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InspirationGraphic Design

Hey Studio creates series of illustrations of famous American landmarks for BlackBird

Barcelona's Hey Studio recently created a series of illustrations for BlackBird, a private plane charter in America that has "defy gravity" as its strapline.

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A person jogging past a large billboard featuring a desert landscape with a saguaro cactus silhouetted against an orange sunset sky, with "Defy Gravity" and "BlackBird" text displayed

With the usual pleasing play of light and shadow, geometric shapes and flat design, the visuals are based on famous landmarks across the United States in areas where BlackBird operates. Using a reduced monochromatic palette of just three colours, Hey creates depth in each scene, making them simple, recognisable and bold.

There's one with a sunset over the Golden Gate Bridge of San Francisco and another of the famous Santa Monica State Beach with its swaying palm trees. "The sky was given prominence in the composition to provide a sense of open space and create a cohesive system," explains Hey. "This means that no matter the landscape being depicted, the sky remains a common visual thread."

Created in 2019, the illustrations were rolled out onto BlackBird's website and app. The firm has since been acquired by Surf Air but you can still see Hey's work at play on its website.

New York City skyline silhouetted against a pink sky with white clouds and the Statue of Liberty visible on the left, illustrated in monochromatic shades of pink and burgundy
Layered illustration of a forested landscape with a winding river, pine trees and rolling mountains beneath a pale green sky with clouds
Illustration of a lifeguard tower on a beach with a coastal city skyline and palm trees in shades of turquoise and blue
Golden Gate Bridge at sunset in warm orange tones with San Francisco skyline, created by Hey Studio for BlackBird
A city skyline illustration in purple and pink tones with geometric buildings silhouetted against a soft sky with clouds
Stylised illustration of Los Angeles skyline in shades of teal and dark blue with layered geometric buildings, palm trees and white clouds against a turquoise sky
Three smartphone screens showing BlackBird app features with Hey Studio illustrations: a turquoise landscape, a green route selection interface, and a purple cityscape with a whale icon
Illustration of a cow grazing beside a windmill under a golden sunset sky with clouds and hills in the distance
Stylised cityscape illustration with layered silhouettes of skyscrapers in varying shades of green beneath mountains and a cloudy sky
Golden Gate Bridge at sunset with San Francisco skyline silhouette against a golden sky, illustration by Hey Studio for BlackBird
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