Davide Bonazzi
Balogna, Italy
Motion/Film
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Illustrations: Davide Bonazzi
Brandman: The fast way to earn your degree Client: Brandman University Agency: Vitro / Animation house: Nomint |
Illustrations: Davide Bonazzi
Brandman: Earn your degree faster than you think Client: Brandman University Agency: Vitro / Animation house: Nomint |
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Illustrations: Davide Bonazzi
Brandman: Your Toes Client: Brandman University Agency: Polish Branding |
Illustrations: Davide Bonazzi
Brandman: We're your partner Client: Brandman University Agency: Vitro / Animation house: Nomint |
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Illustrations: Davide Bonazzi
Brandman: Your partner is here Client: Brandman University / Agency: Vitro / Animation house: Nomint |
Illustrations: Davide Bonazzi
Juventus, Story of the Stripes Client: Gatorade / Agency: Howler Magazine |
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Illustrations: Davide Bonazzi
The Water Nexus Games Client: UNESCO World Water Assessment Program Agency: Bitmama |
about Davide
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Bio:
Davide Bonazzi has been working as a freelance illustrator for major publishers, brands and institutions including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Nike, Microsoft, Airbnb, Gatorade, UNESCO, Roche and over 200 others worldwide. Born and raised in Bologna, Italy, first earning a degree at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of the University of Bologna, he also studied Illustration in Milan at IED - European Institute of Design and at the Academy of Fine Arts of Bologna. Davide aims to create clever visual solutions to represent complex topics, as well as narrative, witty images. His style combines digital media with textures of scanned found objects, in order to give his illustrations a warm and evocative atmosphere. His work has been recognized by The Society of Illustrators of New York, Communication Arts (Best-in-Show 2022), American Illustration, 3x3 ProShow, Folio (Ozzie Award 2017), Bologna Children's Book Fair, Creative Quarterly, Hiii Illustration (Grand Prix 2017), World Illustration Awards. He has been featured in Lürzer's Archive 200 Best Illustrators Worldwide 2016/17 and 2018/19. Partial Client List:
Interview with Davide Bonazzi:
How old were you when you first realized you would become an artist? I've always had a strong passion for drawing, since I was a child. The fact that I could conjure up lines and figures from nowhere on a blank piece of paper seemed like a kind of magic. I guess I’ve always had the idea of make a living doing art, though my education is mainly based on literature and liberal-arts. After a degree in Arts & Humanities at the University of Bologna, I discovered the world of illustration at IED - European Institute of Design in Milan and at the Academy of Fine Arts of Bologna. In the meantime I started working as a freelance illustrator with magazines and newspapers. How did you arrive at your current style. What techniques or authors inspired you? At the beginning of my career my style used to be quite different from now. I used to play with many techniques, mixing watercolors, pencils, digital collage of different papers. Final artworks used to be surprisingly rich, but I quickly realized it was very difficult to work for commission with this style because the entire process involved too many steps. In the meantime I became interested in conceptual illustration, which turned out to be an ideal means of expression to me. So I started experimenting a simpler and cleaner style which gave back to me the joy of drawing, and also allowed me to focus mainly on the concept of an image. Many textures of my previous work have been scanned and edited as digital brushes, with the aim of creating warm atmospheres without losing the comfort of working with digital tools. I've been especially influenced by the American Pop culture, Edward Hopper, René Magritte and a lot of contemporary illustrators of course. Among them is Adelchi Galloni, ex-teacher and friend of mine. He's an outstanding artist and a great example of passion and dedication. Where do you find inspiration, concepts or images for your illustrations? Do you have a purpose, a key message about important topics you wish to portray through your artwork? It's hard to say where inspiration comes from. I generally rack my brain a lot and ideas come. Of course I'm inspired by a lot of things, from art to films, and everyday life is a great source of inspiration too. If I had a purpose, this is stimulating a reflection about ourselves and the world we live in. I think illustrations should put doubts in people, encourage the sense of criticism rather than give answers. And sometimes put a smile on their faces if possible. What upcoming projects are you working on? I'm currently working on some advertising campaigns for institutions and companies, plus several editorial assignments. I have an upcoming exhibition in the next few month. Also, I'm working at a personal project, kind of a graphic novel/picture book. Wish I had more time to dedicate to it, but my schedule always keeps me quite busy. Your biography mentions you had a literary / humanistic education. Does it influence your art? I think so, my education affected me a lot as a person and as an artist. It might also have played a role in the way I approach to complex themes and translate them into simpler, more straightforward concepts. Most of the illustrator’s job form me is to solve problems, and this problem solving skill has been trained by the studies I have done. How do you set up your job when you get a new contract? Whether it is an article for a newspaper, a book or an advertising campaign, the most important thing for me is to figure out what I should illustrate in terms of message, and what is the most effective way to express this message through a picture. Once I receive the brief from the client, I do brainstorming and pencil down some keywords, which usually open me different scenarios. Keywords are like clues and I often feel like a detective who follow up on a lead in order to solve the case! I can fill out sheets and sheets with rough ideas, but I select a very few interesting ones and I redraw them digitally, them I show them to the client. Once an idea is chosen, I move forward with the color comps and the final illustration. This is the part where I can focus on the artistic aspect of the image (composition, lightning and colors), things that play a crucial role in conveying the message in the best way. I feel a good concept remains quite poor if the artist is not able to turn it into a visually impactful piece. Do you have cultural references to which you gravitate? I think every project has a specific cultural reference to be reckoned with. For example, I illustrated more than twenty covers of the British magazine BBC World Histories, focused on historical subjects from the ancient civilizations to the Cold War. I aimed my illustrations to reflect the artistic and cultural features of those periods, reinterpreting them in my own style and vision. What tools do you use most in your work? I use digital tools. The reasons are related to convenience and speed, and to the possibility of making mistakes in complete safety. I try to maintain a connection with traditional techniques when I work on my sketchbooks, in which I use watercolor pencils, pastels and ink brushes. What is your favorite activity when you take a break from the studio? Quite simply, take long walks - preferably in parks or in the city center. How do you re-charge when a difficult assignment nears the deadline? I don’t have a regular method. I feel the most important thing is to avoid any collateral kind of stress, listen to good music, read books, do physical activity. Someone once told me knowing how to relax it’s important for boosting productivity. What would be your dream illustration assignment? My dream assignments come true when I have to deal with projects bordering different artistic fields, like cinema, architecture, music, anything that shapes our collective imaginary. I love when a project seems out of my comfort zone, since it often offers me the opportunity to grow as an artist. For instance, I recently had the chance to work with luxury brand Bulgari, my artworks were supposed to dialogue with their objects and I had to do a full immersion in their unique, multifaceted universe, that was truly a learning experience. Also, I’ve always loved animals so my dream as a child would be a commission from a museum of natural history! |
