The Journal
The Dutch Uncle Journal is a considered study of illustration, design, and animation in practice, how they are conceived, commissioned and realised in the wider world.
This is where we share the thinking behind our latest projects and engage with the wider shifts shaping visual culture, from the resurgence of handmade texture to the ways art redefines the spaces we inhabit.
A collection of work and ideas from the front line of contemporary illustration.
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Brian Rea / Noma Bar / Satoshi Hashimoto / Javi Aznarez / Debora Szpilman / Simone Massoni / Ping Zhu / Klaus Kremmerz / Lucas Varela / Charlotte Trounce / Marc Majewski / Kustaa Saksi / Alessandro Gottardo (SHOUT) / YOCO / Hsiao-Ron Cheng / Jisu Choi / Graham Roumieu / Tavis Coburn / Joel Holland / Robert Nicol (MA RCA) / Clara Dupré / Marc Burckhardt / Aesthetic Apparatus / Jon Gray (Gray318) / Christian Montenegro / LAPRISAMATA / Gaku Nakagawa / Adam McCauley
Gestalten :This Is Where We Live. Why Spatial Illustration could be 2026’s Biggest IllustrationTrend
Is the era of the clinical 3D render over? Discover how This Is Where We Live (gestalten) is setting the 2026 trend for "Spatial Storytelling." Featuring Jisu Choi, Ilya Milstein, and Ugo Gattoni, this volume proves that illustration is the ultimate tool for reimagining our relationship with architecture and memory. Is this the 2026 Big Illustration Trend?
Marc Burckhardt : Album Art for Mitski’s 8th Studio Album
In the age of digital sheen, Marc Burckhardt’s tactile painting for Mitski’s 8th album, Nothing’s About to Happen to Me, reclaims the power of the physical. Released February 2026, this collaboration proves that handmade artistry is the ultimate infrastructure for global icons—transforming vinyl, CD, and cassette into visceral, collectible landmarks of modern music.
The Art of the Elegant Outlaw: Javi Aznarez and the Lord of Barmbeck
In 1920s Hamburg, Julius Adolf Petersen—the "Lord of Barmbeck"—turned burglary into a high-fashion performance. For Stern Crime, artist Javi Aznarez illustrates this non-violent "Robin Hood" with a sharp "Ligne Claire" lens, revealing a tactical irony: the Lord was too vain to be invisible. By dressing for a gala to rob a stagecoach, Petersen proved that in the underworld, a spotlight is often more dangerous than a gun.
Klaus Kremmerz: Illustrating the Art-World Novel —Six Books Selected by Fiona Duncan
A Novel Approach (Gagosian) defines the 2026 trend for "Literary Illustration." Pairing Fiona Duncan’s critique with Klaus Kremmerz’s art, this collaboration proves that illustration is the ultimate tool for reimagining our relationship with art history, power, and the creative ego.
Learning to Look Twice: The Book of Opposites illustrated by Noma Bar
Dutch Uncle explores 'The Book of Opposites,' where philosopher Jeremy Fogel and illustrator Noma Bar use negative space to investigate the 'Unity of Opposites' and the paradox of identity.
Why Regular Illustration Commissions Matter: Javi Aznarez x Mengya Magazine
Beyond the hunt for one-off commissions, Javi Aznarez’s monthly covers for Mengya Magazine demonstrate the power of the "visual column." Entering 2026, this partnership proves that repetition builds more than just a portfolio—it fosters the trust, speed, and creative freedom necessary to transform a magazine cover into a definitive cultural landmark.
Simone Massoni x Criterion Collection : Trouble In Paradise
Simone Massoni’s cover for Trouble in Paradise proves that film packaging is a design problem worth solving. Arriving in a sharp season of Criterion releases, Massoni’s art captures the film’s Lubitsch elegance, reminding us that a masterfully illustrated sleeve defines a cinematic era long before the disc even spins.
FOSCARINI x BRIAN REA — Whats In A Lamp?
Brian Rea’s collaboration with Foscarini for What’s in a Lamp? transforms Italian lighting into narrative subjects. Through six animated films, Rea applies his signature "Modern Love" sensitivity to designs by Garcia Cumini and Ionna Vautrin, proving that illustration and motion can shift a lamp from a technical solution to a vessel for joy, memory, and quiet conversation.
Noma Bar Illustrates Early Fiction by Margaret Atwood for Vintage Classics
Noma Bar illustrates early Margaret Atwood fiction for Vintage Classics, creating minimalist book covers that echo the tension and psychological depth of Atwood’s writing. Using visual double meanings and delayed reveals, Bar’s designs bring subtle unease to titles like Bodily Harm and Bluebeard’s Egg, blending illustration and literary tone seamlessly.
Noma Bar x Sartorious
Noma Bar collaborated with Sartorius on a global illustration and animation campaign spanning print and digital media. Designed for international audiences, the work simplifies complex scientific processes into clear, structured visuals, ensuring consistent communication across markets while supporting messaging around laboratory research, pharmaceuticals, and advanced therapies.
Life at Auriens Chelsea as Illustrated by Satoshi Hashimoto
Satoshi Hashimoto created a warm, retro-inspired illustration campaign for Auriens Chelsea, commissioned by Politt Partners. Moving away from traditional luxury visuals, the work uses characterful linework and gentle humour to depict independent later living, highlighting community, vitality, and everyday moments with clarity and emotional resonance.
Louis Vuitton’s Visionary Journeys Seoul: A Look at the Six-Floor Experience
Louis Vuitton presents Visionary Journeys Seoul, a six-floor cultural and retail experience at Shinsegae The Reserve, blending exhibitions, dining, and design. Illustrator Jisu Choi created clear wayfinding maps and icons, supporting a cohesive visitor journey that connects travel, craftsmanship, and contemporary luxury storytelling.
Javi Aznarez and Nieves Publishing: The French Dispatch Covers
Javi Aznarez collaborates with Nieves Publishing on The French Dispatch Covers, a 2025 book collecting his illustrations for The French Dispatch movie.
Designed in a New Yorker-style format, the publication highlights Aznarez’s distinctive linework and colour, integral to Wes Anderson’s visual world and storytelling.
Clara Dupré for Internazionale Kids: A Simple Look at Love
Clara Dupré illustrates a feature for Internazionale Kids exploring the question “What is love?”. Through clear editorial storytelling, the piece presents love as something expressed through actions, care, and responsibility, helping young readers understand emotions in a calm, accessible way grounded in everyday experiences.
Charlotte Trounce: Vestas Illustrations and the Visual Language of Renewable Energy
Charlotte Trounce collaborates with Vestas to create clear, accessible illustrations explaining renewable energy. The campaign translates complex sustainability topics into everyday scenes, highlighting wind power’s impact on communities, infrastructure, and energy independence, while demonstrating how visual storytelling can simplify and strengthen communication around clean energy solutions.
Javi Aznarez Turns Starmer and Reeves Into Budget Outlaws for The New Statesman
Javi Aznarez creates a dynamic cover for New Statesman depicting Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves as outlaws amid budget tensions. The illustration captures political urgency and economic debate, using bold editorial storytelling to reflect public reaction to Labour’s fiscal strategy and tax policies.
Roots: Kustaa Saksi’s Monumental Installation at Institut Finlandais, Paris
Kustaa Saksi presents Roots at Institut finlandais, a monumental textile installation featuring a suspended 15-metre woven pine. Drawing on Finnish landscape traditions linked to Pekka Halonen, the work explores memory, identity, and nature through jacquard weaving, combining contemporary textile practice with cultural heritage.
Lucas Varela : The Art of Polite Chaos in the FT
Lucas Varela creates editorial illustrations for Financial Times, accompanying Robert Shrimsley’s advice column. His work transforms everyday dilemmas into subtle, composed visuals, using quiet humour and minimal detail to reflect moments of tension, decision-making, and human behaviour alongside the column’s dry, observational tone.
Cool Beer, Characterful Art: Javi Aznarez’s Fridge-Friendly Designs for Andes Origen
Javi Aznarez collaborates with Andes Origen on illustrated can designs that transform packaging into playful, character-driven scenes. Working with This Is New London, the designs build brand identity through humour and storytelling, aligning with trends in craft beer packaging where illustration creates memorable, collectible visual experiences.
Creativity Is Dead: Noma Bar and D&AD 2026 Challenge the Industry to Prove Otherwise
Noma Bar leads the Illustration jury at D&AD Awards 2026, supporting a bold manifesto questioning whether creativity is in decline. Developed with Nils Leonard, the campaign argues creativity thrives through action, experimentation, and craft, challenging industry complacency in an era shaped by AI tools.