Image: Dick Bruna

I’m really into bold, minimal, modern, poster-y illustrations right now, which I guess is what happens to your brain when you start working in silkscreen. Even though I think of myself as a maximalist, like LET’S PUT IN LOTS OF TINY DETAILS EVERYWHERE IN SCRITCHY SCRATCHY LINE. This modern stuff is more Robin or Ruthie’s bailiwick (Exhibit A: our avatars), so it feels a little funny to write this post. But BRIGHT COLORS and SHAPEY SHAPES, I must have you.

Some years ago, Ruthie introduced me to the work of Dick Bruna, creator of the little bunny Miffy, or Nijntje, as she’s known in the Netherlands. Believe it or not, in Utrecht there’s a whole museum devoted to Dick Bruna, where I learned that he is an utter perfectionist about his drawings, his palette (a few very specific colors) and the printing of his books. It kind of endeared him to me. Bruna was influenced by De Stijl.

Erin Jang is a New York-based illustrator who makes a lot of great paper goods.

Leo Leonni:

Paul Rand, designer of mid-century logos for IBM, Westinghouse, and others:

Olimpia Zagnoli, an illustrator based in Milan:

I know I’m just scratching the surface. Got any favorites you’d like to add to the list?