Adweek Talent 100
From more than 2,760 illustrator, graphic artist, art director, design shop, and student portfolios—the best
Over a few weeks this past August, we asked Adweek.com readers to visit our Talent Gallery and “appreciate” their favorite portfolios uploaded by illustrators, graphic artists, art directors, design shops, and students. From there, Adweek art directors and editors combed through the "most appreciated" and chose the 100 most surprising, impressive, and inventive among them.
Beyond being struck by the wealth of original ideas, most surprising is the diversity: only one American in the top 10 (though many more as you click through the list). Meet the Talent 100.
Names: Marco Grizelj and Kristian Krän
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
Field: Photography Clients include: Volvo, History Channel, Absolut Vodka
Explain your style of work.
Images that are not obvious in terms of what is going on—[this] creates questions within the viewer. Perhaps “realistic surrealism” would be a good term.
What’s your dream project?
The world (except us) suddenly freezes in time for a while and becomes a gigantic dollhouse in which we could move around people and objects, and create any images we want.
Do you do the set design, styling and propping, or work with a team?
Most of the time we work with a team, but the team differs from project to project.
Name: Peter Jaworowski
Location: Warsaw, Poland
Field: Image production, design, directing, interactive
Clients include: Nike, Coca-Cola, Discovery Channel
It’s a digital art that combines realistic and abstract motives, sometimes with a more painted, heavily textured look with loads of small details. I believe those small details make the pieces vibrant and rich.
What’s your dream project?
Taking part in a Nike global campaign [with the range] of “Write the future.”
As the design director for such complicated images, what’s your biggest challenge?
To avoid the unexpected technical difficulties that could vary on the overall production time line. We need to mix techniques to achieve the best quality results in the given time frame.
Location: Montreal
Field: Product design
Clients include: Arwey Notebooks, Acar Group, Suck UK
Explain your style of work.
I call it “Hack ’n Fun.” I like to find a new way of using an object we already own, [and to] share hidden messages with others. I like to design products that make you love them in less then 10 seconds.
What’s your dream project?
I have a lot! For instance, I’d love to design a shopping cart or basket for supermarkets that lets you self-service check out directly from the cart or basket itself.
Do you get commissioned first for projects, or do you pitch your creations?
I [first] work most of the time on my own creations.
Location: Florence and Milan, Italy
Field: Illustration, editorial design, graphic design
Clients include: Wired (U.S.), ESPN The Magazine, Modus
Explain your style of work.
I try to adapt style to content. I usually use basic geometric forms as a base. I have a tendency to make “happy/nice” things, but try not to be too “pop.”
What’s your dream project?
As an illustrator, I’d like to work on covers or stand-alone illustrations. As a designer, I’d like to work on a science magazine.
How do you convey so much personality with such minimalist drawings?
I spend some time trying to put all the geometric forms in such a way that facial expressions are not too stiff [and] able to convey some of the original emotions.
Name: Glenn Jones
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
Field: Graphic design, T-shirt design, illustration
Clients include: Wired, Men’s Health, DDB
Explain your style of work.
I like to rethink or put a different spin on pop culture. I try to [do] that as simply as possible through vector graphic [flat color, bold key lines] artwork.
What’s your dream project?
I’d like to collaborate with some other brands—maybe products like skateboards and shoes—and create a range of other products alongside my brand.
Are you a full-time T-shirt designer?
I focus mainly on the shirts, but take on freelance work when I can, typically for magazines, app developers, and ad agencies.
Name: Marco Goran Romano
Location: Milan, Italy
Field: Illustration, typography, graphic design
Clients include: Wired Italia, Wired U.K., Il Sole 24 Ore
Explain your style of work.
I constantly look for new design solutions. I always try to simplify everything I do: the shapes, the lines, the concepts—plus I add a healthy dose of pop culture.
What’s your dream project?
I am a curious person, and have a great desire to work on new and different projects. [For instance], I wish I could design a T-shirt collection.
Do you prefer doing illustrated typography or figures?
I love drawing . . . but what I enjoy most are lettering and typography. I couldn’t live without them!
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
Field: Visual communication
Clients include: Index: Design to Improve Life, Y&R Brazil, ASA Trading
Explain your style of work.
It’s based on research and findings. It’s easier for me to conceptualize, contextualize, and highlight interesting and relevant layers of information if I know as much about the subject matter as possible. Usually the visual outcome derives naturally from this process.
What’s your dream project?
The project turns into a dream project when there is enough time to research and conceptualize, and unlimited creative freedom—and, of course, a considerable budget.
Do you need to be good at math to do what you do?
Not at all. Usually the kind of data I work with are not complicated; they are just too often presented in a complicated manner. My interest is communicating what seems to be complicated information in a way that makes it interesting and easy to understand.
Location: Thessaloniki, Greece
Field: Photography
Clients: Sells prints to private individuals
Explain your style of work.
My landscape work is usually characterized by the absence of the human element and the concept of time. My anthropocentric work is based on the anonymity of the subject and its connection with its enclosing space.
What’s your dream project?
It’s going to take place during the following couple of months—at least I hope so—when I will be [taking photographs] in Iceland. I’m attracted to remote places.
What kind of camera do you use?
Mostly I use a Canon 5D and a Mamiya RB67 Pro.
Names: Jim Van Raemdonck, founder, creative director; Maarten Leenknecht and Xavier Segers, designers
Location: Wetteren, Belgium
Field: Creative branding
Clients include: Music ensemble Zefiro Torna, City of Ghent, Flanders Institute of Biotechnology
Explain your style of work.
Arts and Crafts combined with modern techniques.
What’s your dream project?
Projects that give us freedom of creativity—and sufficient funds.
How long does it take to build a model?
It depends on the project. [They] vary from a few days up to a couple of months.
Agency: Tom Hussey Photography
Location: Dallas
Clients include: AT&T, American Airlines, Novartis
Explain your style of work.
It’s a combination of lighting and storytelling meant to evoke an emotion. I believe that lighting plays a big part in how people react to the emotion being portrayed in my images.
What’s your dream project?
It’s always the next project I’m going to shoot. I still get excited about every job I’m awarded. I love the collaboration that is the advertising industry.
How do you cast your photos?
I like to be heavily involved. As a lifestyle photographer, casting is paramount to the success of the final project. I will use a casting director to gather the talent, but I prefer to actually photograph the casting myself so I am able to see how the talent reacts to me and the camera.
The Rest of the Talent 100
Now that you've taken in the Adweek Talent 100's top 10, feast your eyes on all the other great talent on the following pages. Click on the image or name below to be sent to the company's Adweek Talent Gallery portfolio.
