Clean and simple shapes, well-balanced colours and an idea to turn into an image are the main ingredients Holly Stapleton uses to create her beautiful illustrations.
Originally from Toronto, Holly Stapleton is a freelance illustrator specialising in editorial work: her illustrations have appeared in the pages of The New York Times, The Economist and The New Yorker, as well as Elle, Architectural Digest and many others.
Holly Stapleton takes her inspiration from her surroundings, the films she sees, the books she reads and the music she listens to, and manages to transform the ideas that come into her head into universally understandable images. In addition, her minimal and delicate style captures the viewer and only later does the deeper meaning of the illustration reveal itself to the viewer.
As far as the creative process is concerned, Holly Stapleton’s production perfectly represents the meeting of painting, illustration and digital art: once an initial sketch has been made by hand, the artist moves on to the digital medium which allows her to work more freely and only as a final step does she add colour. There are no contour lines, but particular importance is given to light and shadow which manage to give a sense of three-dimensionality.
Read also: Jeanne Beuvin and her delicate illustrations of women
We have selected just a few of Holly Stapleton’s works, but to find out more and not miss the next ones, follow her on Instagram and visit her website and Behance page.
