Illustrator Susa Monteiro’s lonely figures battle the elements

Susa Monteiro is a Portuguese illustrator who uses bold markings in her work to convey atmosphere and tension. Using a moody palette of monochrome colours with deeper shades of blue and red, her style is folk-like in its compositions and subject matter.

Creating slim-figured characters and animals in sparse landscapes, Susa depicts humans battling against the elements and nature with an oddly mythical tone. In her most recent works more detail has been incorporated to the faces of her figures, adding expression and personality.

The narrative is left ambiguous for the viewer, but as a series or as standalone images, there’s a sense of melancholy to her work. This is echoed in the way her characters are often captured alone with just the whispers of brushstrokes accompanying them.