Zara Picken, known as @zaraillustrates on Instagram, is an illustrator based in Lincoln, UK. Zara graduated from the University of West England in Bristol in 2008, and has been a professional illustrator ever since. The artist’s work offers a range of styles, from softer hues and layered shapes building elegant subjects, to bold, bursting colours creating simple but striking compositions. Much of Zara’s work is inspired by mid-century design, which is usually characterised by uncluttered and smooth lines and fun geometric forms. The illustrator adds her own edge to this, harmoniously integrating characters and objects resembling paper cutouts and sharing an engaging visual world with her audiences.
Over the past decade, Zara Picken has created illustrations for editorial, advertising and publishing, and has been commissioned by many international clients including The Guardian, Wired, BBC, and Times Higher Education. Check more of Zara’s work out and browse her print shop on her website.
