Gold Graphics, Illustration and Visual Communication Design · 2022
Before the Midnight Hour Furniture Illustrations
- A' Design Award 2022 Gold Winner in Graphics, Illustration and Visual Communication Design
- Awarded April 15, 2022
- CLIENT: Martin Reznik Illustration
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 59,187
- Verification code B375D854CF · Verify this award
About Before the Midnight Hour Furniture Illustrations
A series of black and white illustrations commissioned by Marc Krusin and featuring his most prominent furniture designs for Knoll and Desalto. Inspired by comics and noir cinema, the project breaks the conventions of furniture illustration by bringing narrative to the scenes, use of exaggerated perspective and a moody noir aesthetic. The lack of human presence and scattered objects add an element of mystery and suspense to the story, while the protagonist is revealed in a surprise ending. All images were drawn digitally in Adobe Photoshop using Wacom Cintiq tablet.
Working within the distinguished tradition of linear illustration that traces its heritage through centuries of printmaking and graphic arts, Martin Reznik's Before the Midnight Hour Furniture Illustrations demonstrates a masterful command of monochromatic visual storytelling through the disciplined deployment of the drawn line. The work appears to engage with the aesthetic vocabulary of mid-twentieth-century illustration, particularly the atmospheric interiors that populated the pages of sophisticated periodicals, yet brings to this tradition a contemporary precision and contemplative depth. The technical achievement lies in the artist's ability to generate a complete tonal spectrum, from profound shadow to brilliant highlight, entirely through the orchestration of parallel and intersecting lines of varying density, weight, and spacing, a methodology that demands both conceptual clarity and exceptional manual control. The composition situates the viewer as an intimate observer of a quiet domestic moment, where carefully selected objects become protagonists in an implied narrative: the inviting posture of an unoccupied chair, the patient presence of a waiting drink, the ephemeral dance of rising smoke marking the passage of time. The venetian blind motif functions both as environmental description and as formal device, its horizontal rhythm providing a visual drumbeat against which the more organic curves of furniture and smoke perform their quieter melodies. One might observe how the work celebrates the sensory richness embedded in ordinary domestic rituals, elevating the simple pleasure of evening rest into a subject worthy of artistic attention. The careful observation of how light filters, how shadows fall in striped patterns across varied surfaces, and how smoke curls in defiance of the surrounding geometry suggests an artist deeply attentive to the visual poetry of the everyday. How might we, as viewers, locate similar moments of aesthetic richness within our own quotidian environments?
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Series of illustrations commissioned by furniture designer Marc Krusin for the promotional use on his website and across social media channels and featuring his most prominent furniture designs for Knoll and Desalto. The project brakes the conventions of furniture illustration by bringing a narrative to the scenes, use of exaggerated perspective and a film noir aesthetic. The lack of human presence and scattered objects add an element of mystery. The protagonist is revealed in a surprise ending.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- The illustrations are mainly used in a digital format online, but they were also designed with art print production in mind. Each square illustration is drawn on 500 x 500mm digital canvas.
The images were later combined into a large poster (500 x 700mm) and reproduced as a limited edition screen print. - Tags
- illustration, furniture, noir, interior design, comics, digital art, black and white, drawing, architecture, graphic
- Production Technology
- Each illustration was drawn in pen and ink on paper and once approved by the client it was redrawn digitally. I used Adobe Illustrator to construct the furniture and interiors accurately and then Photoshop to apply textures, light and draw other elements using Wacom Cintiq tablet. The images were rendered using black only to recreate film noir aesthetic.
- Design Challenge
- The client was against any human figures in the scenes, but I could not help but wonder about the smoker missing from the first image. I felt his appearance was important to the story. His silhouette is revealed in an extended version of the 4th illustration, but only as a scroll option on an Instagram post. The client thought this elegant solution added an element of surprise and closure to the story.
Each image needed different cropping options to accommodate various socials and screen formats. - Project Duration
- The series was posted on Instagram and LinkedIn starting February 2021 and these posts are still active. The hero banners on client's website run for about 8 months, nearly till the end of 2021.
- Operation Flow
- The project was initially published on Instagram. The illustrations were posted in regular time intervals. Main interaction with the story comes with the 4th and last illustration, where the viewer is encouraged to reveal the protagonist (the smoker) by using the scroll option on the Instagram post.
The unusual approach to furniture illustration in these series ensures the greater impact on the viewers arousing their curiosity about the products and the brand itself. - Research
- Since I have never illustrated furniture before I made few initial sketches based on an online research of the industry trends, but these came out quite dull and rigid. I was not happy with them at all. I decided to go a different way and focus on style and narrative instead. From then on the research involved my favourite films and comic books, noir genre in particular. I decided to recreate its moody atmosphere in my series. The style also justifies unconventional framing of the furniture.
- Inspiration
- Main inspiration for this project were comics and classic French noir cinema. The concept for the first illustration came from a reference photo I received from the client, which was a shot of a chair from behind and at a very low angle. It was very unusual and sparked loads of questions in my head. Being a fan of detective stories I decided to follow this approach in the layout of the image. The first image was crucial in setting the tone for the whole series.
- Image Credits
- All illustrations: Martin Reznik, 2021