We're Johanna and Aki, a husband-and-wife illustration team creating playful, story-rich images for children's books. From words and linework to color and layout, we make every part work together to tell the story.
Johanna — illustrator and writer
Warmth and humor run through Johanna's illustrations. She also works in libraries, where she has extensive experience with books for children and young people. Johanna wrote and illustrated her debut book, Onnin ja Ilonan hurja päivä, first published in 2013.
Johanna holds a Bachelor of Culture and Arts in Fine Arts from North Karelia University of Applied Sciences and a Master of Arts from Aalto University's School of Arts, Design and Architecture. She has also studied information studies and interactive media, and completed teacher pedagogical studies.
Aki — illustrator, colorist and book designer
Aki holds a Master of Arts from the University of Lapland, where he studied media studies, video production, multimedia and photography. After nine years in UX/UI design, he brings a strong interest in visual communication and storytelling to the books he creates with Johanna. He enjoys exploring new techniques to bring stories to life.
How we work
We begin with shared sketches and develop the images together. Johanna usually creates the linework, while Aki adds digital color and prepares the book layouts. We refine the details as the illustration takes shape. When a project calls for a hand-painted look, Johanna paints the original, which Aki then prepares digitally for publication.
We hope our illustrations spark joy, curiosity, and the urge to turn one more page.
Have a story or project in mind? We would love to hear from you.