Henryk Zimak - Storyboard Illustrator, Germany

Ideas flow quickly and easily from the tip of Henryk Zimak’s pencil, and his immediate and expressive style has made him a leading choice for top brands and international agencies. A specialist in storyboard illustration, with his hand-sketched approach Henryk is equally popular with advertising and publishing clients. He’s the illustrator to turn to when a concept needs to be communicated with verve and excitement.

Born in Poland, the moment Henryk saw the animated film Yellow Submarine he knew he wanted to become an illustrator. He studied painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, before moving to Cologne to work in television. With expert drafting, anatomy and facial drawing skills, he’s become one of Germany’s top illustrators and clients come to him both for his style and reliability. Influences include Heinz Edelmann, Tomi Ungerer, Grzegorz Rosinski and Johannes Vermeer. He’s also inspired by big, empty beaches and the Baltic in Autumn.

Approach

Henryk draws conventionally using pencil and paper, then edits and colours his work on a computer using Painter.

Style

Lively, dynamic and even ecstatic – there’s a sense of energy in every image Henryk illustrates.

Client list

Henryk has worked for a range of high-profile clients including BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Zurich Insurance Group, Miele, McDonald’s, Jung von Matt, DDBO, Publicis, Leo Burnett, Scholz & Friends and more.