Illustrations
Illustration here means drawings with a sense of humour, and the category pulls in two directions. Simen Wahlqvist, in Oslo, catches a moment just before it happens in as few lines as possible; his rule is that a drawing is done when it makes him laugh. Mikko Saarainen, in Lahti, works the opposite way, filling a square until every corner has a joke in it, and one of his prints is a whole comic page. Hedvig Wallin’s ink seascape sits between them, and Ishtar Bäcklund Dakhil, in Stockholm, adds her city, a surfer and creatures from imagined worlds. If you’re after a Nordic art print that gets a second look from every guest, start here: each piece can be bought framed or unframed, and the black frame does the square prints a particular favour.
This is the characterful end of Nordic art, and an easy first print to buy. It suits hallways, home offices, children’s rooms and any room that has come out a little too tasteful and needs one thing with a glint in its eye. They are independent artists we work with directly, from across the Nordics, and every print is made on 200gsm uncoated paper.
Prints
Styling illustration prints
Many of these prints are 50 x 50 cm, and the square format is quietly useful: it sits well on a picture shelf, holds a narrow wall a rectangle would crowd, and makes a tidy pair or trio along a hallway. The larger pieces, Morgenstrekk and Journey among them, work as the anchor of a group with the squares around them. Keep the frame choice consistent across a set, all wood, all black or all white, and the mix reads as intentional. Saarainen’s squares are the loudest thing in the category, so give them a wall that can take it.
Common questions
What makes these illustrations Scandinavian?
Partly the economy: Nordic illustration favours as few lines as necessary and no more, letting white space and a limited palette do the heavy lifting, which is Simen Wahlqvist’s whole method. Mikko Saarainen is the counter-example, and the region holds both: Finland has a long comic and children’s-book tradition that fills the page instead. These are drawn by artists living and working in the Nordics, so the label is literal as well as stylistic.
What sizes do the illustration prints come in?
Many are 50 x 50 cm squares, and the rest come in larger formats; each product page lists the size. The squares suit shelves, hallways and grouped walls, while the larger pieces can hold a wall on their own.
Can I get an illustration print framed and delivered abroad?
Yes. Every print can be ordered unframed or in a wood, black or white frame, and we deliver worldwide. Delivery costs appear at checkout.