Yuko Shimizu is a multi-award-winning Japanese illustrator based in New York City, with over 20 years of experience across a wide range of disciplines. In addition to her illustration practice, she is also an instructor at The School of Visual Arts. Her clients span major media, publishing, tech, and cultural institutions. Yuko is also a two-time Hugo Award nominee (2019, 2020) and a recipient of multiple Clio Awards (2023). She was awarded the Caldecott Honor in both 2021 and 2025 for her work on the children’s books ‘The Cat Man of Aleppo’ and ‘Up, Up, Ever Up! Junko Tabei: A Life in the Mountains’. In 2009, Newsweek Japan named her one of the “100 Japanese People the World Respects.”

Kacper Giłka is a Polish illustrator whose work has been commissioned by clients worldwide. His illustrations have appeared in projects for bands such as Whitechapel, Epica, Caliban, Sylosis and Matt Heafy of Trivium, as well as for the MetalDays Festival and brands including Soundgrowler Brewing, The Bookish Box, and Grains of Wrath. His artwork has been featured in books published by Heavy Music Artwork and Out of Step Books Press. His artwork has appeared on a wide range of formats, including book covers, vinyl, game art, posters, t-shirts, beer cans, and digital media. A proud husband and father, Kacper continues to grow an expansive portfolio, offering both custom commissions and pre-made illustrations available for print and licensing. 

Simon J. Curd is an illustrator based in the outer suburbs of Nottingham, UK. He's known for creating an ever-expanding world of curious creatures wandering through overgrown, abandoned places. His work celebrates nostalgia and the quiet beauty of forgotten things. Alongside his personal projects, Simon illustrates for bands, books, and businesses and regularly appears at markets and conventions across the Midlands and the North of England. 

Douglas de Castro is a Brazilian contemporary artist, illustrator, and co-founder of the acclaimed art and design collective, Bicicleta Sem Freio. Known for his large-scale murals and distinctive visual style, blending psychedelic art, comic book aesthetics, traditional tattoo motifs, and tropical surrealism, de Castro's work explores the tension between real life and dreamlike illusion.

In this article, we explore how animals were embedded into the art and artefacts of the ancient world, and offer inspiration for artists and designers today looking to bring more profound meaning and add visual impact to their work. Let's go!

Ornamental lettering is where written language and visual storytelling meet. From gilded medieval manuscripts to the crisp typefaces of the modern age, ornamental lettering has offered artists and designers a powerful tool for creativity. In this article, we'll examine its use across centuries, from its spiritual beginnings in the Medieval era to its Renaissance heyday and into its current revival.

The late 19th and early 20th centuries witnessed a boom in illustration that transformed books, magazines, and print media into immersive visual experiences. This period between the 1880s - 1930s was known as The Golden Age of Illustration. This period saw the rise of masterful artists who revolutionised storytelling through their intricate and atmospheric artwork. Figures such as Gustave Doré, Edmund Dulac and Arthur Rackham elevated illustration to an art form, crafting iconic images that inspire artists, designers, and storytellers today. Read on to find out more!

Personification, the artistic device of attributing human characteristics to non-human entities, has been a powerful tool for artists throughout history. This technique not only adds depth and meaning to the artwork but also engages viewers by allowing them to connect with the subjects on a human level. Read on to find out how to incorporate personification into your work: let's go! 

Insects have fascinated artists throughout the ages; today, we'll look at three artworks inspired by insects and discover what makes them so unique. Let's go!