Uruguaya-born, New York City-based illustrator and graphic designer, Martín Azambuja, is known for his minimalistic, leaning towards playful, style. Relying on simple shapes and bold, but limited, color palettes, his work is approachable while still maintaining a level of sophistication.
But according to Azambuja, his artistic voice is in constant metamorphosis. “I do not feel I have a style as marked as other illustrators,” he once remarked in an interview with Sense of Creativity, “in fact probably because I feel more graphic designer than illustrator.” In his free time, he adds, he still likes drawing as if he was a kid.
With graphic design at the core of what he does, Azambuja says he’s inspired by Swiss design, which consists of few elements that are well aligned. But he also takes note of graphic designers who incorporate illustration into their work, as well as designers that add a playful edge to a more formal approach.
“When it comes to graphically represent certain situations, objects or ideas, I try to think about the composition and in a ‘geometric’ way,” he explains his creative approach, “seeing if I can find a new way of showing it. I think it is more a style of thinking than of working since I do not always adopt the same techniques and sometimes I am changing.”
