By George Karouzakis

The work of Canadian designer and illustrator Tom Froese beautify some of the most influential magazines of our time, and the best digital editions of contemporary design. In his work, there is love for colour combined with simplicity, subtle humour and intelligent ideas. His compositions have livened up printed pages and digital magazines, such as Monocle, Wired, Harvard Business Review and GQ France.

Tom Froese is living with his family and working in the rural village of Yarrow, British Columbia, Canada. When I asked him to answer some questions about his work he accepted with joy.

What drive or wish guided you into design?

I’ve always been both artistic and practical. Design seemed like a good mix of the two! It was, however, a while before I figured this out. I was three years into a diploma in Computer Engineering when I decided to start design. I was offered a design role at a start-up company that made trampolines. After two years of this, I knew I needed to go to art school to get a proper degree in design. I never looked back!

Colours and lines are only tools, which anyone can use. How could someone treat them to create something inspiring or unique?

Best thing anyone can do to be creative is to have a private journal or sketchbook, and start there, where you’re not afraid to make mistakes. Just draw, write, doodle, or whatever. If it helps motivate you, share your sketches online using Instagram or a Tumblr (doing this is a great way to start a regular discipline of creating, by telling yourself you have an audience who expects you to keep coming back with more).

Travel poster-inspired illustrations for Capital One — Kyoto

Just have one good idea and communicate it effectively

Have you explained yourself why successful magazines, like Monocle and Wired, chose your work?

I suppose I haven’t. My guess is that these magazines saw in my work a combination of skill, wit and originality that they felt was on brand for their respective publications.

Is there a secret or a trick for a successful illustration?

At the level of an individual illustration, I suppose the trick is to understand the client and the story, how to bend your particular style or talents in such a way that solves the problem outlined in the brief. For editorial, have one clear idea and take it all the way. Don’t try to say too much, or have too much. Just have one good idea and communicate it effectively.

In terms of the process, always start with sketches, and never show the client more than three (all of which you must be able to stand behind). That sketch will become your contract, both with your client and with yourself. You never have to worry about veering off track if you stick to what the client approved. It is important that your sketch be smart, but not well-rendered. Leave room to exceed the client’s expectations.

How the digital era affects the new design and changes the printed media?

Digital has only brought more opportunities for illustrators and designers. It has been more damaging for the print industry than to illustrators in my experience. And now that print is rarer, it is more special, which in itself affords new creative opportunities, and an elevated perception of printed matter.

Are there any persons or artists from different fields who inspire you?

I suppose I draw a lot of my inspiration from people within my field. I’m a perennial fan of Paul Rand, Alvin Lustig, Saul Bass. But I am also inspired by more contemporary designers and studios, such as Pentagram in New York, who is always pushing themselves and the bar in general. I’m always inspired by people, artists or not, who live with intentionality, who put their heart into whatever they do, and who seem to well up with kindness. I want to be like these people!

New York

What are your biggest goals in your work for the next years?

I would like to continue illustrating, advancing and evolving my work as I mature. I would eventually like to create more product-based work, works that I can sell or reap royalties from, such as household objects and books. I would also like to do more speaking, teaching and writing eventually, once I amass more experience and respect in my field.

You have finished Stickyscapes: New York, a book with the most iconic sights of the famous city. In which way, an illustrator approaches a city with such an established reputation and dozens of preconceptions?

The short story is that this book was the third title in a series, and I was able to borrow in part the approach of the two illustrators who were before me. The book itself kind of had a style/approach, in other words. The good thing about New York is that a) it’s so well known that almost anyone could depict it, and b) it’s a lot of things to a lot of different people, so in that way it’s pretty hard to go wrong.