Augie Trautz

Based in Oakland, California, Augie thrives on the free-flowing Bay Area vibe, which comes through in his expressive, hand-drawn artwork that exudes fun and dynamism. Mid-century comics and cartoons have been key creative influences in the development of his style, alongside vintage signage, and both remain present in his work. Clients love the characters Augie creates and the disparate looks he brings together in each original piece he draws. With a BFA in Illustration from the Maryland Institute College of Art, as well as being a professional illustrator Augie is an educator in the field teaching students of all ages, right up to university level. He listens to jazz and synth music while creating, and is inspired by Japanese poster and manga artists like Tadanori Yokoo, Tiger Tateishi, Osamu Tezuka and various underground comic creators.

Approach

Augie works mainly in brush and ink, like the artists who painted circus posters a century ago. He riffs on sign painting and cartoons, letting his imagination guide his hand, telling stories through characters and scenes of his own invention. Augie also loves exploring various alternative media and is developing a collage look of playful shapes, which is gently abstract with a little inspiration from Miro and Matisse.

Key software/h3> Some retouching and color separation in Procreate.

Style/h3> The retro comic look jumps out in much of Augie’s work with his big and bold line work, larger-than-life characters, hand lettering and a penchant for stretching reality towards abstraction. His skill is in creating something that feels familiar while at the same time looking new and unique.

Languages/h3> English