Creating everything from photorealistic platters of food through to zany animal characters with big personalities, Knut Maibaum is a digital illustrator par excellence capable of taking just about any idea and bringing it to life with verve and vision. Based in Hamburg, he’s one of Germany’s most experienced professional illustrators and uses this experience to zero in on what his clients want and execute the work impeccably.
Originally from Westphalia, Knut studied illustration and communication at the University of Applied Sciences in Hamburg, and later took up a drawing lectureship there, teaching illustration alongside his impressive career in image making. He illustrated the cover for one of the first novels printed in the Soviet Union after Glasnost, and his clients recommend him because of his dedicated, flexible approach.
Chief influences include the comic artists Will Eisner, Hergé and Moebius, alongside Art Nouveau and the likes of Egon Schiele, Peter Behrens, Hieronymus Bosch and Salvador Dali.
Approach
When he receives a brief, Knut focuses on what his client wants and how to achieve it, choosing the right creative technique to use for the communication. He prefers traditional drawing and painting media, finishing most projects digitally with Photoshop.
Styles
Knut is a self-described chameleon. He will evoke any style his client prefers if it fits the brief. This flexibility has led to commissions from some of the world’s biggest brands.Client list
His clients include Cicero, DHL, HM Revenue & Customs, Mercedes-Benz, Migros, Milka, Nivea, Tchibo, ThyssenKrupp, Virgin Music, Volvo, Volkswagen and Zürich Airport.