LATEST WORKS BY JUSSI KARJALAINEN
Jussi Karjalainen has developed a new silhuette illustration technique. Illustrations are done by cutting figures and different shapes from black paper. After setting the pieces to right places, Jussi does coloring with a page layout program. Pretty cool, ha?
Welcome to Napa Illustrations’ blog!
Napa Illustrations is an illustration agency representing Finland’s top professional illustrating talent. Here you’ll find our illustrators with their works, stories, sources of inspiration and much more.
• NAPA AGENCY
• Illustrator of the Month
• Anna Virtanen
• Christer Nuutinen
• Eero Lampinen
• Elina Minn
• Helmi Sirola
• Ilja Karsikas
• Jaakko Pallasvuo
• Janne Harju
• Jenni Rope
• Jenni Tuominen
• Jussi Kaakinen
• Kasper Srömman
• Jukka Pylväs
• Jussi Karjalainen
• Kati Rapia
• Marko Turunen
• Ossi Pirkonen
• Pauliina Mäkelä
• Riikka Sormunen
• Terhi Ekebom
• Ask me anything
Napa Agency's Blog
ILLUSTRATOR OF THE MONTH / JUNE + JULY 2012: ILJA KARSIKAS
Ilja Karsikas is an illustrator and graphic designer based in Helsinki, Finland. He has been working as a professional illustrator since 2003 when he graduated from Lahti Institute of Design. Strong colours, an abundance of details and an imaginative atmosphere define his illustrations. Ilja’s unique illustrations has been published in magazines, posters, book and record covers and children’s books.
Along with illustrating, Ilja designs e.g. record covers and books. Ilja’s work has been featured in 3x3 Professional Illustration Annual, Illusive Contemporary Illustration Part 3 and Worldwide Graphic Design: Scandinavia. In his freetime, he likes to walk in the parks and beaches of Helsinki, to watch he trees, birds and buildings, and to ride his bike from A to B.
Click HERE to read Ilja’s interview. The “Illustrator of the Month” interview series will take a little summer break and the next interview comes out in August.
ILJA’S SIX FAVOURITES:
Art equipment: Guaché paints
Color: All bright ones
Drawing place: Park
Music: The Cure: Close To Me
Sport: Swimming
Place in Helsinki: Seurasaari
ELINA MINN FOR ALKO
Elina Minn made illustrations for Alko’s brochure. The brochure is available at Alko shops. See more pics here.
YELLOW CITY AT LASIPALATSI SQUARE ON 21.5.-26.5.2012
Napa Illustrations is taking part in “Taidekontti” (“Art Container”) project with Yellow City exhibition on 21.5.-26.5.2012. The third Yellow City exhibition presents illustrator-author pair Janne Harju and Tuomas Nevanlinna.
The exhibition displays poster prints by Janne Harju. Posters are inspired by Tuomas Nevanlinna’s text “Excerpts from Sad tapir and other texts” from the book Yellow City - Illustrated stories from Helsinki. Visitors are welcome to read the text and do their own illustrations based on it!
The Art Container is taking place in Lasipalatsi square in Helsinki until 13.7.2012. The project is organized by Arts Council of Uusimaa.
Come to meet Janne Harju on 24.5. at 10-18!
Taidekontti
Lasipalatsi Square
Mannerheimintie 22-24, Helsinki
Open: Mon-Sat at 10-18 
ILLUSTRATOR OF THE MONTH / MAY 2012: ELINA MINN
Elina Minn is a Turku-based illustrator and animation maker. Elina has graduated as an animation director from the Turku Arts Academy in 2009. Her hand-drawn animation movie Stage Fright (2008) won the prize for the best film under 3 minutes in length at Fox Days, the annual Finnish short and documentary film festival in 2008 and the special prize at the Eksjö Animation Festival in 2009.
Elina draws and makes collages combining handmade and digital elements. In her free time, she watches movies, dreams and does pilates.
Please read Elina’s interview here.
ELINA’S SIX FAVOURITES:
Art equipment: Mead notebooks
Drawing subject: hands
Music: Anne Laplantine
Book shop: Motto (Berliini)
Gallery/Museum: Magasin 3
Website/Blog: yesmaybe.tumblr.com
YELLOW CITY IS HERE!
As we’ve told you earlier, we are working on an exciting illustration project called Yellow City – Illustrated Stories from Helsinki. 17 illustrators from the Napa Agency asked one Finnish author to take part in a Helsinki related book project, in which the illustrators got to illustrate the selected authors’ texts. After 1,5 years of work, Yellow City – Illustrated Stories from Helsinki book was published last week!!
Yellow City isn’t just a book, it’s also an exhibition series taking place in Helsinki during the year 2012. The first Yellow City exhibition was launched last week, actually at the same day as the book was released! Illustrator-Author pair Jenni Tuominen and Tomi Kontio has brought their exhibition to The Children’s Book Café at Annantalo. The exhibion is open until 13.5.2012. Free entrance.
Yellow City exhibitions are part of the World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 programme. Check out more info about the project from the Yellow City website & Facebook (only in Finnish) or WDC Helsinki 2012 website (in english).
Yellow City book can be bought from Napa Gallery & Shop & Napa Books webshop, Academic Bookstore, Kunsthalle Helsinki (“Taidehalli”), Design Museum Shop and Sammakko book store.
Illustration by Jenni Tuominen.
Photo: Marko Turunen (Marko’s work table)
ILLUSTRATOR OF THE MONTH / APRIL 2012: MARKO TURUNEN
Marko Turunen is a Lahti-based illustrator and artist. He graduated from the Turku School of Fine Arts ( Turku Arts Academy) in 1997. Comics play a leading role in Marko’s work, and his books have been translated to several languages. In 2007, the Finnish comics society granted him the most important Finnish comic prize “Puupäähattu”.
Be sure to read Marko’s interview here.
MARKO’S SIX FAVOURITES:
Art equipment: G-pen
Drawing subject: Skull
Comic character: Hattifattener
Music: Kimmo Pohjonen
Time of the year: July-August and January-February
Travel destination: Prisma hypermarket in Holma, Lahti (at least the most common)
RIIKKA SORMUNEN IS ONE OF THE PICK ME UP SELECTS
Riikka Sormunen is participating in Pick Me Up Contemporary Graphic Art Fair starting this Thursday 22nd of March at Somerset House in London. Riikka was selected from amongst 100 artists shortlist to take part in the Pick Me Up Selects exhibition showcasing 20 international rising stars of the graphic arts. Each artist has produced new, exclusive work for the exhibition to see and buy. Prices start at £10 for a print to £900 for an original.
Pick Me Up is the UK’s first annual contemporary graphic art fair showcasing the best new work from around the UK and the world with original works and prints available to purchase. With loads of events and workshops to get involved with, expect eleven days of graphic mayhem!
22 March – 1 April 2012
Daily 11.00-20.00, late night Thursdays until 22.00
Somerset House
Strand, WC2R 1LA London
United Kingdom
SOLO EXHIBITION BY JANNE HARJU
Janne Harju opens his solo exhibition at the Kuvittaja gallery on the 15th of March! Janne has had a versatile career as an illustrator and the exhibition will showcase some various works by him. The show will run until the 27th of April 2012. Be sure to stop by if you’re around!
Kuvittaja gallery
Albertinkatu 1
00150 Helsinki
Finland
Marko Turunen, Sarjakuvatransformer, 2012. Photo: Petri Virtanen
EYEBALLING! THE NEW FORMS OF COMIC
Kiasma Museum is showcasing contemporary Finnish comics in it’s latest exhibition called Eyeballing! The New Forms of Comics. The exhibition is presenting works from 14 Finnish artist including Napa’s gifted Terhi Ekebom and Marko Turunen.
Eyeballing! The New Forms of Comics (“Päin näköä! Sarjakuvan uudet muodot”) exhibition at Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma, 9.3.2012–9.9.2012.
Terhi Ekebom finishing her mural for the exhibition. Photo: Arja Miller
