From utopian to dystopian worlds, on thing can be said about the future predicted in illustrator Matthew Lyons’ work: it’s going to look seductively retro. Drawing heavily from Bauhaus like boxy architecture and the wedge shaped automobiles of Bertone, his works place this now classic design right next to modern technology like tablets, wind energy and smart phones. For those in love with the aesthetics of the past, this is paradise.
Beyond the subject matter of his images, Lyons uses a perspective in his works much like architectural proposals of the past. Interestingly, his characters fall into the same perspective, at times appearing with squared off features something like the Blockheads from Gumby — they have a decidedly robotic look that works well with his forward looking subject matter. To top it all off, the works have an airbrush-like texture which feels far from computer created.
Lyons has worked with a number of high profile clients in the industry, most recently creating a graphic for the New York Times Book Review (see it at the bottom of this post). Other notable clients have included Runner’s World, The Daily, Google Think Quarterly and GOOD Magazine. If you’re looking for what inspires this talented fellow, look no further than his vintage design sexy Tumblr. You can see more of his work on his Flickr stream or at his personal site, matthew-lyons.com
A map for Runner’s World Magazine
Lyons’ latest illustration for The New York Times Book Review of Pure by Julianna Baggott.
