Brand MarketingAdweek Talent 100From more than 2,760 illustrator, graphic artist, art director, design shop, and student portfolios—the bestBy Adweek Staff|September 6, 2011 ShareBy Adweek Staff|September 6, 2011 Share 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. Aorta 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. Ars Thanea Name: Peter Jaworowski Location: Warsaw, Poland Field: Image production, design, directing, interactive Clients include: Nike, Coca-Cola, Discovery Channel Explain your style of work. 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. Burak Kaynak 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. Francesco Muzzi 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.Continue ReadingPages: 1 2 3 4 Adweek Adweek