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Minimalist lines and muted illustrations by Jo In Hyuk

South Korean graphic designer and illustrator Jo In Hyuk creates beautiful portrait illustrations of young men and women, using clean lines, minimalist composition and muted colours throughout.

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A minimalist portrait illustration of a young person with pale skin, wavy blonde hair and closed eyes, rendered in soft lines and muted colours with a black shoulder visible

Despite the delicacy of his illustrations, he manages to convey strong emotions of people who are experiencing the transition between childhood and adulthood.

Many of his subjects lie half-dressed or bathing in water, baring their flesh and their vulnerabilities. It reminds us of a time when the world was confusing and our emotions were all over the place. A time when we felt a hundred different emotions all in one day. Although the intricate illustrations are soft and dreamy, you really do feel a connection with them and remember days when life seemed more complicated than it is now.

Profile of a pale-skinned figure with wavy blonde hair tilted back against a soft blue-green background, with a small red leaf floating nearby
Profile illustration of a person with wavy hair and an intricate black dragon wrapped around their neck and shoulder, rendered in muted colours and fine line work
Portrait illustration of a young woman in a black camisole with pale skin and short lavender hair, touching her face with a contemplative expression
Profile of a woman with grey-green hair touching her face, wearing black, with two delicate figures floating to the left in Jo In Hyuk's minimalist illustration style
Young woman with grey-pink hair resting her head on her hand against a blue background, holding a small snail on her palm
Side profile of a young person with intricately detailed wavy hair rendered in ink lines, facing right against a soft yellow background
Illustration of a young woman with pale skin and pink wavy hair, wearing a turquoise top, gazing downwards with a contemplative expression
Young person with pale pink hair wearing a white v-neck t-shirt and black trousers, hands crossed over chest against a soft green background
Illustration of a figure with wavy silver hair in profile, with a dark horizontal line crossing through their face and neck, against a cream background
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