International Artist Feature: Denmark

Welcome back to our International Artist Series.

Today
we're catching up with five incredible artists from Denmark, a Scandinavian country with a love of design. I
asked each artist how
their country and culture inspired their work, and they delivered great
responses.

Mani Zamani

Mani is a digital artist and product designer living in Vejle, Denmark. Drawing from his diverse inspirations, he creates futuristic handmade and digital crafts that are creative and intriguing.

See more in his portfolio and follow him on Instagram.

The PhoneMaster

I love the open
minded mentality in Denmark and the appreciation of art and design even on a daily
basis. There's such simplicity and very quick access to almost everything.

Extraterrestrial Aristocrats

My works are a mix of what I daydream, or see and experience. I've lived in four different countries and although I never directly
pinpoint the culture of where I live in my work, I do use some visual
nodes from that specific area. Denmark has a rich design heritage and I
do appreciate the pure minimalism and pastel colors with accents
they use in their everyday objects.

The Zoo Series: Whale

Calm Kayak

I live in Vejle although I spend the majority of the day designing toys
for a toy company in Billund. I participate and organize workshops with a friend of mine in a cultural center here, and the community is very open to any new ideas that celebrate
creativity.

Melany Vilchynska

Melany is an illustrator and graphic designer currently living in Copenhagen, Denmark. Featuring bold colors and unique concepts, her illustrations are clever and inspiring.

See more in her portfolio.

Cosmo I

I am from Ukraine but currently live in Denmark. I
enjoy this country a lot, it is small but there are so many places you
can go and just catch pure inspiration. People are also an important
part of living "Danishly."

They are cheerful, they always smile to you
if you exchange glances, and they are always ready to help. I think their
secret is just that they have a positive approach to life.

Illustrations for Polish Magazine

I recently became more courageous in my artwork and have tried more techniques to find new ways to make my illustrations more rich and interesting.

Denmark is the country where people like to express
themselves and are not afraid of being judged. It helps a lot since we
are always thinking that something in our drawings may not be accepted or
warmly welcomed by society.

Psychologia dla Rodziców

Illustrations for Polish Magazine

Here, design is a key. Folks love to pay attention to every detail and
create comfortable and well-designed spaces around them. It influences every
aspect of life.

Copenhagen is full of art museums and galleries which
are all separate worlds, presenting a variety of époques and artists.
But the first thing you learn is how to save money so you can buy only that
lamp which you saw in a small shop and have already started dreaming about.

Rune Elias

Rune is a visual artist and designer living in Copenhagen, Denmark. His work is subtle yet unique, and often communicates strong themes in various styles.

See more in his portfolio.

CPH:DOX Poster

I love the summer here which is the only reason I'm staying, the other 8 months are straight up hell!

Movie Poster: Where Have All The Good Men Gone?

I'm living in Copenhagen, hanging around with good and weird people,
which inspires me the most! The culture of hanging out at different
brown Bodegas definitely gives my work some edge. And it's how people understand what they are seeing in
the easiest way.

No Title

Formaldehyde

The art community is always fun here. I mostly only mingle with the "art community" when there is free beer!

Michelle Carlslund

Michelle is an illustrator and poster maker living in Copenhagen, Denmark. Featuring flat illustrations with lots of patterns and textures, Michelle's work is beautifully hand crafted.

See more in her portfolio and follow her on Instagram.

The Golden Collection

Even though I am not very fond of winter I really love seeing the
seasons change in Denmark. The sense of euphoria that happens when we have the
first day of spring is the best. It is like everyone is in love with the
world all at once!

I also love the Scandinavian design tradition; the
minimal, clean and functional designs using a lot of natural materials
like wood, metals and stone. My own work is a bit more colorful but it
looks really nice when you combine all the colors with the neutral and
calm surroundings.

Michelle Carlslund x Södahl

I think that the color palette I use is quite typical for Danish and
Scandinavian design. I adapted some of their clean
lines and simplicity and added it to my illustration style.

Denmark is a really nice place to live as an illustrator because
we have a lot of dark winter months here. They're perfect for
staying inside, coming up with ideas and drawing all through the
winter!

Forest Poster

Peacock

We have a lot of creatives and entrepreneurs in Denmark in many
different fields. I think the creative scene is quite innovative and I
see so many great things happening and ideas coming to life.

Johanna Wurm

Johanna is a creative designer living in Aarhus, Denmark. With a specialty in brand design and illustration, her work features heartwarming creations you'll love.

See more in her portfolio and follow her on Instagram.

Spring Chinchilla Illustration

Denmark is a place of high standards in all aspects of life, which makes
my work both challenging and a great deal of fun. I am very lucky to have some great influences around me.

Cute Bunny Textile

People appreciate and
value design in Denmark and they are willing to pay for it. This gives me the
opportunity to constantly push myself to be better at my craft.

Branding for Aalborg Zoo

Kernehuset Branding

The art
community is very vibrant here. In my
experience, to fit into the Danish design culture you need to elevate the
quality, push your boundaries and do it with passion. People are open and passionate about their
work and it is common to work as a team.

Many thanks to the artists who took time to answer my
questions and share a bit about themselves and how their country and/or culture
has affected their work. You can check out more of their work in the links
below:

• Mani Zamani
• Melany Vilchynska
• Rune Elias
• Michelle Carlslund
• Johanna Wurm