Luis Safa is a Mexican illustrator who I found through a music video that he designed.
I love how the characters he created had technicalities similar to the Western culture, yet there were so many connotations and nods towards Mexican folk art and traditions too. Looking into Safa's work more, I found that he takes a lot of inspiration from the Mexican traditions of skulls, sharp looking stylised eyes and the use of warm colours.
CASE STUDY 2: Vanessa Gong
Vanessa is a young illustrator and graphic designer from Bergen in Norway. She specialises mainly in creating 3D pieces that can be viewed as 3D or as a 2D pattern from above.
This doesn't look like traditional folk art at first glance: however, I can see similarities regarding the colours Gong uses. Similar colours can be found in Inuit clothing. The idea of the pyramids and triangles relates to the mountains and landscape found around Norway and the block colours to make up patterns that don't need outlines are commonly found in Scandinavian art and design.
CASE STUDY 3: John Kenn
Well known for his regular art updates, John Kenn does most of his illustrations in very small, fine detail on 'Post-it notes'.
In his case, Kenn gets all of his inspiration from old ghost stories, native folklore and his own childhood memories of old Danish superstitions.
Scandinavia is full still of old traditions and beliefs, some dating back to the Viking era. The most well known is the superstitions and stories of trolls and sea monsters.
There is also at least one child in every illustration as it is common in old Danish lore that children are the easiest to be stolen by, influenced by and see the evil in the world.
Similar notions are found in Finnish artist V L A D I M I R's work. Here, there are a lot of monsters that resemble whole or parts of animals.
Used more for design purposes, V L A D I M I R's work reminds me of old illustrated fantasy books where monsters such as dragons and fairies are terrifying yet beautiful creatures.
Of course, like with most Finnish narrative art, there is a very dark theme and sense, taken from the old, yet still strong, pagan beliefs that circulate the country, mainly in specific sub-cultural circles. These demonic looking creatures represent all the hosts and spirits that haunt a cursed mind.
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