Sekonik — Dean Robert Smith — Manchester, UK

What mistakes or traps should young designers try to avoid when creating an illustration? “The biggest tip I can offer is to illustrate things you are interested in, this way you won’t ever run out of ideas or lose your passion for what you do. People like to see the passion in other people’s work.”

Sekonik takes the pop culture references we all love and pares them right back, representing them in wonderfully clean, minimal illustrations. Inspired by gaming and TV culture as well as travel, the Manchester-based graphic designer started creating his art as a counterpoint to his day job in advertising. Having worked across London, Sydney, and Amsterdam, his work has been inspired by his travels.