Graph paper is commonly used for plotting, well, graphs, plus other spatial and mathematical visualizations. But for Pejac, its potential goes way beyond a two-dimensional gridded surface. The artist, who is known for his trompe-l’œil paintings and playful street art interventions, often turns to the precise geometry of gridded sketchbooks in order to challenge perception and think instead about depth and movement.

From a group of kids tossing snowballs—wait, they’re cubes from the grid itself—to a construction worker carving out a silhouette of the famous Sistine Chapel motif of God and Adam’s hands touching, Pejac challenges our sense of space and the possibilities of the “blank slate.” Find more on Instagram.

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Grainy textures and gestural lines characterize the lush compositions of Tania Yakunova. Collaborating with a range of commercial and editorial clients, the Kyiv-born illustrator harnesses the visual impact of bold shapes and vibrant color palettes to convey brand narratives and inexpressible feelings. Bare feet planted in dandelion-strewn grass and a greenhouse-style figure housing flowers attempting to burst from the glass cages, for example, conjure Yakunova’s homesickness, since she left her native Ukraine for London in 2023.

The artist’s distinct expressions translate across mediums, whether working in hand-built ceramic sculpture, painting, or digital and graphite illustration. Keep an eye out for new print releases and her latest projects on Instagram.

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Tania Yakunova’s Expressive Figures Entwine with Plant Life in Digital and Graphite Illustrations appeared first on Colossal.