About The Author

Veerle is one of the fascinating minds behind Duoh!, whose love for design in all its various forms shines through. She is a graphic/Web designer hailing from a … More about Veerle

Inspiring Illustrations With Plenty Of Bright Colors And Cool Patterns

Quick Summary

It’s almost time to leave winter behind us here in the Northern Hemisphere. Most of the time, the weather can’t quite make up its mind, and so the days pass by with half of the sky sunny while the other half gray. Nature usually tends to have a strong impact on my mood, and so these days I feel like I’m literally in a gray zone — between winter and spring. I’m not sure about you, but with springtime lurking around the corner, my need for extra inspiration is even bigger. So, I hope that this month’s set will give you just that spark you need to cheer you up and boost your creativity.

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It’s almost time to leave winter behind us here in the Northern Hemisphere. Most of the time, the weather can’t quite make up its mind, and so the days pass by with half of the sky sunny while the other half gray. Nature usually tends to have a strong impact on my mood, and so these days I feel like I’m literally in a gray zone — between winter and spring.

I’m not sure about you, but with springtime lurking around the corner, my need for extra inspiration is even bigger. So, I hope that this month’s set will give you just that spark you need to cheer you up and boost your creativity.

Further Inspiration on SmashingMag:

SZ Magazin

The style and the little details such as the bottom band on his pants, his shirts and his handbag are the cherries on the cake.

Image credit: Rami Niemi

The Classics Are Coming!

Exciting times ahead for cycling fans. This nice design however was to celebrate Chris Froome winning Le Tour for the third time. Love how the body is arched over.

Image credit: North + South

The Best Things In Life Are Free

Illustration for Lonely Planet’s book. A illustration style reminiscent of mid-century hand-painted billboards.

Image credit: Owen Gatley

Mountains - Steve Wolf

Probably not your average color combo but it sure works.

Image credit: Steve Wolf

Control 4

Part of a murals series for a company that is leading the way in smart home technology. They turned out wonderful. See them all.

Image credit: Mattson Creative

Buy Local

Cool idea to visualize a campaign to ‘buy local’ this way. Creative! Also digging those grunge effects.

Image credit: Daniele Simonelli

Elementi – The Rise And Fall Of British Pound

An editorial illustration that accompanies an article about the history of the British Pound.

Image credit: Aleksandar Savić

The Handmade Soap Company

I have seen this technique of combining real products with simple shape paper-cut elements a couple of times already and the result is really beautiful.

Image credit: Paula McGloin

Star Trek Postage Stamps

In order to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the original Star Trek television series on CBS, the Philadelphian design studio ‘The Heads Of State’ created these stamps. Large view here.

Image credit: The Heads Of State

Umami

An illustration for Umami, a chain of restaurants based in Zagreb, Croatia. It was made as a part of a poster series which takes on curiosity and exploration of different tastes and flavors.

Image credit: Aleksandar Savić

Tsawwassen Mills

The hair, the skirt but especially her stockings are what makes this illustration what it is. Such class! Look at that shadow. <3

Image credit: Studio Posti

Nestlé

These vegetables are beautiful. They have a certain edge. They are items for new packaging.

Image credit: Maité Franchi

Create Your Own Summer Adventure

Wonderful color choices. Love this special 2D approach where things are viewed from 2 different angles, top and front. Makes you hardly wait for summer to arrive!

Image credit: Putri Febriana

Smart Wardrobe

Artwork that shows us a beautiful way of how the illustrator's imagination thinks and works.

Image credit: Karolis Strautniekas

Raúl Soria - Sport

I need my weekly dose to keep me sane. Interesting bright colors and cool pattern details.

Image credit: Raúl Soria

Van Morrison Las Vegas Poster

Talk about making the most of a limited set of colors. The neon lightbulbs are so well done. Incredible piece of work. Be sure to watch the process video!

Image credit: DKNG

The Minimalism Of Winter

Great textures and atmosphere. Just by looking at it you can almost feel the cold.

Image credit: Heiko Gerlicher

Tycho World Tour

I have been enjoying Tycho's latest album and wanted to go see Scott live in Brussels but it's sold out already. This is the world tour poster.

Image credit: ISO50

Q & A

Sometimes you don't need much to get an interesting result. Look up! In his series, Alexander Missen captured many fundamental symbols of America.

Image credit: Alexander Missen

Marketing Page

Love the illustration style. Inspiring color choices, too.

Image credit: Simon Gustavsson

Crane Capsul

So simple, yet so amazing! Love deconstructing this. So much to learn.

Image credit: George Bokhua

Forms | Shapes

Great personal project by Peter Tarka. Such great details and attention to colors and backdrops in this series. There are a few more to check out.

Image credit: Peter Tarka

Making House

Very nice how the objects are placed so you are really looking inside.

Image credit: Jun Cen

Connecting The Dots

Pictures like this make you forget the cold. Some nice light and colors shot in Ringerike, Norway.

Image credit: Ole Henrik Skjelstad

Bicycle Retro Cruise

A poster for a bicycle Retro Cruise in Kyiv. Original style! Patterns on the socks and jacket are simply fabulous.

Image credit: Sergiy Maidukov

An Autumn Office Depression

Quite busy, I admit, but I admire how everything flows into each other. Well done, especially since it's not that easy using only a limited amount of colors.

Image credit: Sergiy Maidukov

Genome Magazine

This cover for Genome is just absolutely brilliant! So fitting, and just look at those colors. So yummy!

Image credit: Script & Seal

Green

I've heard so many good things about Iceland and by looking at this picture they all must be true.

Image credit: Paul Morris

Teddy's

Big neon sign for Teddy's Nacho Royale, a burrito joint on the campus of a large social media company. Had no clue that they could create such attractive neon signs.

Image credit: Ben Barry

Voyage To The Deep

The vintage atmosphere is lovely. Makes me think of a Jules Verne novel.

Image credit: Adam the Velcro Suit

Crowd Goes Wild

The artist’s style is obviously inspired by 1940s comic book art in this piece, as well as the Russian avant-garde movement and printed materials from the 1950s/60s.

Image credit: Tavis Coburn

It’s Nice That

The work of Christopher DeLorenzo is mostly black and white, and consists of lines with only a few filled areas.

Image credit: Christopher DeLorenzo

Eustace Tilley

An illustration of Eustace Tilley, the iconic dandy of New York.

Image credit: Tim Boelaars

Retail News

Lovely colors and admiring the simplicity of the characters.

Image credit: Robin Davey

Val Thorens - EasyJet

Cover illustration of ski resort Val Thorens for the EasyJet magazine Traveller.

Image credit: Pietari Posti

Jockey

The witty style of Jean-Michel Tixier is one of my top favorites. It was inspired by traditional French cartoons.

Image credit: Jean-Michel Tixier

Room With A View

The geometric style of Matthew Lyons. I first discovered his work way back in 2010 thanks to Scott Hansen.

Image credit: Matthew Lyons

Boat - Waves

A nice combination of colors, don't you think?

Image credit: Andrew Bannecker

Great Escape

I always admired illustrators that are working for the fashion industry. The faces are so good! Those are difficult to get right.

Image credit: Caroline Andrieu

Great Escape II

A second one from Caroline. Just look at that hair! Those are some mad skills! The blush, the eyes, the lips...

Image credit: Caroline Andrieu

Sun Starburst

Stunning capture! It's like a dream.

Image credit: Jørn Allan Pedersen

Bottle Logic

Memories from my childhood. The arcade park! Tasteful colors.

Image credit: Emrich Office

Germany Shows

Wonderful to see the design system evolve with each location ISO50 visits while he's on tour.

Image credit: ISO50

"BREUNINGER" Christmas

Such a special style. Love how the 'hair' is done with all the hidden elements.

Image credit: Olaf Hajek

Don’t Sweat It

Lovely example that shows what can be done when photographs are combined with custom lettering.

Image credit: friendsoftype

TGV Magazine

Julien Pacaud is a French illustrator with a very particular style that you could describe as retro-futuristic.

Image credit: Julien Pacaud

The Guardian University Guide

The shape of the figures are super cute.

Image credit: Adam Avery

Childhood

Happy from just looking at this. A lot items but still all very balanced. Illustration for Swissmiss's Creative Morning's website.

Image credit: Ed Nacional

City Bridge

It's quite impressive when you realize that most of this is made out of rectangles.

Image credit: Kevin Dart

Work Harder

A bit of motivation can't hurt. Love the type used here and how the buildings were made.

Image credit: