The relevance of well designed representations of often highly complex and convoluted information in an information-rich world is now more than ever.

One of the heroes of this industry is New York-based Nicholas Felton, who has been profiled in publications including the Wall Street Journal, Creative Review and Wired. Nicholas found some time to respond to some questions after wrapping up a project designing annual reports.

Were you formally trained in graphic design, and if so, did you enjoy the process?

Yes, formally and informally. I attended the Rhode Island School of Design where I received my degree in graphic design. Prior to that, I scrimped and saved for a Macintosh in high school, so that I could start tinkering with Photoshop, Illustrator and Quark.

I helped some friends back then produce a comic book, doing sundry layouts and production work on the project.

How did you develop into specializing in data and information graphics?

It all began with my personal project The Feltron Annual Report. After a few years of producing them, I began to receive requests from magazines for similar assignments.

Since then, I have been able to experiment and hone my approach to information design through more professional and personal projects.

How do clients normally communicate to you the way in which they want their data to be graphically represented?

Typically, they give me the information and ask me to come up with the best way to present it.

What is the typical work process of your diagrams, graphics from brief to completion and what are the tools you use?

These days, my approach has become a little more high-tech. I like to use Processing to get a sense for the shape of the data I’ve been given, whether it be a mapping or a graphing assignment. By writing or adapting a little program, I can sketch out the data and then determine how bold or nuanced to make the keying or labeling.

If a project is highly typographic, it will be produced in inDesign, while more graphic layouts are produced in Illustrator.

© Nicholas Felton, 2010

What are you currently working on?

I’m working on a graphic for Popular Mechanics, a few other magazine assignments and the Daytum iPhone application.

In my view reminiscent of Eastern European design, but also even American Indian artwork, these skillfully crafted images have a strong appeal in their balance and the striking shapes within them.

This post features a fairly in depth interview with Jonny, discussing how he got into illustration, his work process and current projects.

What got you into illustration?

I have never had a doubt that I would end up in the creative industry but just never knew just what area I would end up in. Throughout my foundation course and even on my degree course I was never limited to a single discipline. Ive experimented with graphic design typography and learnt practical skills such as screen printing and book binding.

After all the experimenting I settled on illustration because it was simply what came most naturally to me. They way of working, mark making and conveying an idea through visual imagery appealed to me the most and its since developed from there.

The great thing is illustration is not governed by any solid rules and is more about how imaginative and expressive your work can come across whilst conveying an idea.

What’s the work process behind your precise and symmetrical designs?

I have always been a kind of control freak and I’m that kind of person that needs to know whats happening when and where. The symmetrical aspect of my work is simply an extension of my personality. Every shape has its place and the design has to have balance throughout, the same also applies to colour.


In terms of the working process it really depends on what the illustration is for and what context its placed in. If its for personal experimentation I will jump straight onto illustrator and start creating shapes and looking at photographs whether it be of people places or objects and I will try to re-create what is see using a combination of shape experimentation until its perfect.

If its for a client they generally know what to expect given the style of my work so its just the same working process with the second opinion of an Art Director.

ⓒ Jonny Wan, 2010

What are you working on at the moment?

At the moment I have just finished a few editorial illustrations and finished up writing a tutorial which will hopefully come into print soon.

Aside from that I am still experimenting and working on full body character designs, I want to be able to apply my style to as many contexts as possible which means moving out of my comfort zone and challenging myself so I can apply my style to a variety of commissions. I’m also fine tuning my portfolio and getting ready to contact agencies for some representation.

Thanks Jonny!

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I asked her about her work process in creating these and what she’s busy with at the moment.

Katie’s work process:

‘Typically I brainstorm some ideas, first starting with lists of elements and then moving on to quick sketches to help figure out the layout. If I have the time, like with my personal work, I love to have a couple days to have it just roll around in my head. I feel like it is this time that really helps to form what the concept is and how I want to illustrate it.

I then move to Adobe Illustrator and start working away. Every time I hit a tier, a point of refinement, I usually save another copy (art1, art2, etc). This helps to keep track of where I’ve been but also work in stages of importance: Concept > Layout > Refine shapes > Refine colors, and so on.’



ⓒ Katie Kirk, 2010

Katie is mainly working on design work currently and finds herself between illustration jobs. She’s about to get started on a new personal print, so keep an eye out!

Thanks, Katie!

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Keep these coming, Matt!

MoonApe

Her detailed and controlled work exhibits a very finely tuned drawing skill with a strong natural element to them.

Johanna has answered a few questions about her style and process for us.

How did you first get into illustrating in the style that you are now known for?

I began working with intricate, hand drawn pen images at art school in my final year. I was studying textiles and whilst everyone else seemed to be creating digitally manipulated images, or bold graphical silhouettes with lots of flat colour.

I decided I wanted to do something different. My style of work was born out of an attempt to make my work different to my contemporaries at the time.

How do you go about planning and developing your typical inked piece?

Every piece is different, but if I know the outline shape of the design, circle, heart, square etc, I draw that out first. I then start filling in the shape, working in pencil first before going over the lines with fine liner pen.

I sometimes draught out where large elements are going to to be placed such as birds or big blossoms, but generally its a fairly organic creative process and I just start from a point and the design grows to fit the shape.

I work with layout paper, pencils and a lot of fineliner pens. After I’ve created the pen and ink drawing, I scan it into Photoshop and do any tweaking / sharpening / flipping I need to do before finishing the piece.

ⓒ Johanna Basford, 2009

What are you working on at the moment?

A Christmas Card design for a large high street store, illustrations and brand identity for a new luxury spa opening in London and 3 large hand painted canvases for a cocktail bar.

That sounds excellent Johanna, thank you.

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Matt uses ‘mechanical pencils, regular old graphite pencils, Micron ink pens and Sharpie pens. I usually draw in the random sketchbooks and Moleskines laying about the house’.

Evidently a very proud father, he fits drawing and painting time whenever he ‘can find the time between changing diapers and cleaning up after my son.‘

ⓒ Matt Mims, 2009

Matt is currently working on getting his website and online store up and running. He has original artwork for sale and will eventually be supplying prints of select works.

Thanks Matt!

MoonApe

Her recent series of maps is the focus of this interview. What’s cool about these pieces is the loose, bright and fun style used in creating illustrations that normally rely on precision, uniformity and accuracy. This is also pretty excellent for me as a previous geographer familiar with the streets of London.

I’ve asked Nina a few questions on the process behind her map illustrations.

What were the briefs behind your map work?

The first three coloured maps were all commissions from Harper’s Bazaar Magazine to extol the virtues of shopping and art galleries in Mayfair.

The linear ones were for Cass Arts for a fold out flyer, so they needed to be more precise as people use them to find the shops, and the last was a cover for Time Out Magazine. That map was for a Treasure Hunt Time Out were promoting in London for Easter that year.

What materials did you use?

The Harper’s Bazaar work was all done with inks. The Cass Arts with Rotring technical pens and Time Out with a combination of both.

What was the work process from scratch in completing the mapwork?

I start with a rough sketch in pencil planning where everything needs to go and wether it could, even if stylized, be followed as a map (that didn’t apply for the Time Out map as that was meant to be more impressionistic of London as a whole).

Then, I put it on a light box and start going over the pencil sketch in inks or with pen. After that, I scan the drawings into Photoshop and tweak it until I’m happy with it.

ⓒ Nina Chakrabarti, 2009

What are you working on at the moment?

I am working on a mural for a restaurant. It is a real challenge as I’m used to working small and this is drawing straight onto the wall with pens and chalk.

Thank you Nina! Looking forward to more.

MoonApe

It makes me think of extremely organized television static. Her busy style is captivating.

He’s achieved some special effects with these materials, including, in places, an interesting texture created through what looks like ink bleeding into water. Peter has been good enough to respond to my questioning on his work.

What got you interested in illustration using these materials?

Last summer myself and four friends drove from New York to San Francisco. When we returned with over 2000 photos of the journey it was really hard to decide which one photo would sum-up the trip, the journey and the experiences along the way.

Being a fan of Jack Keroauc and of course On The Road, I stumbled across some maps he had drawn to document his trips and it seemed a fitting way to document ours.

Originally I had planned on drawing the map and using pins to hold the cotton in place, but there was something really appealing and different about stitching the thick watercolour paper. The media combination worked well, the thread gives a 3d element to the illustrations and every viewing angle has a slightly different feel.

Describe the tools you use and the process each piece goes through

After finding a suitable subject – one that has nice lines and interesting details – the subject is either photographed, edited and traced in Illustrator or drawn freehand.

The vector lines are printed and placed over the watercolour paper. I then have to decide how the piece will be stitched and meticulously pierce every hole with a pin ready for the stitching, sometimes over a thousand holes. Finally using a needle and thread, stitch the illustration.

Do you think your full time job has an influence on your illustrations?

Definitely, as a product designer I need to be aware of line, geometry, form and structure so tend to look at objects in this manner. There is something incredibly pleasing about a well constructed product, a Dieter Rams radio, a piece of Bauhaus furniture. Items like this that make me consider the lines of a piece.

I live in London and am lucky enough to be surrounded by architectural masterpieces such as the Isokon Building, 2 Willow Road and many other great art deco buildings which are a source of constant inspiration.

What are you working on next?

At present I am working on an illustration of the Empire State Building, a detail of the transmitter masts just above the viewing platform. Its quite a complex piece but is coming along well. After that, hopefully some more architectural pieces and maybe some abstract geometrical patterns, experiments with colour and texture.

ⓒ Peter Crawley, 2009

Excellent, excellent stuff, thank you Peter

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For someone new to the scene, this Liverpool-based artist bodes well for the future.

And a very pleasant short video documenting the daily life of one of his characters, showing really cool use of lighting and minimal colours:

‘A Day in the Life’

ⓒ Harry Nesbitt, 2009