Amy Martino

I found Amy Martino in an issue of Computer Arts (though I can't remember which one at the moment). Her illustrations are great because of the simplicity of the ones on the right, mainly using dynamic shapes and colors; it also helps she uses textures to make it look like someone literally drew and painted on the piece of paper!

She has also made many advertisements and t-shirts; some simple - others complicated like the one below. Yet, she is still able to successfully illustrate the use of each of the product in the spread and make it very appealing to the eye!

It's also nice her illustrations are very simple and can be done in a few hours or so. To get to her portfolio, click here.

Natsuki Ostani

This is Natsuki Ostani, who I also found in the July 2011 issue of Digital Arts. I did a tutorial of hers through Computer Arts, but never knew the name of the illustrator. She uses very bright colors (sometimes they can be psychedelic - like the illustration on the bottom) with lots of detail and watercolor qualities. Some of her illustrations can be quirky and she brings out the subject matter behind the illustrations in a very interesting way. I wish I could draw more like her.

For more of her work, visit her portfolio here.

Carolina Torres

I found Carolina Torres in the June 2011 issue of Computer Arts and think her illustrations are gorgeous! Her illustrations are abstract, but bring everything to life using simple lines, a great color palette, textures she uses on different parts of the illustrations, and techniques in Illustrator I would never think to use. One of her tutorials is using transparency, which can be seen in the light beams from the moon and the glisten in the waves. I'm going to be working on this tutorial and, hopefully, applying this to more of my illustrations. The image on the top-left is the result of the tutorial.

You can find more of her work on her website here.

Gabriel Moreno

This is the work of Gabriel Moreno, who I found in the July 2011 issue of Digital Arts magazine. She has absolutely beautiful sketch work that almost looks like their photographs! Her beautiful use of color also makes everything seem so organic, beautiful, and makes you want to be a part of the illustration itself.

She's done her own personal work, but has done illustrations for clients such as Coca-Cola (bottom) and Gap.

More of her illustrations can be found on her portfolio website here.

Malin Rosenqvist

Malin Rosenqvist is an illustrator I found in Communication Arts and think her style of illustrations are very interesting. She does most of her illustrations in silhouette style with line details (like the picture on the right - with the knuckles and fingernails being sketched in). Also, the colors used seem to be darker than any of the other illustrators I've normally seen so far and it works for the style of illustrations she does. There are even textures in the illustrations that make it seem to be more organic (sort of like the Arts & Crafts movement). Like the image below, she seems to have nature as a part of her theme in illustrations.

To see more, you can visit her portfolio here.

Jessica Hische

I have seen this artist in several magazines, including HOW and Communication Arts Jan/Feb 2011 Typography Annual.  I used the card on the left as an inspiration for Parkland College's holiday card.  I love her use of drop shadows to create a paper cut/collage 3D effect without having to cut all of the pieces, which she does in almost all of her designs.  She also has a variety of color choices, depending on her client and what the subject matter is; though a lot of her color choices seem to be the darker hues.  I don't know if she handmade a lot of the type on some of her pieces.  Either way, she is one of my favorite illustrators... I can't get enough of her pieces and look forward to seeing more of her in the future!  You can find her portfolio here.

Mary Blair

From looking on Google today, I found one of their tributes was to a woman named Mary Blair.  She innovated Disney from it's early years down to her retirement.  She worked on many different types of advertisements in the late 1950's, early 1960's and I can see why she's a big influence; even today.  She had an amazing way of using bright colors and different types of lines to inspire such films as Alice in Wonderland (seen to the left) and Peter Pan.

She began to have a different style that seemed to be her own, using mainly watercolors with hardly any line detail to what she did.  The ads were also unique at the time, going away from her usual style.  She was definitely a major influence and always will be.  You can find out more about her online and look at some of her work here.