The Visual Metaphors of Sébastien Thibault

One of the things I like about many illustrators is the wit in their visual metaphors.
Sébastien Thibault is an illustrator based in Matane, Quebec who has this in spades. He’s won a bunch of impressive awards and has a stack of big-name, high-profile clients. That’s not why I’m writing about him, though – it’s the richness of his visual communication. He has a knack for taking quite abstract concepts and coming up with unusual yet extremely communicative illustrations.

Student Debts (Consumer Reports)

This bit with the hole and the diploma. Wow. I love the reversal of positive and negative space here.

(Thibault) pays huge attention to objects, shapes and colors symbolic in his conceptual illustrations. For him, illustration starts with brain then comes the pencil.
– Anna Goodson Management illustrator profile 

The Curious Perils of Perspective Taking (Scientific American Mind)

I know, a tin can phone? Making the string into a flame? Excellent!

How Do you Celebrate Earth Day? (Parents Today)

Leaves as candle flames. How innovative is that? Anyhow, I love Thibault’s work. More  can be seen on his site. He is represented by Anna Goodson Management.