Estonian illustrator Eiko Ojala behind art for Time, The Economist and more
While not a household name in Estonia, illustrator Eiko Ojala has spent over a decade creating striking work for top global outlets from The New Yorker to The New York Times.
Art directors at major publications have long taken notice. Alongside museums and publishers, outlets including National Geographic, Time, Le Monde, Politico, The New Yorker, The Washington Post and The New York Times are among those that have commissioned the 43-year-old's work.
Ojala's illustrations are defined by stark contrasts of light and shadow, bold tones and clean minimalism. Though created digitally in Photoshop, they resemble paper cutouts.
"I wanted a style that gives you the impression it was made by hand," he said. "So when you see it on screen, you want to touch it."
As media consumption habits have changed over the years, it's difficult for illustrators' visual content to stand out. British illustrator Ryan Chapman said Ojala's work does precisely due to its restraint.
"You're competing with a lot," Chapman said. "And I think in that quietness, that's where his work speaks the loudest."
Signature style developed abroad
Ojala has enjoyed drawing since his earliest childhood stick figures and comics, and was quick to embrace computers as they emerged. Those skills led to a job in advertising, including at the U.K.'s Saatchi & Saatchi.
But a turning point came in the mid-2000s, when he stepped away from agency life and, like many young Estonians, spent a year in Australia and New Zealand.
"I think my illustration style was born there," Ojala acknowledged, recalling a period where he intuitively began developing his signature look.
Back in Estonia, early exposure came through the magazine Anne & Stiil, followed by a breakthrough commission from Eesti Ekspress. A 2013 cover illustration — a yellow carrot embraced by a person — caught the attention of international editors.
"After that, orders started coming from the U.K. and the U.S.," Ojala said. His first big commission was from the Victoria and Albert Museum, followed immediately by The New York Times.
Despite the initial shock at being contacted by The New York Times, he said working with global clients can actually feel less stressful than local ones.
"No matter what happens, they're on the other side of the ocean," Ojala explained. "But in Estonia, I might eventually end up meeting face-to-face with someone whose work I've done and who may not have liked it."
From Tallinn to Times
Chapman, whose credits include work with Google, Lego and even the City of Tallinn, said breaking into top-tier publishing is notoriously difficult.
"Art directors are looking for somebody that can convey a very complicated message in a unique way," he said.
Chapman noticed Ojala's work early on, and after moving to Estonia, he reached out to " the only illustrator that I knew." The two have been friends since.
Despite his international reach, Ojala still works from a small space in his Tallinn apartment with little more than a sketchbook and computer.
Alongside magazine covers, he has designed several book covers — including works by American author and social critic bell hooks and Norwegian novelist Jo Nesbø — and created holiday cards for the Estonian president.
One of his most high-profile projects was a June 2021 cover for a Time issue dedicated to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ojala noted the magazine first came to him with a specific concept in mind.
"They went with one of the ideas I suggested," he said, calling the outcome a turning point in his relationship with the publication.
Ojala continues to work with Time. One of his pieces was originally set for last year's issue on artificial intelligence, but was redesigned when the 2025 Time Person of the Year title went to "the Architects of AI."
He said the rise of AI tools does raise questions for illustrators, though he doesn't see it as an immediate threat. "Of course it worries me a little, but it's inevitable," he said, adding that the arrival of photography alongside painting changed everything too.
After two decades refining his craft, Ojala has deliberately kept his signature style niche and recognizable. That also means turning down some local work to avoid overexposure.
"Not because I don't want to do them, but I don't want my illustrations to end up flooding bookshelves or store shelves," he said. "I try to keep a low profile so my style can endure longer."
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Editor: Karmen Rebane, Aili Vahtla
