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InspirationIllustration

Bright and bubbly illustrations by Roberts Rurans full of bold colours and simple shapes

These charming illustrations by Riga-based illustrator, Roberts Rurans are bold and colourful, painted mostly by hand using acrylic on paper and then edited and refined digitally. "I'd say I have style, which could be described as as a playful mix of characters, simple shapes, use of textures, bright colours and witty compositions, often with a touch of humour and ease," Roberts told Creative Boom.

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Three stylised musicians in formal attire with bold red and pink shapes play trumpet, guitar and saxophone against a pale background

"I would definitely save some time by doing my illustrations digitally, but I find that quality of craft and sense of human touch with its imperfections bring the added artistic value, which clients seem to appreciate in my work," he added. "Overall, I really like the mix between the modern aesthetics of visual simplicity and traditional technique, it gets to be artsy and approachable yet does not lose the potential for commercial use."

Roberts studied Printmaking at the Art Academy of Latvia and worked part-time as a graphic designer before graduating in 2015. (He also had a brief stint in the UK, studying Illustration.) He then co-founded Overpriced, a design studio based in Riga, until he went freelance to concentrate on illustration full-time.

Today, he works for clients such as Vogue (he recently collaborated with animator Eduards Balodis to create a delightful animation about American royalists) and Madara Cosmetics (we especially love his Christmas themed illustrations to go on the brand's festive edition packaging). Discover more at robertsrurans.com.

Figure with orange hands hunched over a laptop under a large white cloud, surrounded by falling papers
Four colourful illustrations by Roberts Rurans featuring stylised characters and objects: red tangled rope, pink figure with blue limbs, pink figure on red bicycle with black helmet, and black figure on red bicycle against blue background
Illustrated figure with white round body and orange head standing with arms outstretched beside a blue shape with dark ovals, surrounded by geometric shapes and a doorway opening to a landscape scene
Vertical stack of five stylised figures in bold primary colours falling or floating through the air, illustrated with simple shapes and vibrant hues
Stylised illustration of a figure in a red coat and green hat carrying a blue beam against a cityscape backdrop, with other figures engaged in construction activities
Winged figure in white clothing sitting at a table with a menorah and blue window, surrounded by bold blocks of blue, pink and burgundy
Colourful illustration by Roberts Rurans featuring diverse characters engaged in various activities amongst bold geometric shapes and vibrant primary colours
Illustration of a chef in white uniform and red accents serving food to diners seated at a table, with one figure holding a tray aloft against a blue sky
Three colourful illustrated scenes by Roberts Rurans featuring stylised characters, bold shapes and vibrant colours in acrylic and digital mixed media
Illustration of a woman in a red dress dancing on a giant moon-shaped figure with red legs, while a musician plays accordion below, overlooking an audience in a night scene
Three figures in various poses against bold red, green and pink backgrounds with white cylindrical shapes and blue circular elements
A figure in dark clothing sits atop a white winged creature in a pink rolling landscape dotted with cacti, tomatoes and green foliage
A group of colourful geometric figures with round bodies and stick limbs in shades of red, orange, yellow, pink, blue and green arranged in a diagonal formation against a pale background
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