Yelena Bryksenkova's illustrations are pure pen and watercolour magic

Yelena Bryksenkova’s illustrations are wonderful. Using pen, watercolour, and gouache, she creates detailed and beautifully rendered spaces for her characters who often appear to exist in states of meditation or relaxation. Russian-born and US-raised, Bryksenkova completed her BFA in illustration from the Maryland Institute College of Art in 2010, and has since produced work for the likes of Orla Kiely, Urban Outfitters, and Random House UK.

Currently based in Brooklyn, she is keen on traveling – and her work features very engaging illustrations of her recent trips to Sweden, the Czech Republic, and Estonia. Overall, it is the considered detail of her line-work and the softness of her colourisation, along with an emphasis on architectural and furnished space, that is most captivating.