Patrick Kyle’s Minimal, Deceptively Complex Illustrations

Contrasting colors and spooky characters make Patrick Kyle's minimal illustrations memorable.

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In illustrator Patrick Kyle’s drawings, ghoulish characters and disembodied limbs wander around a streetscape full of wilting plants. Sounds eerie, but Kyle’s brightly contrasting color schemes give his work a playful feel. His illustrations are like frames from a strange children’s film, or a comic book with a meandering plot.

In fact, the Toronto-based artist has put out several zines and books, most recently Don’t Come In Here, published by Koyama Press. The storyline of this comic, as explained by Koyama, is typical of Kyle’s style: “Looking for an inexpensive live/work space, an anonymous character settles on a supernatural apartment that has a seemingly unlimited number of identical rooms.”

In addition to his personal work, Kyle has worked with a number of publications, including Lucky Peach, The New York Times, and Bloomberg Businessweek. He shared a selection of recent illustrations with us, revealing a style that favors super minimal composition, creating a sense of mood and scene with just a few carefully placed lines.

Find more of Patrick Kyle’s illustration work at his portfolio.

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Find more illustration work:
Illustrator Riikka Laakso’s Modern Take on Folk Art
Johanna Noack Turns Lazy Sundays Into Pop Art GIFs
Clocked: An Art Student’s Guide to Schedule-Free Productivity

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