Nata Metlukh illustrated an article for the Automobile magazine about driver distractions.
Nata Metlukh illustrated an article for the Wall Street Journal about spending tax refunds.
Nata Metlukh illustrated the front cover and the featured theme for Akzia magazine about Anonymous group.
Nata Metlukh illustrated a spread for Prosports magazine about philologists passionate about football.
Nata Metlukh illustrated the “Day in History” comics for Russian Reporter magazine about the invention of the guillotine.
Nata’s work was selected for 3×3 illustration annual #8.
Nata Metlukh illustrated a business story for American Way magazine about employees making negative comments about their bosses on Facebook and other social networks.
Nata Metlukh illustrated a feature for Automobile magazine about the turbo tech trifecta technology.
How and when did you know that you wanted to become an illustrator?
In 2004, when I got a master’s degree in applied mathematics, I realized that math was not something I wanted to get into for the rest of my life. And as I also had an art education, I decided to start my career in an advertising agency as a graphic and web designer. After several years I moved to the US where I had plenty of time to rethink everything and experiment with different materials and techniques. As a result I have total immersion into illustration.
Where do you draw your inspiration from?
Observing people and traveling are the main endless sources of my ideas. And of course great inspiration comes from the works of other artists: editorial illustration, sketchbooks, art journals, collages, cartoons, and my favorite – a hand-drawn animation – I just love it. There are many basic principles which are common for animation and illustration such as storytelling, composition, exaggeration, gestures, simplicity, mood, etc. I consider illustration as one-frame-long animation.
What is your earliest memory of creating art? (or drawing as a child)
When I was 6 years old I was taken to an art school, where I studied for 8 years. And the first real piece of art was my graduation work – an oil painting 3 by 4 feet.
What type of environment do you prefer to work in? At home or in a studio? Listening to music?
I work in my apartment studio. I can’t work in complete silence so there is always something to break it: music in the background or a documentary in the corner of the screen.
As a working illustrator, do you still find time to create art for yourself?
Yes, sometimes I paint with acrylics or gouache, but often I just draw and make collages in my sketchbooks.
What type of transition needs to be made between creating art for yourself and creating art that is commissioned?
Working with a timer helps to control the process and deliver illustrations on time. And besides the limited time, there are a lot of other restrictions and requirements in commissioned illustration. That’s why it is more challenging and at the same time more interesting to work on.
What is your favorite way to get out of a creative block?
Ride my bicycle along the ocean coast at the maximum speed.
Nata Metlukh is a San Francisco based illustrator. She was born and grew up in Ukraine, where studied applied mathematics, graphic arts and painting. Art prevailed and Nata started her career as graphic and web designer. Several years later she moved to the US, where branched out into editorial illustration. Her sources of inspiration are humorous illustrations, art journals, lomography, artists’ sketchbooks and hand-drawn animation.
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