Mikko Heino's cartoons hide a darker undertone
Mikko Heino is a Finnish illustrator and visual artist living and working in Berlin, Germany. With a background in graphic design and advertising, Mikko has been working as a freelancer for around half a decade, working on everything from skateboard graphics to magazine illustrations.
His work can also be seen across screen prints, record covers and animation. But Mikko doesn't just stick to illustrating, working as he does in painting, sculpture, and animation.
"I've been working on an animation in between commissioned work for the past few months now and it’s almost finished," he tells us. "It's a short film about the feeling of being 'trapped' at home, and the walls are closing in. It’s called 'Cabin Fever Dream'. Very 2020."
We can't wait to see that, and animation sure suits Mikko's cartoonish style.
"I would describe it as 'cartoony': bold line and flat colours. A lot of my work explores cartoony spaces and objects with an adult mindset, seemingly happy and colourful pictures with a darker undertone."
"I work mainly as an illustrator and my commercial work is mostly digital. I try to bring the same kind of aesthetic to my artworks and make them look printed or factory produced. My work is inspired by old cartoons and comics, skate graphics, and popular culture in general."
Follow the artist @mikko_heino.
