editorial

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Illustration

Elaborate Narratives Emerge From the Surreal, Mysterious Worlds of Victo Ngai’s Illustrations

Starting with a single word or short prompt from an editor or brand, Victo Ngai (previously) imagines fantastical dreamscapes brimming with surreal details. The Los Angeles-based, Hong Kong-born illustrator collaborates on commissioned projects that, although intended to be paired with an article or advertisement, become visual narratives in their own right. She shapes a tiger from coiled red ribbons, places an enormous hound among a nighttime cityscape veiled in shades of blue, and reinterprets the sun and its rays as a colorful, segmented circle hovering above the horizon. Each piece envisions an elaborately constructed world laced with metaphor and mystery.

Utilizing both analog and digital techniques, Ngai begins with an initial stylized composition. “Sometimes a bright spark can lead to nothing, and sometimes a great idea is not translatable visually. A concept can die anywhere through this ideation process, and I can only breathe easy once a solid preliminary sketch arrives,” she tells Colossal. After drawing a black-and-white outline, she combines various mediums and scanned textures into her final, layered works.

At the moment, Ngai is working on a few illustrated children’s books, which you can follow on Behance and Instagram. She also sells prints and other goods in her shop.

 

Illustration

Digital Illustrations by Eiko Ojala Layer Timely Metaphors in Paper-Like Compositions

Using his signature style of paper-like cutouts, Estonian illustrator Eiko Ojala (previously) digitally renders works that play with shadow and depth. He frequently collaborates with well-known publications like The Guardian and The Washington Post, among others, on editorial projects that unpack the legacy of James Joyce’s Ulysses, recount the experiences of pandemic meetups, or dive into political analyses. Ojala’s timely works are colorful and minimal, with each piece based on a strong visual metaphor.

You can find more of the illustrator’s recent commissions and personal projects on Behance, and browse available prints on Saatchi Art.

 

Illustration

Timely Editorial Illustrations by Eiko Ojala Elegantly Explore the World’s Most Pressing Topics

Climate change, the pandemic, politics, and social unrest: these are just a few of the topics artist Eiko Ojala (previously) has been asked to depict for some of the world’s largest and most respected publications. Using his immediately recognizable style of paper and shadow, the Estonia-based illustrator wants the viewer “to have a feeling that they would like to touch the illustration with their fingers.” As the world has grown in complexity over the last decade, so has Ojala’s work. His most recent pieces for Apple, The New Yorker, and New Scientist contain multitudes of layers and symbols that crystalize around a central metaphor.

Outside of editorial work, Ojala also focuses on personal work, such as his Hugs series that helped raise money for Peaasi, an organization that supports mental health issues amongst Estonian youth. You can explore more of his work on Behance and pick up select prints on Saatchi Art.

 

Illustration

Metaphorical Editorial Illustrations by Eleni Debo Incite Reflections on Contemporary Life

Belgian illustrator Eleni Debo works within subdued color palettes rendering curious scenes that illuminate the human condition and modern life. Often supporting magazine articles or other editorial endeavors, Debo’s drawings generally focus on a moving figure, whether a woman attempting to work while she whorls around a red tornado or a single biker speeding along—her piece “The Road” was included as part of Colossal’s 2018 print show Chain Reaction. Largely situated in outdoor environments, the illustrations are rich in details that visualize a larger narrative about family bonds or the mental-health impacts of artificial light.

A tabletop game featuring Debo’s work is slated for release soon, and she recently was named the professional editorial category winner of this year’s World Illustration Awards. During the next few months, she’ll be working on a pair of illustrated books from her home in the Italian Alps. Until then, follow her reflective projects on Instagram, and pick up a print in her shop.

 

Illustration

Complex Societal Issues Conveyed in Minimalist Editorial Illustrations by Eiko Ojala

Illustrator Eiko Ojala (previously) tackles complex topics with masterfully simple images. Though his work often appears to be made with layered paper, the artist clarifies on his website that he works digitally, building each image from scratch. Cleverly using negative space, mirroring, and raking angles, Ojala conveys nuances of the human experience within tight creative constraints. The Estonian illustrator works with clients around the world to provide imagery on articles ranging from loneliness to climate change: recent publications include Oprah Magazine, Harvard Business Review, and The New York Times. Explore more of Ojala’s illustration portfolio on Behance. Select works are also available as fine art prints on Saatchi Art.

Food Photography

A Literal Translation Lends a Daring Edge to the First Meal of the Day

Although breakfast is commonly consumed in a rush out the door, or slurped hurriedly before one dashes to catch the bus, the early morning meal’s straightforward composition of actions is often not considered. Madrid-based photographer Tessa Dóniga created the series Break/Fast after becoming intrigued by the deconstructed word’s literal translation to Spanish. Smashed cereal, a sliced bean can, and a quickly melting stick of butter all serve as subjects of the surreal photographic series, which highlight the different ways breakfast can be “broken.”

The project was first realized in collaboration with independent journal Polpettas and serves as a metaphor for how Dóniga views the world as a bilingual speaker. “The fact that I’m bilingual makes me wonder more,” she told gestalten. “When I try to translate some words into one language from another, I question myself. My challenge was to set in one image both terms in a visual composition that would be recognizable to the viewer.”

Like all of Dóniga’s uniquely styled series, Break/Fast was creating from scratch with editing in postproduction for some of her more high-flying effects such as hovering bacon or scattered eggshells. You can see more of her food styling photography on her studio’s website and on Instagram.