Daniel Sulzberg - Children's Book & Character Design Illustrator, US

Based in Santa Barbara, California, Daniel Sulzberg’s work is infused with the diverse melting pot of laid back culture and creativity that his home state is famous for. It’s colorful, fun, positive, whimsical, detailed, and sometimes a bit zany. The characters effortlessly jump to life in his world he calls Danvillage.

COMIC BOOKS, NINTENDO GAMES, AND SATURDAY MORNING CARTOONS... As a child of the 80's, this was Daniel's life! Now, as a Santa Barbara based illustrator not much has changed. Staying true to his roots, he named his illustration studio "Danvillage" after his hometown Danville, where it all started. Outside of his creative work, Daniel is a mocha-maestro and a soccer-loving Dad to two feisty and fun kiddos.

Approach

Dan’s process starts with loose sketching on paper as he plays with ideas for each piece. The sketches are refined and the composition is honed for a final drawing, which he’ll scan to colour with his iPad and Apple Pencil, before transferring it into Photoshop for the finishing touches.

Key Software

Photoshop

Style

Vivid color, positivity, surrealism and whimsy are all elements of Daniel’s style, which is heavily influenced by where he’s from – California. “The vibe of being relaxed, casual and yourself is a part of who I am and it definitely shows in my work,” he says.

Client list

Dan’s clients include The New York Times, Nike, Google, Facebook, Youtube, Red Bull, Major League Soccer, The Washington Post, Tottenham Hotspur, Topps, Sesame Street, and bands such as Khruangbin, the Grateful Dead, and Digable Planets.