The romantic everyday life of Arianna Boccassini aka Illuendo
Hi Arianna, nice to meet you! Tell our readers something about yourself…. My name is Arianna Boccassini, also known as Illuendo, and I’m an illustrator from Turin. My educational background started as an architect, and then I (re)found myself in the graphic universe, where I currently work with a predilection for the world of illustration. I like to range between digital and traditional illustration; I get inspiration for each of my drawings from everyday life, from the words that intrigue me, from the books I read and the movies I watch. I draw with passion, love and shy colors.
When did you realize you had this creative attitude? Since childhood it was natural to be involved in drawing, I drew everywhere and my fingers were always dirty with colors. Drawing has always been an essential moment in my day. This daily moment has faded over the years but has exploded again in the last two years, as if it were a necessity for me. While I was studying, I became fascinated with Munari’s creativity, Oliver Jeffers’ poetic illustrations and Tove Jansson’s very clean and precise style. All this led me to deepen and research my own illustration style, more narrative than conceptual.
Let’s talk about color: how much does it influence your illustrations and what role does it play in your compositions? I tend to use soft colors! I generally like all pastel shades, I think they represent my personality a bit (I’m a shy person and I don’t like to attract too much attention). Everything I represent is dreamy and introspective, I love being able to use my own custom palette in personal work.
All of your illustrated characters have a gentle expressiveness in their faces, how does their identity come about? I like to convey peace and beautiful feelings through my illustrations. It is very important to me to express a sense of tranquility at least in the moment when people are looking at my drawings.
Was there a particular step during your educational background that made a difference in setting up your style? In the graphic design studio where I worked, I developed a passion for old illustrated books (from the 50s and 60s) containing conceptual and narrative hylos. From that moment I started a path of true “interpretation” of illustration.
Tell us about your “plant communication” project…Vegetable Communication is an independent project born during the first lockdown together with my colleagues. In an unexpected period like the one we lived, we realized how important nature was in our daily life, since we couldn’t live it freely anymore. Therefore, Plant Communication is a collaborative work that collects insights and curiosities related to the world of plants and hosts online exhibitions on social channels.
Is there an illustration to which you feel particularly attached, and if so, why? It is an old illustration I did in Florence of the dome of Santa Maria del Fiore, which inspired me to start Illuendo.
What do you think is the strong point of your illustrations? I don’t know, I often ask myself that too! I think it is the desire to convey serenity through a romanticization of everyday life. I would like that by looking at my illustrations it would be possible for everyone to see small daily actions from a different perspective. So a walk in the woods becomes an immersion in the habitat of gnomes and a garden in a faraway place.
Contact: @illuendo
