Inspiration Roundup: My Favorite Illustrators

If you’ve known me for more than 5 minutes, then you probably already know that I am a huge… HUGE fan of comic/animation style illustration. I’ve been drooling over comic art and cartoons since grade school, and I still can’t get enough. I find myself month after month plunking a nice chunk of income down on my funny book addiction… and I don’t see it slowing anytime soon.

Below is a list of some of my favorite illustrators that I find inspiration from in my own illustration and graphic design work.

Adrian Tomine is one of my favorite illustrators/comic creator in the industry. Tomine has a very clean style that instantly recognizable. He is best known for his ongoing graphic novel series Optic Nerve and his periodical illustrations in The New Yorker.

Dean Trippe is a freelance comics creator, best known for his superhero parody webcomic, Butterfly, and as the founder and editor of Project: Rooftop. I love Dean’s overall style, color choices, and line work. Dean’s illustrations have inspired me on several design projects. Keep it clean, and keep it simple.

Frank Espinosa has spent most of his career working in animation for both Disney and Warner Brothers, amongst others. He was also the designer of the Looney Tunes stamps for the United States Post Office. In the world of comics, his self-owned title Rocketo is visually stunning. His signature style and limited color palette creat page after page of absolute eye candy.

Kristian Donaldson is an illustrator and designer based in lovely Dallas, Tx. He’s been working in comics since 2004, on various mini series, anthologies, new properties, and fill in work. recently he’s been venturing into the fields of marketing illustration, design for boutique t-shirt and accessory designers, and video game design.

Becky Cloonan has illustrated a plethera of comics, including one of my favorites, Demo by Brian Wood. Becky has also done work for Q, Disney, Absolut Vodka, CunninLynguists, Leftover Crack, Sunkist, and the cult classic Super Trooper!

Michael Cho is a freelance illustrator, cartoonist and occasional writer, based in Toronto, Canada. He has a great style that is sort of nostalgic and has a bit of retro feel. I can’t get enough. His blog features his webcomic, Papercut, and a healthy does of his awesome artwork.

There you have it folks… A bit of illustration that inspires me. I hope you were able to find a little bit here to help you ignite those, highly flammable, creative juices!