Skilled in setting up scenes rich in mood, melancholy and mystery, Katherine Lam balances concept and narrative in her film noir-esque illustrations. Based in New York, Lam draws inspiration from the diversity of her city, as well from her cultural influences: the art of Edward Hopper and Andrew Wyeth, old crime movies and the horror genre.
Shadow and light are elements she uses to add a surrealist slant to her compositions. “I like to paint hard shadows that wouldn’t make sense in real life, and I use a lot of texture and keep my brush marks visible to mimic traditional media,” she explains. Each image unfolds like a movie still, cinematic and expressive, leaving the narrative up to her audience’s interpretations.
Lam has a long and impressive client list, which includes The New York Times, New Yorker, Amazon and the Smithsonian Magazine, among others. She continually nurtures her personal projects – featured below – between commercial work. Visit her website and Instagram for more.
Images © Katherine Lam / with permission