Jaedoo Lee creates geometric figures for his experimental and colourful illustrations

Illustrator, animator and designer Jaedoo Lee is inspired by the work of Paul Rand and has adopted the graphic designer’s simple approach. “I try to put the least amount of detail I have to, in order to portray an idea without being too bare,” says Jaedoo. “I was never very good at drawing freehand so I’ve embraced using geometric shapes to design and illustrate.”

Born in Seoul, Jaedoo came to America to study at the School of Visual Arts in New York and now works at Buck animation studio. During his time there he’s worked on multiple animation projects including work for a short for CNN, and it’s allowed him to “pick up something new” on each brief. His portfolio is a mix of client and personal work, with the latter taking on a more experimental approach. “A lot of my personal work just happens from trying things out. The loop animations I’ve made started from adding lots of simple shapes together,” says Jaedoo. “I used to worry a lot about what the final product would turn out to be, but it wasn’t as fun. I think it’s better when a project you start comes out different from what you initially thought it would become.”

Primarily using Photoshop and After Effects, Jaedoo’s latest loops see an abstract Forrest Gump continually running and spherical figure jumping around the screen. Cast in a palette of bright, vibrant colours, his illustration work has a similar aesthetic, with various shapes and figures coming together and set against sparse backgrounds. “I would say the biggest challenge of what I do comes from the fact that my work is very simple and shape oriented,” explains Jaedoo. “It can be very restricting, but at the same time it also tests my creativity.”

These experiments have helped Jaedoo develop his personal style and while there’s no “grand theme or message” behind the work, they demonstrate the creative’s ability to create energy, movement and intrigue by combining a handful of geometric forms.