Craig & Karl is a transatlantic illustration duo. Craig Redman is based in New York and Karl Maier in London. Despite the distance and time difference, they collaborate on a daily basis to create bold work that is both thoughtful and humorous.

The duo, originally from Australia, began their working relationship whilst attending Queensland College of Art. Collaborating on a project in their very first semester, they hit it off and worked together on every project thereafter. Their partnership continued past college, founding the art and design group Rinzen Collective, with several friends.

In 2011, Redman and Maier parted from the collective to launch Craig & Karl. A partnership that is possibly best described as an artistic duo as a pose to a graphic design studio or an illustration partnership. Their passion and path are rooted in their obsession of simplistic forms and eccentric colours. That striking combination has attracted the attention of illustrious clients including LVMH, Nike, Vogue, Vanity Fair, and Herman Miller.

In addition to editorial illustrations, they have created murals, typefaces, set design, and packaging. Though often created for commercial purposes, their Pop Art-inspired artwork feels at home in fine art galleries. As such, Craig & Karl have exhibited across the world in the Musée de la Publicité (Paris), Onassis Cultural Centre (Athens), Museum for Contemporary Art (Mexico) and the Museum of the Moving Image (New York).

Craig Redman has stated that the duo’s working relationship hinges on a shared brutal honesty, and the ability to bounce ideas off one another.

“We’re really not precious between each other. If Karl says it needs a dot there, it needs a dot there. If I say delete that, it’s gone. I guess there’s an intrinsic understanding.”

To find out more about Craig & Karl, you can read this excellent article on The Business of Fashion. To see more of their work, check out the Craig & Karl website, their Tumblr and Instagram.