From graphic design studies to global clients for artist Jesse Stone

by Sophie Macdonald

What began as simple sketches and childhood curiosity has turned into surreal landscapes and a distinctive style recognised by major brands and publishers for local artist Jesse Stone.

For Jesse, art has always been a natural extension of who he is.

“I’ve always been into art, since I was a kid,” he said.

“I loved drawing and painting and that’s really where it all started for me.”

His formal shift into digital work began at university, where studying graphic design introduced him to new tools for expression.

However, it wasn’t until the 2020 lockdown that everything serendipitously fell into place for his vision.

With time to experiment freely, he began to create digital collages in Photoshop, at first without any plan or direction.

He was just “creating for the sake of it, but something clicked straight away”.

He recalled “those early experiments” being the first moment he realised he wanted to build surreal landscapes and collages in a more serious way. As people began to recognise his unique work, he felt he had “finally found” his lane.

Jesse’s visual art has undergone a significant transformation since the early ages of his Stonecollages page on Instagram: he went from spending hours “digging through the internet for vintage landscapes, people, card [and] old magazines” to “buying vintage magazines and scanning everything” himself.

He found that the “textures were better, the colours were cleaner” and it pushed him to start drawing his own landscapes on top of those scans in what quickly became the foundation of his style - this, he found, made clients take him seriously.

As Jesse’s work gained more visibility, an array commercial collaborations followed.

“Most clients come to me specifically for my style, so even on commercial projects, I never feel like I’m being pulled away from what I naturally do,” he said.

Projects for brands like Maezen, Starbucks and vinyl covers have allowed him both creative freedom and collaborative support.

“It becomes a partnership. They trust your vision but also help guide the project in the right direction.”

A standout moment in his career was being commissioned by Penguin to redesign the cover of Ian McEwan’s Solar.

“Working with Penguin was surreal. I’ve always admired their work, and to be trusted with a cover for someone like McEwan felt huge,” Jesse said.

Bringing his aesthetic into an established series like Vintage Earth was both aligned and inspiring.

“It made me realise that the work I’d been building was reaching the right people. It gave me a big push of confidence.”

While Jesse’s style continues to evolve naturally, his direction is clear.

“Your work grows with you,” he said.

“The most important thing for me is to keep creating, keep learning and keep growing the style and direction I’ve been working towards.”

His long-term ambitions include becoming a full-time freelance designer and illustrator, collaborating with major names, and eventually launching his own exhibition.

“These are the steps toward becoming more established, and that’s what makes the future exciting for me.”