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Alyah Holmes

Alyah Holmes

Alyah Holmes - Canada based illustrator

Vibrant, playful and exciting – artwork created by Alyah (Ah-lee-uh) Holmes is bursting with positivity and her uplifting style makes her an artist in high demand. Every new client Alyah works for instantly recognizes the passion she brings and is rewarded with illustrations that exceed their expectations.
Open-minded, professional and easy to work with, Alyah’s style is suitable across categories – from award-winning children’s books through to advertising, packaging and editorial. With a Bachelor of Design degree from York University and Sheridan College in Canada, she quickly grasps what agencies and big brand clients want to communicate and then the ideas flow. Black culture and being a woman are central to her creativity, and Alyah aims to communicate that experience, history and culture through her work. The 90s Hip Hop scene and life by the tropical seaside are also important influences. Based part of the year in Ontario and part of the year in Florida, she works with clients everywhere.

Approach

Each project begins with Alyah compiling her best ideas and references, then sketching on paper or on her iPad. The imagery is vectorized in Adobe Illustrator to add color, texture and detail, but then goes back to Procreate on the iPad for finishing.

Style

Alyah’s style is always bold and impactful, with bright, contrasting colors and big, organic forms, but there are always touches of intrigue and playfulness. In some cases, she relies solely on colorful forms, in others line work and texture will bring depth to the piece.

Awards

2023 - American Illustration 42 2022 – Canada Book Awards - Illustration 2022 – Favorite Design Awards - Packaging 2018 – Adobe Design Awards – Commercial – Semi-finalist 2018 – Adobe Design Awards – Packaging Semi-finalist

Client list

Some of Alyah's clients include Yahoo, Bombay Sapphire, Los Angeles Times, Roku, Penguin Random House, Audible, Sarasota Magazine, Moose Toys, USC, AARP, Bacardi, Hershey’s, Coca-Cola, Hasbro and the Ellen Degeneres Show.
The article "My Clutter, Myself" by AARP for Sisters
Alyah Holmes
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