mythology, machinery and human experience behind one of history’s most formidable military institutions.
Les Monts d'Arrée
Luiza Laffitte's double-page illustration for Mag Bretagne invites readers into one of Brittany's most distinctive hiking destinations.
Luiza's illustration accompanies an article on the hiking routes and outdoor experiences at Les Monts d'Arrée in Finistère - a double-page spread exploring a landscape shaped by walking, discovery and a deep connection to nature.
Her art brings a family into focus, a central anchor for the eye that gives the image a generous sense of space, while opening up an environment known to be a true paradise for walkers, hikers, and cyclists.
Music Education
For Virginia Living, Adam Larkum explores how music education shapes confidence, community and creative futures.
With his playful and spontaneous style, Adam was a natural choice for Virginia Living's feature on the transformative role of music education.
Created for the article 'The Power of Music Education for the Next Generation', his artwork accompanies a story examining how young musicians and artists are supported through the Blue Ridge Center for Music & Creative Arts in Virginia.
Adam's illustration captures the article's focus on music education as a source of connection, confidence and opportunity, highlighting its role in shaping both creative skills and a sense of belonging.
See the article.
For Colombian brand WeedGreen, German presents Migrations, a collection inspired by the long-distance journeys of animals across continents, coastlines and ecosystems.
Herons, flamingos and whales appear across T-shirts, swimwear and apparel, turning everyday garments into the rhythms of the natural world.
German's detailed illustrations bring each creature into focus with his signature sense of elegance and symbolism, while reflecting Colombia’s rich biodiversity.
The Forbidden Fruit of Uncomfortable Ideas
Diego Abreu creates an atmospheric artwork for Heterodox Academy exploring the tension between curiosity and intellectual discomfort.
Diego's piece accompanies an editorial discussion on how challenging or uncomfortable ideas are engaged with in academic and cultural spaces.
The image centres on a hand reaching toward a swirling, fiery orb, surrounded by leaves, branches and insects, acting as a visual metaphor for approach and hesitation.
His painterly realism grounds the image while keeping its symbolism open to interpretation.
SMH Travel
New Zealand-based illustrator Greg Straight creates a series of covers and interior illustrations for SMH Traveller, spanning budget travel, destination guides and trend-led features.
Greg's commissions include illustrations for articles such as Japan on a Budget, City Tourist Cards, Navigating Fes, Morocco, and What to Pack for a Cruise, where the work supports practical travel guidance and location-based reporting.
He's also created a cover for 100 Greatest Aussie Destinations, which highlights key places across Australia, alongside another for The Best and Worst Travel Trends of All Time, which examines shifts in how people travel.
Working in a bright, graphic style, Greg's illustrations draw attention to each feature and evoke a postive editorial vibe across the travel section.
Back in 10
Juliet Percival produces 45 black-and-white graphite drawings for Orion’s health title by James Davies, supporting a structured ten-minute movement method.
The book by osteopath and performance coach James Davies sets out a daily ten-minute method aimed at improving back health through movement and routine practice.
Juliet's drawings, produced in graphite with a loose, fluid line, are integrated across the internal pages to support the written sequences, clarifying positioning and progression.
A Paper Doll Tribute to Marilyn Monroe
To mark Marilyn Monroe’s 100th birthday, Tasmania-based artist Kelly Smith has reinterpreted one of Hollywood’s most enduring figures in a new paper doll book published by Smith Street Books.
'Style Icons: Marilyn Monroe' celebrates Monroe’s lasting influence on screen and style, presenting a press-out paper mannequin accompanied by a series of meticulously illustrated outfits inspired by her most recognisable looks.
From the billowing white halter dress of The Seven Year Itch to the shimmering pink gown of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, each ensemble reflects the glamour and theatricality that defined her public image, as well as the designers who shaped it.
Rendered with Kelly's characteristic attention to detail and softness of line, the book becomes both a portrait and an archive.
Find the book here.
The StrangeLoom Trilogy
Colombian illustrator Carolina Rodriguez Fuenmayor has created the cover artwork for #1 New York Times bestselling author Chloe Gong’s novels Coldwire and Deadlock.
Published by Hodderscape, the books imagine a future divided by wealth and status, where humanity exists between the Upcountry, an immersive virtual reality, and the Downcountry, the deteriorating remains of the physical world.
Carolina's bold use of colour and contemporary character-driven approach make her a natural fit for the YA dystopian genre, translating the novels’ cyberpunk-inflected world into covers that feel charged and immersive.
Hao Hao's warm colour palette and imaginative approach make her a natural fit for projects that invite audiences into new worlds. This playful packaging series reimagines pizza boxes and cups as portals to adventure, inspired by the brand's focus on exploration and discovery.
Rather than illustrating the pizza directly, Hao Hao focused on evoking the experience of eating it. Light, airy dough becomes a floating journey above the clouds, fresh ingredients are transformed into vibrant jungle landscapes, and stretchy cheese is reinterpreted as a bouncing waterfall that pulls characters deeper into the scene.
Filled with movement, narrative and charm, the illustrations turn familiar packaging into an experience in itself, inviting customers to feel as though each bite is the beginning of a new adventure.
The Big-Mouthed Frog
Published by Éditions Margot, Agnès Ernoult playfully illustrates The Big-Mouthed Frog, a lively retelling of the classic cumulative folk tale.
The familiar story unfolds through a sequence of encounters, as a wide-mouthed frog cheerfully asks each animal what it eats, before curiosity meets an inevitable comic twist.
Each of Agnès' spreads feel like a small stage scene, where quirky, expressive characters are drawn with warmth, personality and a sense of fun.
Paper Icons
Kelly Smith's signature fashion-inspired art is commissioned for Style Icons: Audrey Hepburn, a playful paper doll book published by Smith Street Books.
Audrey Hepburn, the epitome of classic glamour, is reimagined through a press-out mannequin and ten iconic looks, from the little black Givenchy dress in Breakfast at Tiffany’s to crisp cigarette pants and ballet flats that defined her understated chic.
With the influence of Hepburn’s collaborations with Hubert de Givenchy and Edith Head, Kelly visualises the star's cinematic wardrobe with realism and sophisitication, for a collection that feels archival and alive.
A nostalgic yet modern tribute, the book is a must-have for Audrey admirers, vintage lovers, and fashion fans alike.
You can find it here.
Run Forever
The cover artwork for Damian Hall’s bestselling new release, 'Run Forever', is illustrated with dynamism by Danny Allison.
Energetic and raw, Danny’s image captures the physical endurance and mental focus of long-distance running.
Known for his textured, mixed-media style, he lets composition carry the narrative, shaping expansive landscapes, expressive mark-making, worn terrain, and the steady rhythm of miles unfolding underfoot.
Featuring chapters on speed, strength, mindset, sleep and nutrition, the non-fiction book is designed to inspire runners to keep going regardless of age, with Danny’s image echoing that same sense of determination and persistence.
Saving Water, One Shower at a Time
Mau Cardoso energises the April issue of Scholastic Choices magazine.
Mau was commissioned to create artwork for a playful 'Life Hacks' feature encouraging readers to reduce water consumption through quicker, more mindful shower routines.
Using his lively style, Mau transforms the idea of the 'military shower' into fun visuals, turning an everyday routine into something relatable and memorable for kids.
Nature’s Alphabet, Illuminated
Armenia-based illustrator Svetlana Molodchenko creates a richly detailed illuminated alphabet for e-card company Jacquie Lawson.
Svetlana was commissioned to create an intricate hand-painted alphabet inspired by the natural world. Drawing influence from 'Mira calligraphiae monumenta' and the ornate illustrations of Joris Hoefnagel, Svetlana developed each letter as its own balanced composition, pairing flora and fauna with beauty and detail.
Amaryllis, artichoke and Adonis blue butterflies appear in 'A', while camellias, chestnuts and common blue butterflies form part of 'C'.
Created entirely by hand using traditional materials and illumination techniques, the project took several months to complete, resulting in a collection that feels timeless and jewel-like.
See the cards here.
AI Assisted Wellness
Chris King creates an illustration for Virginia Living to accompany a feature exploring the growing role of artificial intelligence in the wellness industry.
Chris' illustration leans into the strange balance at the centre of the article: comfort meeting unease.
Drawn in a comic-inspired style, the piece captures the intimacy of AI-led self-care and reflects the writer's first-hand experience of robotic massage treatments and AI-assisted beauty routines.
The art gives shape to a version of wellness that feels futuristic, slightly surreal, and already familiar.
Read the article.
The Division Series
A poster celebrating São Paulo is created by Wagner Loud for Ubisoft Brasil’s The Division series.
The art was commissioned as part of a wider series celebrating cities across Brazil, Wagner's poster turns its attention to São Paulo with a mix of tension, humour and local familiarity.
Framed through the perspective of an SHD agent navigating the city, Wagner filled the piece with the smaller details that shape everyday life in the city, from the patterned pavements and pigeons to signage for Interlagos.
Set against a backdrop of snow-covered mountains, luxury chalets and complicated romance, Camila Gray’s cover for 'Chef’s Kiss at the Chalet' leans fully into the warmth at the centre of the story.
Created for Pan Macmillan, the art captures a wintry setting which gives the whole piece a cosy, cinematic feeling. With the characters placed firmly at the centre, Camila’s cover draws readers into the romance at the heart of the narrative, amid the tensions between ambition, class and attraction.
Final Defence
Butcher Billy illustrates for Ring Magazine for a feature revisiting Marvin Hagler’s 1986 fight against John Mugabi.
Marking forty years since the fight, the illustration reflects the force and intensity of a match remembered for its sheer physicality and pressure.
Butcher Billy has visualised the power and confrontation of two fighters meeting at full strength, in what became Hagler’s final successful defence of his middleweight title.
Created to accompany Ron Borges’ article, the piece is a double-page spread that draws the eye in immediately.
Civic Guide
Luiza Laffitte produces the cover art for Nantes Métropole’s 2026 Solution Providers Guide for a Sustainable Economy.
The guide brings together services and organisations working within Nantes Métropole’s sustainability network, helping connect businesses with the right partners and support structures.
Luiza’s illustration sets the tone for the digital-only publication, working within the organisation’s existing colour palette and graphic guidelines.
Her cover has a pleasing tactile quality, bringing a light, playful edge to the corporate B2B brief - a clear success in translating a technical subject into something more open and readable.
Robert Custer
Tavo Montañez's portrait illustration for Science News, accompanies a feature on gambling researcher Robert Custer and his legacy in addiction studies.
The piece illustrates Robert Custer for a Science News article exploring why, despite his influence on gambling disorder research, he is less widely recognised than other figures in the field.
It sits alongside Judith Lavelle’s reporting, which reflects on legacy, visibility and how certain contributions are remembered over time.
Tavo’s portrait includes subtle gambling references and acts as a strong visual lead for the feature.
Read the article.
Working in her retro comic-book style, Cat gives the piece a strong sense of movement and urgency, creating a heightened, playful world that suits the feature’s title, Power Up!
Made for an article exploring power as the ability to generate force quickly, the illustration connects fitness to everyday actions like jumping, or reacting fast.
Cat’s illustration adds a sharp, energetic note to a familiar conversation around staying active for longer, framing strength and movement as part of everyday life.
Millennial World
Veronika Kiriyenko's double-page illustration for COOP Switzerland Magazine explores a playful, nostalgia-filled 'millennial world.'
Packed with small discoveries, the spread takes on the feel of a hidden-object scene, filled with familiar references from early-2000s culture, from Tamagotchis and Nokia phones to gaming, music and MTV.
Veronika's art is lively, where clutter and colour echo the overstimulated charm of the era.
At its centre sits a removable sticker sheet, designed as part of the layout, extending the illustration beyond the page and giving readers something tactile to interact with.
Nancy Drew
Alison Kerry works on four retro-inspired audiobook covers for Spotify’s editions of Carolyn Keene’s Nancy Drew series.
Alison’s designs are for Spotify’s audiobook releases of The Secret of the Old Clock, The Mystery at Lilac Inn, The Bungalow Mystery, and The Hidden Staircase.
Styling Nancy in 1930s clothing and working with a palette influenced by 1950s Technicolor films, the series has a vivid but slightly timeworn feel.
Drawn from vintage paperback covers, old sewing patterns, and the familiar theatricality of classic detective stories, the covers have a shared identity that feels nostalgic, with a familiar sense of suspense, true to what the genre promises.
Sticker Park
Participatory maps and stickers for the London School of Economics’ Sticker Park research project are created by Vicky Scott.
Developed as part of a public research initiative, the project includes three large-scale illustrated maps representing urban, rural, and seaside park settings, each designed to be filled gradually with stickers and personal additions.
Participants are invited to imagine what they would like to see in shared outdoor spaces, from lighting and play areas to wildlife, trees, and quieter corners to sit. Vicky's designs leave plenty of open space, giving the activity an easy, conversational feel rather than directing people toward fixed ideas.
Produced for the London School of Economics’ Cities programme, the project turns consultation into something more tactile and approachable, shaped by the people taking part.
I Love You, Little One
Becca Thorne's linocut art illustrates 'I Love You, Little One', published by Z Books / Penguin USA.
Created as an accordion-style board book for newborns, I Love You, Little One pairs bold and tactile linocut imagery with short, gentle text designed for shared reading and tummy time.
Each spread embraces the craft and patience of something made slowly by hand, unfolding through simple natural forms and familiar shapes with a gentle rhythm.
Published by Z Books through Penguin USA, the book is both a developmental tool and family keepsake, shaped for the earliest moments of looking, holding, and recognition.
Check out the book here.
Best Of Virginia
Colin Elgie works on the cover and a series of section-opening illustrations for Virginia Living magazine’s annual Best of Virginia issue.
Commissioned as full-page introductions for different regions across the state, Colin artworks carry the crisp confidence of vintage travel posters while still feeling playful and contemporary.
The series moves from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the eastern coastline, weaving together historic landmarks, flowering dogwoods, cherry trees, and flashes of red cardinals into bold, graphic compositions.
The cover illustration, showing a couple outside a glowing movie theatre, sets the tone early: nostalgic, warm and celebratory. Across such varied landscapes, the work holds together through this strong sense of adventure and retro style.
Coastline
Juliet Percival's interactive map commissioned by Durham County Council’s Heritage Coast team is live!
Made for the Coastal Grasslands Reconnected Project, Juliet's map traces the stretch of Durham coastline between Seaham and Crimdon with a sense of discovery.
The full-colour illustration highlights wildlife, habitats, and points of interest across the coastal landscape, while interactive pins connect visitors to drone-shot 360-degree views along the route. The project aims to restore wildflower grasslands and reconnect fragmented habitats across the coast.
Sitting within the project’s digital platform, the map not only acts like a guide but also as an invitation to slow down and look closely at the landscape.
Take a look.
White Mountain
Carolina Rodriguez Fuenmayor illustrates her second book in Ruby Jean Cottle’s Black River duology, commissioned by Simon & Schuster through Atria Books.
There’s a restless feeling running through Carolina Fuenmayor’s new cover for the final instalment of the Black River duology.
Made for Atria Books ahead of the novel’s September 2026 release, the piece leans into the tension at the centre of the story: desire tangled up with fear, loyalty shadowed by secrecy.
This is vampire fiction at its most emotional - the cover settles naturally into the darker, romantic tone that has shaped the books from the beginning.
Le Murmure du Corbeau
Butcher Billy creates his second cover for the series 'Les fleurs du Crime de Monsieur Baudelaire', published by Verso.
The cover accompanies a fictional crime narrative set around Charles Baudelaire, who becomes drawn into an unfolding murder after spotting a suspicious figure in a Paris café.
The story follows him as he tails the man through the city, leading to a violent discovery that sets a new investigation in motion.
Butcher Billy’s cover channels the mood of Paris and the novel’s fusion of history with imagined crime fiction, in his tactile, retro style.
Balancing Act
Philipp Beck works for Science News, creating art that takes a scientific idea and tilts it into something more uncanny.
Science meets something more dreamlike in this illustration by German illustrator Philipp.
Responding to research which shows that clumps of mouse brain cells can learn to play a virtual game, Philipp approaches the idea with his usual surreal clarity, turning the experiment into a fragile performance.
The result is an amusing visual, highlighting how learning in this context is both mechanical and carefully controlled, yet still complex and subtle.
Read the article.
Paper Galaxy
Natalia Sanabria creates art for a new Star Wars Deluxe Paper Dolls book for Insight Editions.
There’s something nostalgic about paper dolls, and this new Star Wars edition leans fully into that sense of play. Featuring eight illustrated characters, interchangeable costumes, and two backdrop scenes inspired by the films, the book revisits familiar figures from across the saga, pairing them with detailed outfits that range from royal gowns to flight suits and armour.
The illustrations hold onto the theatrical spirit of the films, executed in Natalia's realistic watercolour style. Designed as both an activity book and a collectible object, it sits within Insight Editions’ wider catalogue of pop culture titles, offering fans a tactile way into the Star Wars universe.
Check out the book here.
Condé Nast Maps
Claire Rollet’s elegant maps detailing Austin, Texas, and Arizona, are commissioned for Condé Nast publications.
For her latest map of Austin, Texas, Claire’s work highlights the city’s most exciting and prestigious eateries. Commissioned by Condé Nast’s Bon Appétit publication, in partnership with the official city of Austin Visitor Bureau, “Visit Austin”, the map has interactive qualities where the viewer can learn more about the restaurants highlighted.
The Arizona map, created for Condé Nast Traveller in partnership with the Arizona Tourist Board, is also interactive.
Claire’s illustrative influences are drawn from architecture and urban scenery, making her a perfect fit for this project.
Check out the interactive maps - Austin, Arizona.
Superama's art is for the recent May issue titled, 'The Locals’ Guide to Sarasota.'
With roots in animation, she brings striking colour and exuberant storytelling to this piece which portrays the fundamentals of Miami life – florals, palm trees, pink skies, carnival, and the seaside.
Audible's Activation
Season of Victory's vibrant illustrated enamel pins and stickers stand out at Audible’s Story House activation, an audiobook lounge and bookless bookshop in NYC.
Audible's pop up allows visitors to explore audiobook samples on headphones in immersive zones, enjoy a hot drink from Land to Sea and buy merch, crafts, explore workshops, and more.
Season of Victory's illustrated collection drew from literary culture and book-lover memorabilia and nostalgia, giving readers of Romantasy and genres alike a fun, collectable adornment to represent both their physical and Audible libraries.
A unique and immersive project like this made it an ideal brief for Season of Victory's celebratory and engaging style.
Brighton's Summer Streets
Donough O'Malley works on a series of large-scale banners for Brilliant Brighton, installed across Brighton city centre as part of the organisation’s annual summer dressing project.
Suspended above some of Brighton’s busiest streets, Donough’s illustrated banners bring a bright and playful sense of rhythm to the city as summer begins.
The commission came through an open call organised by Brilliant Brighton, the business improvement district that each year invites a local artist to create artwork for the seasonal banner programme.
Donough's illustrations lean into the cheerful clutter of seaside life, with roller skaters, ice creams, fairground touches and even Brighton’s infamous seagulls.
More info here.
Shelter
Isa Sonntag has created the latest title in Clara Freire’s Felicidade series for Capella Editorial, a children’s book centred on the idea of home as a place of safety and imagination.
Across three books, Isa builds a version of the city of Felicidade that feels open, lived-in, and full of small differences.
The newest instalment turns its attention to the spaces children return to at the end of the day: bedrooms, shared tables, rooftops, corners filled with toys, quiet, or conversation. Rather than presenting one ideal of family life, the illustrations move gently between many ways of living, from busy urban homes to places closer to nature, each carrying its own rhythm and warmth.
Published as part of Clara Freire’s ongoing series for young readers, the work continues a broader reflection on care, education, and the everyday environments that shape childhood.
Two Stories Held in Paper
Juliana Penkova creates two delightful double-page illustrations for AQUILA Children’s Magazine.
Juliana's commission is for the May issue AQUILA and takes shape across two double-page spreads, each responding to a different kind of narrative.
'Two Sides of a Story' follows a gentle, imaginative tale set in a library, where perspective shifts and small details begin to carry unexpected meaning. Alongside it, a second spread looks at everyday life in England a century ago, focusing on familiar routines and quiet changes.
Her cut-paper approach gives both scenes a tangible, almost hand-held quality, with figures and details arranged with a sense of care.
Counter Culture
A striking psychedelic cover illustration is designed by Lively Scout for The Planner magazine.
Published by Redactive, Lively Scout was commissioned by The Planner to create the cover for a feature exploring the growth of a medicinal cannabis industry in Jersey.
The story, sparked by a report on the island’s planning framework and licensing structure, was developed into a cover-led piece for the March/April issue, with a brief that leaned into the visual language of late 1960s counter-culture.
The illustration takes that cue and is built around a vivid, slightly surreal composition that echoes the era’s psychedelic visual style. The coverline, 'Counter Culture,' plays on the shift from recreational to medicinal use, framing cannabis as something increasingly available through regulated, over-the-counter channels.
Two Eras
Débora Islas works with Companhia das Letras’ imprint Seguinte for 'Os Dois Tempos de Beto Garcia' by Lucca Guadagnini.
Os Dois Tempos de Beto Garcia is a young adult novel that moves between two timelines shaped by football and first love, with art by Débora that feels immediately relatable and beautifully executed.
The book follows Beto Garcia and Arthur Abreu, who meet in their youth through a shared passion for the game, before life pulls them apart for seven years. They reunite in the lead-up to the 2026 World Cup, both now part of the Brazilian national team, carrying unresolved history back onto the pitch.
The book lands with the emotional clarity and intensity that speaks directly to a young adult audience navigating first love, distance, and return.
Society of Virtue
Wagner Loud creates an illustration for HBO Max and Adult Swim’s adult animation series Sociedade da Virtude.
Wagner was invited to create the piece for the launch of this Brazilian adult animation, which follows the greatest heroes of Megalópolisville as they face a fictional threat driven by corporate control and inflated ambition.
The illustration reflects the series’ premise directly, with a billionaire figure using a sprawling megacorporation to dominate global industry and push automation across every sector.
There is a clear sense of scale and confrontation in the work, grounded in a comic book style that suits the story’s heightened world.
TrendX
Welcome to the latest edition of TrendX – bringing together data and expert insight to explore the current and emerging trends in the world of illustration.
April 2026
There seems to be a lightness in the air as hopefulness in spring suggests positivity for summer 2026. Of course, you can never be sure where visual trends will head or what new directions the creative industries will turn in, but data gathered by our business with solid interpretation from our expert team of agents provide good indicators. There’s certainly a lighter, gentler, somewhat introspective sensibility in what we’ve seen over the first quarter.
The data we refer to is collected as our agency books work for a roster of over 220 artists. The IllustrationX website that attracts more than 100,000 visitors a month, and we are able to track visits to artists’ portfolio pages as well as our style pages, and measure enquiries that come via the site. This adds to the large volume of commissions from our established client network – relationships built up… well, all the way back to 1929 when the agency was founded.
The quantitative data compiled for January, February and March 2026 has been sifted through by our agenting team, who manage projects with clients and illustrators on a daily basis. Their interpretation helps us better understand the information and form an idea of what’s changing visually and thematically as the industries we work in respond to the realities they face.
Is gut feeling involved? For sure. However, we check what we believe is going on against the numbers to make sure TrendX is an accurate reflection of where the market is headed. This evidence-based approach has the overall aim of helping our clients make informed judgements when planning creative projects. If you have any questions or comments about what you see in the report for the quarter, talk to one of our agents. We’d love to hear your thoughts.
Andressa Meissner
Debs Lim
Michael Frith
Georgie Stewart
Xinping Li
Donough O’Malley
Jack Sweet
Megan McKean
Tom Bonson
Amandine Dugon
Words by Garrick Webster
Trending: Bright, colourful and relaxed
- Our fourth and sixth busiest artists in the quarter work in this style
- Two of our top 20 earners work in this style
Andressa Meissner
Debs Lim
Trending: Real artists, real paint
- Two of our 10 busiest artists in the quarter work in this style
- Two of our top 20 earners for the quarter work in this style
- Two of our five busiest artists in January and February work in this style
- Our highest and third highest earners in March work in this style
Michael Frith
Georgie Stewart
Trending: Textures bring simple shapes to life
- One artist working in this style saw a 1100% increase in web portfolio visits
- Another experienced a 350% increase
- Two of our top 10 earners work in this style
- Our busiest artist in the quarter works in this style
Xinping Li
Donough O’Malley
Emerging: Celebration of the everyday
Reading our TrendX reports, it can seem that illustration styles are driven by commercial demand with artists responding to whatever brand managers request. However, that’s not always the case and often inspiration travels in the other direction. What’s in an artist’s portfolio often gives creative directors new ideas or influences their approach. The tone or content of a self-initiated piece may become the basis for a commission. We’ve noted a growing number of young, talented illustrators whose creativity is stimulated by the everyday things they see around them. They sit in cafes or ride the underground and sketch the various characters who come and go. Slowing down and noticing the little things that happen in the kitchen, the garden or on a trip to the shops, they look for the extraordinary in the ordinary. One artist we recently encountered said they can find a whole universe in a quiet, cosy room. Understanding the tiny facets that raise a smile or bring comfort helps us live in the moment. The world seems full of extremes – extreme wealth, extreme poverty, extreme weather and extreme politics. The news and social media tend to amplify these extremes, leading to a feeling of helplessness. Letting all that go opens the opportunity for creativity. How does the light fall on the breakfast table in the morning? What life is emerging in the garden nature pond? Why does freshly cut papaya look so appealing? Celebrating the everyday brings endless inspiration. Artists to watch Gina Rosas MoncadaJack Sweet
Megan McKean
Trending: Enchanted nostalgia
- Our second busiest artist in the quarter works in this style
- An artist working in this style received the second most web enquiries
- One artist working in this style saw a 200% increase in web enquiries
Tom Bonson
Amandine Dugon
Words by Garrick Webster
Therapy Nation
Jonathan Alpert's latest non-fiction title, published by HarperCollins is adorned with a surreal cover by Diego Abreu.
For 'Therapy Nation: How America Got Hooked on Therapy and Why It’s Left Us More Anxious and Divided', Diego's art reimagines the Statue of Liberty in a surprising way, lying on a therapist’s couch with her eyes closed, caught in a moment of quiet reflection. Stripped of her usual green and shown instead in soft grey-ivory tones, she feels familiar but slightly unmoored.
There’s a dry humour in the concept, but it never tips away from the book’s more serious thread, echoing its questions around therapy culture, identity, and the collective state of mind.
Released next month, you can pre-order the book here.
Summer Word Puzzles
Greg Straight has created a vibrant series of illustrations for Usborne’s latest children’s activity title, 'Word Puzzles for the Summer'.
The project features 70 of Greg's illustrations, designed to bring energy and clarity to each page.
Bright, playful and graphic in style, the visuals are built to capture attention and keep young readers engaged as they move through the puzzles.
Greg's art shapes a visual rhythm that supports the interactive nature of the book while keeping the experience fun, accessible, and visually dynamic throughout.