Judging by her portfolio, Finnish born, Berlin-based illustrator, Riikka Laakso, is in touch with her inner child. A master of naive illustration, her work is very much character-driven and is informed by shape and color.
“It’s a challenge to tell a story or to translate an idea and, at the same time, give the viewers enough space for their own thoughts and interpretations,” she admitted in interview with AIGA Eye on Design.
A member of the German illustration collective “Parallel Universe,” as well as self-publishing her own zines and books, there’s no shortage of work for Laakso. But her road to becoming a full-time illustrator wasn’t a straight one, full of twists and turns.
Having first studied graphic design, she admits that she “did a lot drawing” during her studies, but was too shy to take it seriously. “After [receiving] my Bachelor of Arts, I moved to Berlin and that’s when I started to work hard on my drawing skills,” she says. “I was so happy about my decision that my euphoria helped me survive the difficult time after graduation when I didn’t have a real job. I worked on personal projects and, for the first time, felt free by drawing.”
Take a look at some of our favorite pieces by her.
