Alva Skog
Alva Skog is a freelance illustrator from Stockholm, Sweden. She is based in London, UK. She graduated in 2018 from Central Saint Martins - University of Arts in London. Shortly thereafter she joined Jelly London, and has already worked for notable clients such as The Guardian, Apple, and the New York Times (just to name a few). She has been featured in publications such as Wonderland Magazine, Digital Arts 2019 for best up-and-coming illustrators, Cortex Creatives 2019, Plain Magazine 2018, Boooooom 2017. (again, just to name a few)
Alva expresses and questions ideas and ideals such as gender inequality and hidden racism through her illustration work. She describes her style as being defined by bold colors, sculptural bodies and skewed or exaggerated perspectives. Alva's figures usually consist of women or non-binary identities. Her inspiration comes from many different things and directions but most important is her younger sisters view on life, her mother's knowledge of feminism, as well as feminist science fiction literature and graphic novels. She uses women and non-binary figures in order to stretch the boundaries of gender identity. Alva manipulates perspective to give her subjects small heads, strong arms and large hands and feet. Often depicted from above or below. Her bold designs and bright color schemes play with the power balance between the viewer and subject.
Alva discovered her distinct style during her second year of studies.She entered a competition called the D&AD New Blood Awards ( Global Association for Advertising and Design). The brief was asking for three posters giving advice to someone, and she decided to speak to her younger sister about not conforming to society's rigid ideas of how she should look or behave. She really focused on not sexualizing the women in her posters in anyway, and moved away from the stereotypical ways they're portrayed in media. She wanted to do something new. Alva drew them with big hands and feet, strong arms and hairy legs. Her entry was awarded a Yellow Pencil prize. This was a key starting point in which she could effectively combine feminism with her illustration work.
Alva has an impressive body of work and will continue to evolve and push boundaries. She is an illustrator that has a strong message and will be someone to watch for in the future.
https://vimeo.com/248012070
