Masaki Yokobe (YKBX) yokoboxxx.

com Art Director / Artist

Graduated in Osaka University of Arts, Masaki Yokobe aka YKBX is a freelance director and art director. With strong abilities to produce unique designs of characters, mechanicals, and backgrounds, YKBX has worked on Namcos ACECOMBAT5 creating storyboards, concept art, 3D CG modeling, and compositions.

Joan Cornella elblogdejoancornella.blogspot.co.uk Illustrator

For me, coming across Joan Cornellas collages are something of a love-atfirst-sight situation the picture I first saw told a brief story about a man being shot in the crotch by a pink bear in a tree, who then runs over to lend him a tampon. Its hard to say exactly why these gruesome tales are so pleasing, but I guess its something to do with how theyre simultaneously so well-drawn, hilarious and colourful.

Ryan Gillet ryangillett.com Illustrator

I am a cheerful chap who loves to draw, Ryan Gillett tells us on his website, and he couldnt have put it better, because cheerful was the first thing we felt when his latest booklet dropped through our mailbox. We were tickled by his sketches a joyful collaboration between red and blue, they captured a lighthearted, childlike enjoyment of objects and a browse through his website confirmed our suspicions, Gillett is a master of all things whimsical, clever and charming.

Charles Huettner charleshuettner.tumblr.com Animator / Illustrator

Charles Huettner is a Pennsylvania-based artist and animator. Hes a founding member of the Late Night Work Club that will be premiering their initial anthology of shorts sometime in the near future. Charles draws funny little characters and carries the same design sensibilities over into 3D space where he experiments with short, strange pieces that are collected on his 3D On The Side.

Nook

raccoonnook.com Illustrator / Art Director

Raccoon Nook is an illustrator and designer based in Brooklyn, New York. His universe takes its cues from anime, the urban landscape and space travel. Were especially drawn to the ethereal glowing quality radiating from each of his images. Nook is also an art director at Sperfad NYC.

Gary Taxali garytaxali.com Illustrator / Designer

Gary Taxali visually blends now with then. His style, inspired by vintage comics and advertising art, is repurposed with the goal of communicating the ironies and comical essence of popular culture. His work is at once alluring and endearing. Despite the vintage look, he is neither maudlin nor nostalgic. His imagery is rich in satiric verve. - Steven Heller

Alex Grigg alexgrigg.com Animator / Illustrator

Im an Australian Animator/Illustrator currently working in London. Since graduating in 2008 Ive busied myself animating, designing and boarding for some of Australia and the UKs leading boutique animation houses. If you enjoy animation you may also be interested in an industry showcase website I help run called Ozanimate. We showcase Australian animation and the people behind it. Features, Interviews and News,

Cory Loven coryloven.com Illustrator

Who/what influences your art? Is there a particular persons style that has influenced you? I think there are a number of individuals and things that influence my design and illustration work. Theres not necessarily one designers style that has solely influenced me over the years, but rather many different individuals. I try to let the aesthetic of any given project be dependent on the concept. And even though we all certainly have styles and approaches that we fall back on, its important to have an idea and reason for doing something first, then make it look pretty. That last part is based on a Chip Kidd interview.

Ping Zhu pingszoo.com Artist / Illustrator

Ping Zhu is an illustrator from Los Angeles, now calling London her happy abode. Most recently, she released a beautiful Swan Lake concertina published by Nobrow Press, which features images of the performance and all the happenings behind the scenes as well. The concertina is just one of the many wonderful projects Ping has worked on. Some of her other clients include the New York Times, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The New Yorker, and Jamie Magazine. Her playful and colorful style shines through in everything she creates, especially in her defined dry brushstrokes and mark making. I cant wait to see what she comes up with next!

Jonathan Burton jonathanburton.net Illustrator

Flicking through the portfolio of Jonathan Burton has the same visceral pleasure as biting into a perfectly ripe peach. Throughout his decade-long evolution as an illustrator hes aged his craft until achieving perfect maturity works which blend realism and imagination with studied care. A series of covers for Kingsley Amis is a particular standout purple moonlight, pallid complexion and carouselcolourful dresses populate this world of ladies and gentlemen, children and cigarettes. Seriously nice stuff.

Luke Pearson lukepearson.com Illustrator / Comic Artist

What can you tell us about what youve been up to recently and where we can see your work going?
My draughtmanship and storytelling has improved I think, but theres some stuff in there that I found really interesting in hindsight and it made me want to get back in touch with the way I was apparently thinking back then. Theres a certain way you have to think when youre an illustration student which frustrated me at the time but looking back was extremely beneficial. Im beginning to see comfort zones I could easily slip into so I think its useful for me to remember the times when I wasnt sure what direction I was going to go in.

Ryo Takemasa ryotakemasa.com

On a recent trip to London, Ryo Takemasa decided to draw what he encountered and in his version of the capital everyone is grinning, whether theyre buying some bread, drinking a gentlemanly pint, or queuing for a coffee (mustve been a sunny day). Textured and vibrant with an evident ukiyo-e influence, Ryos illustrations are ruddy fabulous and make even the drudgery of travelling on the Tube seem fun and exciting.