Meet Acapulco Studio, Warsaw’s Dynamic Illustration Duo
Agata Dudek and Gosia Nowak-Żurek, the talented team behind Acapulco Studio, are celebrated for their playful and thought-provoking illustrations and book designs. Since their graduation from the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, where they first met, Agata and Gosia have collaborated on a wide range of creative projects spanning editorial illustration, book design, posters, packaging, textiles, and even murals. Their unique style combines the timeless influence of the Polish School of Illustration with a pinch of ‘90s kitsch, creating visuals that are both nostalgic and refreshingly modern.
Is there anything you'd say you would be a good advocate for? Please elaborate if so.
The rules are simple! Do what you like, eat good food and pet the cats! Also, don't try to look at other people too much and be patient - there's a time for everything and sometimes it's not worth rushing!
What would you say sets you apart from other illustrators? Something you feel is unique to you.
We are very fond of analogue techniques and even when we use digital tools we try to give them an analogue "hand-drawn" character. We also have a pretty cool sense of humour and often use symbolism and metaphor.
If you have done paid commissions prior to joining the agency, what would you say is something that clients repeatedly come to you for (up to now)?
We are professionals! We can be trusted! Our clients also know that we can draw things that are difficult and complicated for the recipient in a simple and fun way. We enjoy our work, drawing makes us happy and we hope that this is reflected in our work.
How would you describe your style?
It is difficult to describe a style that is constantly changing. What remains constant is colour - it is usually limited to a narrow colour palette of strong and saturated shades. We love pink, yellow and red - they define our style! Besides, we take inspiration from analog tools and we really like the imperfections and mistakes of traditional printing techniques and handwritten work. But above all, colour and humour define our style!
Please give a scenario of a project that would mean the world to you, if you were offered it - something that connects to something meaningful to you.
From now on, we would love to draw cats and mushrooms ;) But we don't have any big dreams at the moment. Maybe next year we will have an idea?
Are you working on any personal projects you can share with us?
We draw a lot of plants and mushrooms - this is our current personal project, we'll see where it goes. We try to do a lot of sketching and simple drawings with markers - it's our little art exercises that give us a break from working on the computer. We have lots of ideas - time is the biggest enemy!
Finally, if you were to illustrate a book related to a real life person, who would that be?
We are still waiting for such a person, for now we are left with drawing nature and the imagination zone.
If you’d like more info, please contact: [email protected]
At illo agency, we pride ourselves in representing a collation of global illustrators, distinctly diverse in creativity and uniquely celebrated by like-minded clients across a range of commercial markets.