Leonie Bos’ architectural illustrations are informed by traditional printmaking

Amsterdam-based illustrator Leonie Bos’ architectural forms are minimal and modernist, and their simplicity is what makes them so appealing. Taking influence from traditional printmaking, Leonie’s digital images are created by layering semi-transparent colour areas to create new shades and tones. The off-white grain of the paper is just as important to Leonie, and she often consciously leaves patches and squares ink free. Texture as a whole seems vital to her work, with rough gradients of colour giving the impression the images have been printed on concrete.

There’s a precision to Leonie’s work that makes her illustrations feel like hand-drawn renders of prospective buildings and her references to 20th Century architecture, like clear-cut 90 degree angles and sparse decoration enhance this. Her simple shapes and crisp lines come together quietly to create functional structures and interior spaces full of subtle elements. Leonie’s work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Jamie magazine and numerous newspapers in the Netherlands.