O-1 Visas
I’m a sucker for a certain type of hand-drawn illustration, namely the sort of witty, sexy, cartoon vibe found in the paintings of John Wesley or the drawings of Saul Steinberg. Morain An, a Chinese-born graphic artist working and living in New York City, channels that vintage mood in designs for clients ranging from a LES French-Vietnamese cocktail bar to a Shanghai wine festival, the New York Times, and a Brooklyn healthcare team. She primarily uses old-school watercolor and ink, has a spare and deliciously wobbly touch, and leans hard into a winsomely confident awkwardness. The result are sketches of relatable characters quaffing red wine, considering medical charts, and riding warily toward the sunset on piggybank-back. Each does what a really good editorial illustration should, namely conveying the required information in a way that makes the viewer want to eat that food, do that task, read that article, and then some.
—Lori Waxman 7/24/26 4:32 PM