Maddalena Carrai — Italian Pop Illustrator

Illustrator between Tuscany and Paris, Maddalena Carrai, with her fluid, natural drawing style, has a rare talent for capturing the deep meaning of the subject and she draws it with strong colors and smart shapes. The contrast created between strong, vibrant colors and smart, smooth shapes catches the eye.

Her illustrations are instantly recognizable but so simply drawn that they’re always easy for people to relate to. Thanks to the unique style she’s developed, her clients include some of the biggest magazines and publisher in Italy, and even Lady Gaga entourage recognizes her professionalism and value. Maddalena never runs out of ways to make her subjects look fascinating and engaging. Maddalena does everything digitally in Photoshop and Clip studio paint using a Cintiq screen by Wacom. Before drawing, she studies different photos as references, then she uses her imagination to create a brand-new illustration.

Key Software

Photoshop Maddalena uses strong colors, with high contrast between them, and smooth and smart shapes. She makes powerful illustration, but with gentle lines

Client list

Maddalena’s clients include Penguin Random House, Hachette, Headline, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, H&M, Penguin Random House, Lady Gaga, Brandon Maxwell and Vespa Piaggio.

Graphic woman watching through monoscope