Abby Winkler – Designer

As an artist, I started out as a painter but my first art-related job was working as a commercial illustrator. I gravitated towards illustration and it's ability to use drawing as an educational tool. My background as a fine artist initiated my love of color and composition, and my experience as a commercial artist sparked my interest in hand-lettering and vintage-style graphics. My favorite projects to work on allow me to bring my individual style to help tell someone's story, or to explain the significance of beloved places. Since 2017, I have been steadily working on a side illustration project called 100 Days of Pittsburgh, where I illustrate 100 people, places and landmarks connected to Pittsburgh, PA. This has been invaluable to me in finding my creative voice and personal style, and has allowed me to work with local clients who have a shared interest.

I strive to create illustrations that inform in an approachable and fun way, using joyful color palettes and inventive lettering styles. My specialties are portraits, hand-lettering, and architecture. Everything is drawn by hand with pen, usually a Micron fineliner. I add color digitally in Photoshop, or sometimes I apply it traditionally with watercolor or gouache. I also like to scan in textures made by hand to layer within my illustrations in order to further incorporate a handcrafted touch. This marriage of analog and digital techniques is something that keeps me endlessly interested and helps me to create the most dynamic images that I can.

When collaborating with me on a project, you can expect me to be an active and responsive listener who is ready to bring their own ideas to the table. I value clear and concise communication and I do not hesitate to ask questions. I thrive on client input and feedback, and value opportunities where I can collaborate with different voices to create meaningful and interesting work.