We are thrilled to welcome Elena Knecht as the newest artist to Bright’s Design and Advertising division. Elena is incredibly talented and is known for her bold use of color, shape, and natural elements in her deisgns. We chatted with Elena to learn about her start in design and to get an idea of her aspirations now that she is a comissioned illustrator.

Tell us a little bit about your journey to becoming a commissioned, working illustrator?

I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember, and I knew early on that I wanted to make drawing my career. I first trained as a graphic designer, which taught me a lot of practical things. I then studied illustration fiction in Lucerne for three years, where I was able to try out different things. Since 2021, I have been working at an advertising agency in Zurich with great people and illustrating for clients or for myself in my free time. I am particularly proud of my two children’s books Tschäderibumm and Klipp Klapp. What I love most about illustration is that it is so incredibly varied. Sometimes I get to draw funny animals for a children‘s book and another time I get to draw a landscape for a wine label.

What are some of your earliest memories surrounding art and how that shaped the artist you are today?

My earliest memories are sitting at the kitchen table with my mother, drawing and crafting. She always had pens and paper with her and would draw with me on the train when traveling or in restaurants when I was bored. We also often went to museums or visited new places.
I also started taking photographs early. This hobby taught me to look closely because I spent hours photographing small beetles and flowers in the garden. Animals and plants have been with me all my life. I love spending time in gardens and even more so in greenhouses and grew up with many pets. That‘s why nature appears most in my illustrations.

So, you’re from Zurich! How does your hometown influence your work?

I come from Baden, which is 15 kilometers away from Zurich. However, I don’t identify that strongly with my hometown because I developed wanderlust from an early age. Since I was eleven years old, it has been my dream to emigrate to Holland. Above all, Amsterdam captured my heart. I love the architecture, the people and their attitude to life. My dream of emigrating to Amsterdam has motivated me for many years to always give my full effort in my work.

However, what I really appreciate about Zurich and Switzerland in general is the great and varied food, the clean cities and the opportunity to quickly be in the middle of nature.

Do you have a dream client/brief that you are workings towards?

Yes! My biggest dream is to illustrate for a fashion magazine and to design the packaging for a cosmetic or makeup brand like Kiehl’s or Mac Comestics. The best feeling is when I see my work outside. I have a lot of goals that I want to achieve, so I work very hard so that I can live all my dreams one day.

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Elena is represented by Ed Palmer. To work with Elena, get in touch with Ed here