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
‘Say More With Less’ : Noma Bar in conversation with James Sommerville OBE
Noma Bar speaks with James Sommerville OBE about visual reduction, hidden meaning, Coca-Cola, sketchbooks, animation, editorial work, AI, and creativity.
The conversation reveals how his daily walks, woodland sketching, and conceptual discipline shape a career built on surprise, precision, and storytelling.
Jisu Choi illustrates Deadline Hollywood’s 2026 Contenders Television Issue
Jisu Choi illustrates Deadline Hollywood’s 2026 Contenders Television program with a vibrant cutaway “dolls house” of the year’s awards-season television landscape, referencing Andor, Severance, Only Murders in the Building, The White Lotus, and the wider studio world behind the screen.
NYC Street Vendors : Book Party ! @ Casa Magazines, NYC - Sat May 16th
NYC Street Vendors Book Signing by Joel Holland
SAVE THE DATE:
Location: Casa Magazines New York
Address: 22, 8th Ave, New York, NY 10014, USA > https://maps.app.goo.gl/QiDz4UZeyDQgGH4D9
Date: Saturday May 16th 2026 / 11am - 2.30pm
Giant Robot 2 Gallery, LA, Presents Film School II : A Group Exhibition
Film School II: The Return at Giant Robot Gallery (Los Angeles) features Dutch Uncle artist Ping Zhu. This exhibition translates cinematic frames into narrative paintings from April 25 to May 12, 2026. It explores the architecture of cinema through shared cultural memory and contemporary art and illustration.
The Voices Shaping 2026: Noma Bar and Javi Aznarez Named in CreativeBoom’s Top 15 Illustrators
The top 15 illustrators of 2026 including Noma Bar & Javi Aznarez, as selected by the Creative Boom community, represent a diverse global cohort redefining visual storytelling. This list highlights artists who champion unique personal perspectives and distinctive voices across all landscapes.
LIVE ZOOM EVENT: ‘Say More With Less’ | Noma Bar in Conversation with James Sommerville OBE
Join us for a KnownUnknown live event on April 16 featuring Noma Bar and James Sommerville OBE.
This session explores the art of visual clarity and conceptual reduction. Register now to join a global community discussing high-impact design and creative precision.
Church’s Shoes: Animations by Simone Massoni Celebrating Craft
Church’s Shoes collaborates with illustrator Simone Massoni and Dutch Uncle Studio to present two elegant 2D animations. These films showcase the Prada Group brand's heritage and premium in-store services, including professional shoeshine and refurbishment. The project highlights artisanal British craftsmanship through fluid, frame-by-frame motion for a global digital audience.
Merry-Go-Round Broke Down: Noma Bar’s Iconic Book Cover Art for David Woo’s Globalization Novel
Noma Bar’s wraparound book cover design for Merry-Go-Round Broke Down establishes the visual identity for David Woo’s globalization novel. Published by Regalo Press, this historical fiction uses nine parables to explore capital’s butterfly effect. A 2008 hostage crisis serves as a microcosm for our interconnected global order
Toby’s Estate Brings Australian Coffee Culture to Tribeca with Quirky Debora Szpilman Illustrations
Toby’s Estate has arrived in Tribeca, blending Australian coffee heritage with vibrant design. The flagship features playful illustrations by Debora Szpilman across menus, merch, and t-shirts. The space, designed by New York Design Architects, celebrates Toby Smith’s journey from a garage roastery to a global presence at 310 Greenwich Street.
Jisu Choi: The Illustrator Behind the Iconic Poster for Netflix’s "BTS: The Return"
Discover the story behind the official Netflix poster for BTS: The Return, illustrated by acclaimed South Korean artist Jisu Choi.
Commissioned for the global premiere on March 27, this exclusive artwork captures the evolution of BTS from military service to their new album, Arirang. Directed by Bao Nguyen, Jisu’s intricate hand-drawn style perfectly encapsulates the K-pop icons' journey.
Explore the creative process behind the year’s most anticipated documentary.
The 2026 Mirror: Fritz Lang’s METROPOLIS Prophecy and the Art of Christian Montenegro
It’s 2026, the exact year the classic story Metropolis was set in a century ago. While today’s world uses tech to map DNA and solve medical mysteries, Christian Montenegro’s art takes us back to the bold, mechanical look of the industrial age. His bauhaus inspired illustrations show the perfect balance between the way we think and the way machines work.
Brian Rea illustrates 52 Break-Up Lines for The New York Times, Modern Love
The New York Times Modern Love feature gathers 52 real-life breakup lines, funny, brutal, and unexpectedly poetic, illustrated by Brian Rea. His minimal, human drawings elevate the piece into a quietly powerful study of how relationships end, revealing humour and vulnerability in equal measure.
Amélie: 25th Anniversary Film Poster by Javi Aznarez for Curzon Cinema’s
To mark 25 years of Amélie, Javi Aznárez has created an intricately layered poster for the UK re-release with Curzon a detailed, character-filled tribute that captures the film’s warmth, whimsy, and enduring visual magic in a single, richly composed image.
The Art of The Long Read: Illustrated by Javi Aznarez for The Guardian
The Guardian Long Read Issue № 3, with creative direction by Chris Clarke, features cover illustrations by Javi Aznarez.
Printed on linen-embossed stock with fluorescent Pantones, the edition showcases premier talent including Justin Metz, Paul Blow, and Spencer Wilson. It is a definitive collection of contemporary craftsmanship in global editorial illustration.
The Art Book Every Child Should Own: Katy Hessel and Ping Zhu's The Illustrated Story of Art Without Men
The Illustrated Story of Art Without Men," is a new children's book by Katy Hessel with vibrant illustrations by Ping Zhu. Re-examining art history to spotlight overlooked female artists, challenging centuries of male-dominated narratives.
Hand Drawn Illustration: Why Rob Nicol is a Refreshing Antidote to "Gray Goo" Illustration
Discover why Robert Nicol’s hand-drawn illustration is the definitive antidote to 'grey goo' design. Explore the 2026 resurgence of the human crafted touch in editorial illustration, highlighting Nicol’s 'wonky' aesthetic and RCA-trained expertise.
Illustrated Coffee Packaging Design: From Coffee Bag to Brand Obsession
Coffee packaging has shifted from generic jars to design-led branding where illustration drives identity.
In a crowded market, bold artwork and storytelling turn bags into creative canvases. While trends may evolve toward minimalism or sustainability, packaging remains a powerful tool for differentiation and cultural impact.
Drawing the Line: What the $1.5 B Anthropic Case Means for Illustrators, AI, and Copyright
The $1.5 billion Anthropic settlement marks a turning point for AI and copyright, confirming that creative work cannot be used to train models without consent. For illustrators and visual artists, it reinforces intellectual property rights, pushes for transparency in AI training, and signals growing legal accountability across the generative AI industry.
The case sets a precedent for fair compensation and ethical collaboration between technology and creativity.
Joel Holland — NYC Street Vendors published by Prestel
Joel Holland’s NYC Street Vendors (Prestel) frames the city’s curbside economy as essential infrastructure. Mapping over 150 mobile businesses across all five boroughs, this "visual love letter" proves that illustration is the ultimate tool for capturing the grit and humanity of the rolling kitchens that feed and shape the cultural fabric of New York.
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?