Vive speaks with Michael Manomivibul.

Michael is a freelance illustrator whose work ‘thrives on mystery and atmosphere’, He combines the classic narrative with a gorgeously realized illustrative style. Although Michael’s work may at first look unsettling and surreal, those who look at it on more than a superficial level are at once able to relate to the sense of adventure and the unknown- and the buzz that coincides with it.

We asked Michael to further explain the inner-workings of his illustrations:

“I think at the very core of my work is a sense of adventure, of pushing just beyond what’s known. Adventure grand and small, over the next mountain and under the next stone. Over that are layers of atmosphere and ambiguity, a certain open-endedness that lets the viewer fill in the blanks. I push for a sense of wonder and serenity in my work, though this often comes across as melancholy. Along with my taste for adventure I’m also fascinated by the potential for that adventure to consume them, the potential for failure or weakness. I love that cliffhanger feeling. I have a massive fascination with the ocean, it still seems endless in its mysteries. It’s so full of life but can also feel completely alien and empty. 

Ultimately I’m just trying to make pictures and stories that are true to me, it’s easy to get caught up in what you think everyone else wants but in the end if it makes you happy then it is likely it will make others happy too.”

You can see more of Michael’s work here.