Linn Fritz looks at the lighter side of life

Having fun. It's a phrase that comes up a lot when you chat with Swedish illustrator and animation director Linn Fritz. And that's refreshing to hear, particularly at a time when everything – even in the creative industries – is so geared towards productivity, efficiency and return on investment.

Well, wouldn't it be more fun to throw all that out the window, play around with some doodles and bend reality a little?

"Of course, it's not always fun to work, and it can also be a struggle to stay creative and motivated. But I love drawing fun, happy and humorous images, especially on tough days, as it makes me feel better, and I like to believe I make the world a little bit brighter by doing so," says Linn.

Brands like Apple, Nike, Spotify, MTV and Wired appear to agree with Linn's philosophy and have turned to her for her playful take on life and the positive energy that flows soothingly from her delicate line work. It's a style that's come about through her training in motion design – where animations are built from simple shapes – but can be traced all the way back to her childhood.

"I've always had a vivid imagination and was a very shy child. Drawing was my way of constructing a fantasy world where things didn't have to follow any rules of reality. And that has definitely leaked into my adult work," says Linn. "With my personal work, I like to draw observational pieces with a little humour. I love for everything to just be a bit silly and happy. There aren't big intentions behind everything."

It certainly comes through in the characters that populate her illustrations and animations, from her Round the Campfire project with School of Motion to the window and in-store visuals she created for Nike outlets across Sweden, Denmark, Hungary, Belgium and Spain.

"Coming from a Motion Graphics background, all the characters I animated were built using simple shapes, as that was easier to animate. And when I transitioned into illustration, I struggled so much with anatomically correct proportions, so instead of fighting it, I decided to lean into it, taking that insecurity and turning it into a strength," says Linn.

Another of Linn's favourite projects has been creating the pattern for a limited edition Kånken backpack manufactured by Fjällräven in 2021. Using shapes cut from coloured cellophane, she assembled an abstract pattern for the bag's surface, drawing attention to the problem of plastic pollution in the ocean.

This ties in with the backpack's eco credentials, as it's made from recycled polyester and cotton. One per cent of the price was donated to organisations working to prevent plastic from going into the sea.

"It was very different to anything else I'd ever done, so the trust they put in me was such a great feeling," says Linn. "It's also a major Swedish brand, so it was lovely to be able to show my friends and family something outside the digital world, giving them a better understanding of what I do all day."

Currently based between London and Amsterdam, Linn has just signed with the Brilliant Artists agency, which will represent her in the UK, Italy, Japan and South Korea. She's represented by Agent Pekka in the US, Europe and China.

Linn is also a co-founder of Panimation, along with her friends Bee Grandinetti and Hedvig Ahlberg, a community for women, trans, and non-binary people working in animation and motion graphics. What began as a small Facebook group has become an important challenge to the boy's club mentality in the industry. It has spread around the world, with chapters in several cities.

What's next for Linn Fritz? "At the moment I'm exploring more analogue approaches like ceramics and drawings, but for now, they're only part of my personal practice," she says. "I have just created my own jigsaw puzzle and might sell a few, so keep your eyes peeled!"