The power of creative illustration

Meet the artist behind the Amazon campaign artwork – interviewing designer and illustrator Dan Matutina

How did you get into creative illustration? Dan Matutina: I always enjoyed drawing when I was a kid. I would draw cartoon and comic book characters in my books and notebooks. So the interest has always been there.

How can illustration benefit the brands a creative agency works with? Dan Matutina: Different illustration styles can add a different dimension to any campaign or brand. Illustrations also evoke a different response from the audience.

Working with Rhapsody, you recently created visuals for an Amazon campaign to attract new talent to its Operations teams across several markets. What appealed to you about this project? Dan Matutina: The project interested me because there were challenging concepts that needed to be communicated in the campaign. It was fun to find a solution for these challenges.

What did you find most challenging about the Amazon project? Dan Matutina: The seamless integration of people and the imagery and iconography that reflected their jobs/tasks.

What’s the best part about being an illustrator? Dan Matutina: Being able to work with different brands and agencies while using your own illustration style.

As an illustrator, do you like to take part in the initial design process for a campaign? Dan Matutina: Yes. It’s always nice to see the background of any creative work. It can be helpful when I conceptualise the illustration needed for the project.

How would you define your distinctive visual style? Dan Matutina: Angular, graphic shapes layered with textures.

What inspires you with your work? Dan Matutina: There’s always an opportunity to find ideas in everyday life: from the coffee shop where I buy my morning coffee, from the buildings and structures near where I live, from conversations with other friends and colleagues, from food, films, books and video games. You can find inspiration everywhere: I try to capture and incorporate this inspiration when I do illustration work.

How can illustration help innovative businesses? Dan Matutina: By telling their stories in a more creative way. The good thing about illustration is the fact that it can communicate complicated concepts effectively.

What advice would you give for someone wanting to become an illustrator? Dan Matutina: If you’re a young illustrator it’s best to expose yourself to different styles and techniques. By doing this, you’ll be able to pick up things you like from these different styles and apply it to your own.

A few words from Jamie Rankin, Group Creative Director at Rhapsody

How can creative illustration be used in a modern, creative digital agency? Jamie Rankin: As an agency, illustration gives you the opportunity to rip up the rulebook, dismiss what we know in the real world and approach a brief with a ‘what if…’ attitude. No restriction, no obstacles just harnessing your imagination and selecting a hot artist that suits your client’s needs.

Can illustration become a key visual for the entire campaign? Jamie Rankin: Absolutely, it becomes part of the visual language for any campaign. For a brand, it has the power to raise awareness, fuels recognition and instils familiarity.

How can creative illustration be used in other types of contemporary media production? Jamie Rankin: As an aesthetic element, it can be used anywhere – it is not shackled to any one channel. Any consumer touchpoint can be adorned with a piece of recognisable artwork to make that brand connection. In addition, the curation of so many talented artists and illustrators through agencies like Agent Pekka, makes illustration a much more accessible and attainable asset to use in your marketing comms.

Would you like to know more about our services and illustration? Schedule a meeting to find out how to fuel your growth.