when i first started d*s, product designers were my idols. i practically worshiped the ground the bouroullecs walked on (and still do) and seemed to have less of a passion people involved in other areas of art & design. but as i’ve gotten older, i’ve found myself moving through specific fields and finding new idols in the worlds of textile design, pattern design- and lately the bulk of my interest has turned towards the world of illustrators.
i’ve always admired artists who work with pen and paper, but recently it’s become something of an obsession, and i find myself clicking on endless links and websites trying to find someone whose work speaks to me in a way that makes me want to stop, stare and think. and lately that person has been jon klassen. i talked about jon’s work last year, but something keeps me coming back over and over again to his building and landscape illustrations. maybe it’s a desire to escape to one of his dark and slightly moody worlds, but i find myself staring and zooming in on each image, waiting for some hidden detail or creature to jump out and reveal itself.
most recently, jon was the co-designer behind THE most gorgeous animated winter olympics commercial i’ve ever seen. so if you’ve got a few seconds to spare, i highly suggest clicking here to check it out. it’s lovely to see something so fresh and creative in the realm of olympic advertisements (which i usually find are sort of a let down). whether you’re looking to check out a cool commercial, or just escape work for a little mental vacation- click here to check out jon’s portfolio online. thanks to steven at writer’s house for the reminder!
32 Comments
I LOVE his artwork! I love the minimal use of color… and I love the muted tones, and the whimsical feel! I love it all! He’s on twitter, did you know that? he’s @burstofbeaden. Oh and if you’d be so polite to follow me @pixel8design, I’d be ever so grateful :)
so beautiful! and I love the animated commercial!
Dark, in a good way.
these are delightful, there’s something creepy and soothing at the same time going on
as i read your post, i wondered if you were referring to the jaw-dropping-ly amazing spot i saw when i was in london last week. i clicked on the link and, yes, there it was. the MOST AMAZING thing i’ve seen in a long, long time.
i love klassen. thanks for featuring his work!
Um, I could really stare at these for longer than I would care to admit. Gorgeous.
ann
isn’t it? im so jealous that people in the uk got to see that on a bigger screen. i would love to turn on my tv and see that, instead of the ads we typically get for sports events.
grace
Klassen’s work has a certain Protestant austerity… The use of negative space as snow on rooftops is effective. A bit too whimsical, New Yorker-ish to my taste, but expertly done.
Utterly stunning – are any of his prints available to buy?
What Mouse said.
Thanks for sharing Klassen’s work.
Thank you for this morning’s inspiration!
So talented. Illustrations are one of the most difficult forms of artistic expression in my opinion. These look effortless and whimsical. Lovely.
xx,
Samantha @prettylovely
thank you for your previous introduction to mr. klassen and the highlight today. i love his work – his illustrations remind me of penelope dullaghan in a lot of ways.
Jon was kind enough to design the logo for our shop, Tigertree. You can see it at the top of our site (shoptigertree.com).
wow! His work is incredible! Thank you for sharing it.
I love these. Very beautiful, and thoughtful. Would love to buy a print, are they available?
I love these illustrations. Looking to find them in online stores as we speak…
Thanks for the idea…
Yes, he is an amazing artist. You can find Jon’s prints and originals for sale at http://www.gallerynucleus.com/artist/jon_klassen#artwork.
My friend just posted this on facebook today, the style is so similar, beautiful!
http://www.brokenbells.com/home.html
I love the simplicity of his forms combined with their intricate interior textures.
Also, the link in the comment above was very interesting – it was interactive enough that I found myself making that ball dance to music for a while…
I love the moodiness of his illustrations, and the sort of flat, child-like quality. They’re just gorgeous. Might Jon provide one of his illustrations for the calendar posts you feature every month?
so great to see Jon on here! I featured him on my blog awhile back and have been having the hardest time deciding which print to order!! all so wonderful :)
yeah, he’s the greatest!
Oh, I second the request for a Jon Klassen calendar!
just amazing…love the olympics commercial…stunning.
Jamie, thanks for the link. been looking for art for a certain spot in the house and waterfall might just be it.
wow, thank you so much for sharing this…he does wonderful work and is quite talented.
What a great talent! Thanks for posting.
lovely, lovely, lovely~thank you for the introduction.
Jon is my cousin. I have loved design sponge for a long time now and am overwhelmingly happy to find this page. All of the wonderful comments are so beautiful to read. The person behind the work is as lovely as his art.
I have to present this approach to the students and check out just what they think concerning this.
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