As a child, Swiss illustrator Lavinia Petrache had multiple ambitions - a writer, a film director, an urban photographer - in fact, it wasn’t until fairly recently that she took up illustration. “I started right before the pandemic,” she told Cluster, “though I’ve always loved storytelling in some form or another.” And just like those ambitions, her influences are similarly varied, from the Renaissance paintings of Botticelli, and sci-fi illustrations of Martina Hoffmann, to the poetic cinema of Paolo Sorrentino and weird worlds of Hyeronimous Bosch.

Her work carries a strong sense of weightlessness, depicted not only through delicate motifs like clouds and flowers, but also atmospherically, in her use of soft, pastel colours, dainty lines and grainy, textured shadows. “I find there is a lot of gentleness in the world, and sometimes I am too busy to notice day to day,” Lavinia explains, “By thinking of these small movements and details I feel like I honour the delicacy of the world and I carve time for myself to appreciate it.” A self-confessed daydreamer, her illustrations form tender worlds inspired by nature, where butterflies rest on the tip of a finger and pink flamingos take flight.

Most of her work is made digitally through creative software like Procreate. For animations, Lavinia prefers using frame by frame techniques rather than motion design, “I find this way of working to be more organic, natural and real, in a sense,” she added. Despite using photo references to better study movement and pose, much of her work comes directly from imagination, adding to its dreamlike qualities. Currently, Lavinia is working on a short animated film.

Isabel Mora Quintanar, otherwise known as Isabel MQ, discovered her passion for drawing at a young age. She majored in Graphic Design at Centro Universitario de Artes Arquitectura y Diseño de Guadalajara in Jalisco, Mexico, and it was here where she was first given the opportunity to explore illustration in all its forms. “During my last semester, one of my teachers offered me a job as an illustrator in a local publishing house,” she told Cluster, “At the time I didn’t feel ready, but I knew I wanted to illustrate.” From there, she worked for a Mexican clothing company producing illustrated repetition patterns, before moving to a job at a graphic design agency, “I decided to leave that job to focus on my personal projects and began my journey as a hand poke tattoo artist and freelance illustrator.”

Isabel’s work echoes this sense of weightlessness through repeated reference to the cosmos, with stars and planets peppered throughout her backdrops, muted palettes and the use of gentle lines. “I am propelled by a sense of urgency to connect with something deeper,” she shared, “through these themes I can peek into a magical space where one can float.” Through simple lines and pared-back colours, Isabel is able to stay focused on essence, without getting lost in what she wants to express.

Her process begins in a sketchbook, where she allows intuition to act as a guide, freely channelling whatever energy is seeking expression. Next, she conducts a series of colour tests, experimenting with different palettes. “I try and focus on the process rather than the result,” she added, “my aim is to have fun, regardless of whether the anatomical proportions are correct or not.”  She joined Cluster for the unique opportunity to experience an international digital art fair from the inside. Right now, Isabel is studying for a Masters degree in Graphic Narrative while working on a graphic novel.