Joey Han’s impressive illustrations foster unforgettable environments

Sometimes we come across promising young talent that we know has a fruitful career ahead of them. Such is the case with U.S.-based illustrator Joey Han, a recent graduate of Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design. In his two fields of illustration and graphic design, Joey’s portfolio has a stunning and eclectic range of mixed media, often oscillating between analogue and digital. In particular, we’ve been fond of Joey’s recent craftsmanship with ink and coloured pencil, where his sensibility for colour really comes out to play. “Conceptually, I am interested in the idea of anticipated nostalgia,” Joey tells us. “The idea of reminiscing the present, and how this influences the way we experience a place.” That certainly comes through in Joey’s work, as they’re often centred around a certain location, place or environment, and build outwards from there.

“I’m interested in exploring our collective emotional associations with both natural and built environments,” Joey adds. “Nature and architecture feature heavily in my work.” Interestingly, as a half-Korean, half-Chinese Asian American artist, Joey cites a slew of influences from his cultural background that affect his work. “From Hirokazu Kore-eda, Do Ho Suh, and Junya Ishigami, to Chris Marker and Bill Watterson,” he says.