Eero Lampinen’s work is a candy-coloured cauldron of folkloric characters and dark stories articulated in a style that meshes Studio Ghibli with My Little Pony with a dash of pop culture thrown in for good measure. “I incorporate elements of mythology and folklore into modern settings, often blurring the lines between reality and fantasy,” Eero says of his work. His passion for storytelling is evident in his body of work: even his editorial illustrations seem to tell stories deeper than the articles they represent. “I love to invent backstories for my illustrations and characters, so editorial work with a strong narrative aspect or commissions with a conceptual brief are my favourite,” says Eero. Inspired by comics and old children’s books, Eero uses watercolours and inks which are then edited digitally. In the future he’d love to work on some character design for an animated film or even create a series of “science fiction-themed illustrations for a fashion editorial.” Whatever Eero does, you know it’s going to be very special indeed.

Apple, Facebook, Truly Hard Seltzer, Condé Nast, Wired, GQ, Frame, The New Republic, Roche, Finnish Association for Nature Conservation.