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An illustration of a bedroom featuring a bed and a bedside table with a lamp and books. Three posters hang on the wall, including one that reads “Albertville ‘92” and another that reads “Kristi Yamaguchi”.

Thoka Maer’s delicate editorial illustrations brought to life in gif form

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Date
14 April 2016

Thoka Maer’s nuanced gifs have won us over yet again with their subtle movement and brilliantly observed characters. We’ve featured the New York-based illustrator’s work before and this time there’s some lovely editorial commissions from The New York Times Magazine, Medium and Vogue to go alongside her charming creations. 

With just enough detail to draw the viewer in, the beauty in Thoka’s work is how she only animates parts of the picture. Waving, a dog tail wagging and wiping a mirror all become delicate actions and Thoka’s soft colour palette only adds to the elegance of her work.   

An illustration of a person sitting cross-legged on a rug, facing a television. On the screen, a figure in a red dress performs for two other people.
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Thoka Maer: New York Times Magazine

An illustration of three framed portraits and a small circular photo on a shelf. In the central frame, a person in a red top is positioned between two figures.
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Thoka Maer: New York Times Magazine

An illustration of two scenes. On the left, an empty gold chair sits on a dark plinth with a ladder leaning against it. On the right, a person polishes a gold statue of a figure sitting in the same chair.
Above

Thoka Maer: The Upshot

A six-panel illustration showing a person performing a series of stretches in a bright room. The figure is highlighted in red as they move through different poses beside a white armchair.
Above

Thoka Maer: Jonesy NYC

An illustration of a person standing in a bathroom, looking into a mirror. They wear a hair wrap and underwear, standing on a small circular mat before a tiled wall.
Above

Thoka Maer

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About the Author

Rebecca Fulleylove

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Rebecca Fulleylove is a freelance writer and editor specialising in art, design and culture. She is also senior writer at Creative Review, having previously worked at Elephant, Google Arts & Culture, and It’s Nice That.

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