Archives: Work

Taking fun seriously with Sport Mode plasters.

Bernardo Henning knows how to capture the moment. Sport Mode – a limited edition tin and three bandage designs for Welly – was built around one in particular: the not-so-happy one, when a kid needs something good to look at. The brief called for movement, energy and a streetwear-adjacent graphic sensibility. Bernardo delivered all three, in full print, for kids who need cheering up before getting back in the game.

Bernardo Henning

"Working on a real product is always exciting because it becomes part of people’s everyday lives. I wanted to create something fun, colourful, and inspired by sports, bringing energy to a moment that’s usually not so happy and making it feel a little lighter.”

The tin was the real technical challenge – fully printed and needing to interact precisely with a belly band, everything had to sit just right. Sport Mode is the result: colourful, kinetic and perfect for brightening up the moment it's needed most.

Back Market needed a horse. Maxime Manga took the reins.

As part of its Downgrade Now campaign, Back Market wanted to highlight the fundamental differences between human- and AI-generated art. Enter the horse. For centuries, depicting its anatomical complexity has helped to separate the good from the bad in artists’ circles – and Back Market knows it. 

The global marketplace, which specialises in refurbished technology, landed its hand-drawn horse concept by harnessing Maxime Manga’s multidisciplinary skillset. Commissioned by Brave Paris, the Cameroon-based artist engaged thoughtfully with Back Market’s motif, carefully revealing the physical intricacies of the illustration process.

“Recreating a full horse in collage while still keeping it recognisable as a horse was quite a complex game”, Maxime says. “A horse is already insanely complex anatomically, so rebuilding it from scratch – even beyond scratch – while keeping that organic feeling was a real puzzle”.

It was a puzzle the digital illustrator navigated in three distinct stages: crafting the horse, creating the background, conveying the energy. Leaning into graffiti-style patterns, tactile brushwork and clever typography, Maxime brought true depth to the composition, expertly addressing the elusive ‘AI versus man-made’ question. Hurdle cleared. 

Puppets in the Toy Shop

Toy Shop Boy is a regular world-builder – and for this project, he drew on classical foundations. The Italian tale Pinocchio was the central theme of Standard Chartered Arts in the Park, Hong Kong’s largest outdoor youth art event. To drum up excitement for the 25th anniversary, Toy Shop Boy forged a world fit for the fairytale.

When creating his Pinocchio, Toy Shop Boy turned to the original 1880s novel, using its descriptions as the base for a recognisable yet unique take on the puppet. His nostalgic, grainy aesthetic was a natural match for the fairytale world. Then, as the story goes, with a little animation magic, the character came to life.

"From Geppetto’s workshop, to Pinocchio's birth, meeting the Cricket and falling into the sea…"

Beyond the screen, his characters and animated sequences were brought into the festival itself – appearing in parades, interactive art booths, and immersive experiences that extended the story into the real world.

An ode to craftsmanship – from Pinocchio being carved to life, to Toy Shop Boy’s meticulous character design and animation – it was a perfect match for a festival celebrating the art of making.

Editorial illustration for Ray-Ban by Maxime Manga with The Different Folk, illustration agency London

Roll out the red carpet…

Legendary British culture magazine i-D teamed up with eyewear titan Ray-Ban, asking their favourite artists to reimagine the colour red. The project also invites emerging artists to submit their own red artworks for a chance to feature in a digital zine. Safe to say, Maxime Manga’s burning-hot talent was top of their list.

What does red make you think of? Perhaps lipstick, stop signs, or roses. Perhaps King Crimson’s album Red, or Taylor Swift’s. Perhaps you think of risk. Did you know that boxers who wear red are more likely to win, and that poker players are more likely to bet when they have red chips?



For Maxime, this intensity is crucial. He describes red as the “gentle violence of humanity,” recalling the blood that runs through our veins, the rosy red that flushes our cheeks. ‘Gentle violence’ is also a lens through which to view Maxime’s art, which mixes aspects of life that are often juxtaposed: "Things that normally don’t go together, but when you see them, you realise they were meant to go together," he says. He calls this his ‘chaos’ – and it made him the perfect artist to channel a colour associated with extremes.

Maxime’s final work enshrines a portrait in flecks of red – from crimson to scarlet, ruby to oxblood – and feathers the figure’s shoulders with his signature mixture of soft brushstrokes and jagged, geometric textures. A pair of sunglasses, lifted up and resting on the forehead, allows for a direct gaze. This is red as fiery, urgent, and defiant.

Crossing the tracks with curious characters

What if you could map your year in motion – journey by journey? Hop on board, your guide to the past is here. At the end of 2025, French train network SNCF was seeking a cast of colourful characters to lead customers through their annual year-in-review, and Maria do Rosário Frade jumped aboard.

An annual rendezvous, ‘Retrainspective’ gives SNCF customers a way to reminisce on a year of travel. For the latest edition, Maria brought her playful graphic style to the gamified mobile experience – encouraging users to unlock their travel accomplishments with fun, warmth and celebration in each new scene.

Maria Frade

"The challenge was creating characters that felt fun and expressive without being human, animal or sci-fi."

Maria’s characters wear their unique personalities on their sleeves, creating a wonderful, strange sense of recognition. By balancing variation with cohesion, she leaves enough room for us to see hints of ourselves in her curious cohort.

Dream big and get yours

So nice, they got him twice. The Procreate Dreams team returned for another hit of Maxime Manga magic to launch version 2.0 of the animation app. Following their first collaboration (peek here), the new release called for a fresh dose of that relentless energy. Created for the program – and with it – Maxime’s new work shows what’s possible when you let creativity run free.

Being a beginner is a beautiful thing. Sometimes, if you’re Maxime, it even takes you around the world. Maxime admits to teaching himself animation by analysing the work of other animators. Keen to get his take on the new features, the team flew Maxime to Tasmania to test out the program he’d be using for his new piece. 

Whilst there, Maxime spoke at The Design Conference about rethinking our relationship with mistakes and accidents. He also demoed new Procreate tools to an eager audience – a gratifying full-circle moment. 

“Dream big” is the open invitation that underpins Maxime’s animation. It’s almost a dare: what happens when you remove limitations? 

Maxime’s work is bursting with emotion. In this piece, he takes us to the twinkle in someone’s eye, revealing the blazing energy of the unrealised dream behind it. For Maxime’s character, it’s the dream of a superstar basketball career. What is it for you? 

Maxime Manga

"Constraints are the ally of the creative mind. So, I challenged myself to do it without asking myself any questions."

Our wildest dreams can’t always be realised, but Maxime’s work serves as an inspirational reminder to take the guardrails off our creativity. We’re all beginners here – so dream big.

illustration for Sol De Janeiro by The Different Folk, illustration agency London

This track got tropical.

Bernardo Henning works at full throttle – and it shows. With style equalling energy, Sol de Janeiro was sold.

Sol de Janeiro commissioned Bernardo to design its race car for GP Explorer, the annual automotive competition in France. Creating a custom Formula 4 design for a global brand? All in a day’s work for this Argentinian artist.

Partnering with Ex-Machina, Bernardo brought Brazilian beach vibes to the world of motorsport – and made it look easy. With tilted lines and tonal transitions, the bodywork was a perfect fusion of brand essence and event intensity.

Bernardo Henning

“The overall idea was to work with lines that reflect speed, but that also fit the car's shape in a natural and organic way.”

His first time designing a racing car, it was a thrilling change of gears for the artist. “I was really excited to expand my style into something I've never done before. My work reflects a lot of energy and speed, so this was a perfect blend for me.” With Bernardo in the driving seat, Sol de Janeiro brought true dynamism to the track.

Photography: Felix Afchain

It's getting witchy and weird.

Jess Bianchi is renowned for her ethereal, anime-inspired depictions of fantastical beings and women warriors. She was the obvious choice to give Summoner gaming studio's typically brutalist aesthetic a new direction.

Tasked with an open brief around Summoner's wolf shadow puppet logo, Jess Bianchi created her first ever black and white piece, drawing inspiration from the all-female Japanese manga artist group CLAMP to stage a priestess who summons a demonic wolf.

Mystical elements weave throughout the monochrome narrative, meticulously crafted with assistance from animator Mariana Diaz. Layered with shadow puppetry and morphing bodies, the piece asks where shadow ends and the body begins, with rich textures that feel both ancient and contemporary. The approach paid off. Through skilled attention to silhouette and negative space, the piece casts subtle hints at Summoner's future directions.

Summoner Studio

"We were drawn to Jess' character-driven style and knew it would translate beautifully into our darker aesthetic. The collaboration was a joy – her creativity and craft pushed the project into unexpected and exciting territory.”

Community football court design blending Berlin urban symbols and natural elements

Bringing colour to the court.

Berlin: it’s in Josephine Rais’ bones. That’s why she was commissioned to infuse a communal space in the capital with the real spirit of the city.

As part of the Bundesliga Common Ground project, Josephine was called up to revitalise an inner-city football pitch. With creative input from neighbourhood children, she transformed a nondescript space into a bold expression of their vision.

Blending natural elements with urban symbols, Josephine created a simple yet striking portrait of the children’s home: a city alive with colour and contradiction. To capture the complexities of the capital, she played to her strengths and expertly balanced shapes and shades at scale.

The finished product is a testament to Josephine’s talent, Berlin’s rich tapestry and truly unifying effect art has when communities are invited to contribute to their neighbourhood’s aesthetic.

Josephine Rais

“The most rewarding moment was seeing the children play their first match on the finished court. Several parents later reached out to thank me, saying how much more welcoming and exciting the court looks now – which was truly the best feedback I could imagine.”


Juan mixes tenderness and trippiness in KENZO’s animated love story

When KENZO came knocking with the idea to continue the whimsical animated universe from their LUCKY ME collection, Juan was all in.

This second brief, a beautiful, trippy romance. Meet Quique, a tiger with a soft spot for Kali, the rabbit. Their love story doesn’t just stop at stolen glances - it blossoms into a family of three little ones, each carrying the traits of both parents. 

The catch? This had to be a one-shot animation - no cuts, no breaks. Just a seamless visual waltz from start to finish.

Juan R Lage

“I feel the dreamlike tone, the narrative built through transformation, and the characters’ emotional connections all came through just as I envisioned.”

Those transitions became the artist’s signature - fluid, expressive, and tinged with that dreamlike quality that makes the piece feel almost like a moving memory. The challenge was balancing KENZO’s detailed character designs with the demands of fluid animation, all while keeping the tenderness of the story intact.

The results speak for themselves a rich, mysterious nostalgic tone; delicate emotional beats; and a visual rhythm that makes the viewer feel like they’ve stepped into another world. The final piece is more than just an animation. It’s a love story told in a single breath - one that flows, transforms, and lingers long after it ends.

Creative Lead: Julien Gaullet
Clean-up Artist: Juli Soloaga
Production: The Different Folk
Client: Kenzo

Juan R Lage

“I’m proud we kept the one-shot structure. It’s full of camera shifts and intricate transformations, but we didn’t lose any detail. Everything - the atmosphere, the characters’ connections, the dreamlike flow - came out exactly as I’d hoped.”