Introducing... The charming, colourful illustrative world of Yehteh

Date
8 August 2012

I came across the work of Phillip Dornbierer in the illustration issue of the Computer Arts Collection and had the same feeling I imagine Gold Rush pioneers had when the got the first glimpse of the telltale glint. Working under the pseudonym Yehteh, his beautiful colour-rich illustrations boast strong composition and clear, concise communication, a combination which has won him some top level clients including The New York Times and IBM. Repressing my fanboy urge I managed to ask him some questions for our Introducing… feature and he obliged by giving us an insight into his life and work…

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Yehteh at work with his dog

Where do you work?

Basically anywhere – with the majority of the work being done on the Macbook and by drawing on paper I’m able work wherever I want, which makes it a lot of fun. One of my latest pieces I finished a few weeks back when I was in a car on a road trip through the Czech Republic. However I do enjoy my desk at home and having everything that could come in handy right there. I treat the living room in my apartment in Zurich just like a studio, besides that I own with some friends a screen print studio which is very close.

How does you working day start?

First things first the dog needs to get out, with him being quite small it’s not that big of a deal though. Then the usual, I pour myself some hot coffee, a glass of water and if I’m feeling fancy I’ll add a cup of tea to that.

How do you work and how has that changed?

That depends on what I’m working on, I like to change things up in my routine by working with paper cut outs or wood. In my childhood I did a lot of wooden toys in my father’s studio and I’m trying to get back to that a little – I recently made some wooden sculptures for a show in Portland which was a lot of fun. Otherwise it’s drawing the common sketches and then moving on to the computer.

Where would we find you when you’re not at work?

Either riding or fixing my bike, cooking five-course-menus with my girlfriend, swimming in the lake or foolishly trying to defeat Gandalf again.

Would you intern for yourself?

As I’m still learning a lot about my career I’d say it would be less of an internship, more a way of learning together. In my last few years I did a lot of freelancing, as well as an apprenticeship and working as a graphic designer, so I’ve definitely gathered some experience, but I’m still young and would leave the internships to the more wiser.

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Yehteh: Constellations Festival

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Yehteh: Kuava Wallpaper

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Yehteh: New York Times article about Social Security

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Yehteh: Personal Risoprint

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Yehteh: Wurst Chopping Board

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Yehteh: Wander

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Yehteh: Fox is Black Wallpaper

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Yehteh: Yes Cincinnati

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About the Author

Rob Alderson

Rob joined It’s Nice That as Online Editor in July 2011 before becoming Editor-in-Chief and working across all editorial projects including itsnicethat.com, Printed Pages, Here and Nicer Tuesdays. Rob left It’s Nice That in June 2015.

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