Photo: Martin Ridne
Contact
hello@goh.nu
Worldwide Representation
Handsome Frank
Swedish Representation
Agent Molly & Co
About
My name is Gustaf Öhrnell Hjalmars and I'm a freelance illustrator living in Stockholm, Sweden. I specialize in vector based art works combined with loads of hand made textures and patterns. I use a digital approach but aim for a handmade feel, or a modern look with a retro twist, if you will. My work range from character design and backgrounds for animated commercials, to editorial illustration, book covers and ad work. Clients include Apple, Disney, Adobe, Facebook and Spotify, amongst others.
I've developed a stylized aesthetic, with limited color palettes and a mix of geometric and organic shapes, highlighted by sparse line work, sweeping brush strokes and gritty textures. This approach derives from my love of screen printing and other analogue printing techniques. The ambition to translate the irregularities and "happy mistakes" of these methods to a digital medium has led me to experiment with textures captured from my every day life, as well as handmade patterns and brush strokes.
As much as I love tweaking anchor points in illustrator and getting my hands dirty experimenting with new textures, I love the conceptual side of the craft. Finding a visual metaphor to represent the matter at hand is a big part of many projects. In this phase I often sketch pen on paper, to quickly try out different ideas to run by the client, so that we can find the best direction forward together.
Please don't hesitate to get in touch!