Author: Sara Barnes

Between the Lines: 10 Tattoo Artists Working in Negative Space

The term “negative space” is one of the first things you learn in art class, but it’s an innate concept. You’ve already seen it—you just needed a name for it. Oftentimes, negative space goes unnoticed. If it’s not adding anything meaningful to an image, then it might as well be invisible. But when this area […]

Illusion Magazine’s Top Illustration Picks of Spring 2017

In early 2016, we selected a number of illustrators whose impressive works had already caught our eye. We’ve continued the tradition for spring 2017 and are equally as wowed with what’s been produced so far. With so many tools at a creative’s exposure—both analog and digital—the best ones have honed their techniques and married it […]

Breaking the Taboo: 10 Daring Tattoo Artists From South Korea

In the past several years, South Korea has becoming a powerhouse for great tattoo artists. But technically, their practice is considered illegal in the eyes of the South Korean government. Why is this? The reasoning makes sense, but doesn’t reflect the current state of tattooing. Basically, tattoos are seen as a “medical procedure” that should be performed […]

10 Tattoo Artists Paying Homage to the “Death Moth”

You know a Acherontia atropos—better known as Death’s-head hawkmoth—once you see it. The name refers to one of three species of moths that each have the easily distinguishable human skull-shaped marking on their thorax. The unusual patterning has both intrigued and frightened people. Long ago, its ominous marking was considered a bad omen; entomologist Moses […]

Our Bodies, Ourselves: Nude Embroidery Art

Naked is how we arrived in this world, so why do we continue to feel so ashamed by our own bodies? That’s a question that many creatives are trying to answer through their embroidery art. Being fully nude represents vulnerability and to see yourself how you truly are—flaws and all. In symbolizing the naked body, artists […]

10 Tattooers from Eastern Europe to Keep Your Eye On

With the soaring popularity of tattoos coupled with increased globalism, the world gets seemingly smaller and smaller—tattooists from across the world are easily inspired by cultures in foreign lands. Likewise, these artists also travel to tattoo shops in different countries and bring their unique style there. Illusion magazine has been an admirer of the work that comes […]

All We Cannot See: An Interview with Marco Mazzoni

Italian artist Marco Mazzoni has used colored pencils in his work since he was very young. Although some abandon the medium as they get older, Mazzoni continued to hone his pencil technique into something truly spectacular. He fuses colors into smooth, silky blends that resemble oil paintings. Although Mazzoni depicts elements of beauty, his work takes […]

Forest-Inspired Tattoos and Drawings by Katarzyna Krutak

Katarzyna Krutak is an illustrator and tattoo artist who says she’s “inspired by the smell of the forest.” Her images are a smattering of approaches, with one figure containing repeat patterns, energetic scribbles, and intricate dotwork. The flattened aesthetic has a folk art look and feel, as if these figures were plucked from a storybook. […]

The Future is Now: Amazingly Complex 3D Art

As the definition of art continues to grow, the field increasingly becomes technologically advanced. Three dimensional (3D) graphics take advantage of this advancement to create imagery that straddles the line between reality and fantasy. The term “computer graphics” was first introduced in 1960 by William Fetter, but it wasn’t until 1972 that 3D animation began to […]