Silke Bachmann — Pastiche Illustrator, Hamburg

Silke Bachman is one of Germany’s most versatile professional illustrators. Watercolor paintings, 1930s poster art, Impressionism, comic book panels, Cubism, fashion illustration – her ability as a pastiche artist knows no bounds. Clients love the way she effortlessly adapts from one technique to the next, nailing the creative brief and the tone of the communication every time.

Since studying at Fachhochschule für Gestaltung in Hamburg, Silke has travelled widely, returning to Hamburg with a collection of sketchbooks. She worked as a storyboard artist and character designer in the animation industry before becoming a full-time illustrator and her influences include Adolf Menzel, Wilhelm M Busch, Claude Monet, Vincent Van Gogh, Picasso and Japanese and Chinese painting.

Approach

Whatever style she’s working in, Silke chooses a composition and color palette that suits the intention behind the image. Bright colors go with dynamic compositions to highlight exciting issues, darker palettes and static forms are used to generate mood. She works with Photoshop, Illustrator and Painter which makes client amends easy to execute, but also loves natural media such as watercolors and oils.

Key Software

Photoshop, Illustrator and Painter

Styles

A skilled and experienced pastiche illustrator, Silke has a range of styles as follows: Lichtenstein – strong black linework and replicated print textures. Fashion – loose, expressive inks and watercolors. Watercolor – classic free painting with swift brushstrokes. Oil – approached like an impressionist. Children’s book – vector art with pencil outlines and color. Architecture – vector illustration emphasizing the strong lines of a structure, or a looser, sketch-like approach with watercolor.

Awards

2011 – Golden Award of Montreaux – Print & Outdoor

Client list

Silke’s clients include Welt am Sonntag, Cicero, Bilanz, National Geographic, Bild, Glamour, Pfizer, Volkswagen, Bebe, Edeka, Santé, Degussa and Hanser Verlag.