Eero Lampinen is an illustrator based in Helsinki, Finland. His editorial illustrations comprise of candy-coloured cool kids, set in folktale landscapes.
Growing up in Belgium, Lampinen was inspired by comics and old children’s books. As he got older, he developed an interest in printing methods. Leading him to study graphic design at the Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture. Since graduating, he has worked with a range of clients including Wired UK, The New Republic, Otava, Grafia, and Finnish Association for Nature Conservation.
Lampinen process is a combination of traditional and digital. He works mostly with ink, brushes, and watercolour. Which he combines, edits, and colours digitally. What I find most interesting about Lampinen’s work is, even his standalone editorial illustrations will hint at a broader narrative. This is intentional. Lampinen’s passion for storytelling is inspired by the vintage children’s books of his youth. Each editorial is an opportunity to snapshot his own stories. Fleshing out personalities and landscapes more than you would usually see in editorial illustrations. Even though his colours are soft and feel wispy, his blend of offbeat characters and fantastical environments have a way of creating uneasy. Lampinen says of his work,
“I incorporate elements of mythology and folklore into modern settings, often blurring the lines between reality and fantasy”
You can find more of Eero Lampinen’s illustrations on his website, Instagram and on his blog, Luxury Flush, which he shares with Milena Huhta.
