Hi! My name is Jihad, I’m a 20-year-old illustrator, living in Lebanon.
When did you start your art journey?
I have always been into art to the point I don’t remember myself not drawing and painting every now and then.
What moment in your life inspired you the most to pursue art?
I grew up in a very supportive household even though i ruined the walls in my room with random doodles and sketches. Until my 10th birthday, when my dad got me one of those very fancy art supplies box with all the art mediums you could ever imagine. Since then I have not stopped drawing and exploring my art style.
Which individuals or aspects of culture influence your work the most?
I have always been interested in Tim Burton’s movies and the exaggeration of expressions and characters and backgrounds.
I also find myself searching “unique faces” or “exaggerated one point of view photography” on Pinterest and getting inspiration from them.
What drew you to this project with Chamberlain Coffee?
Working with Chamberlain Coffee was a dream come true. Other than the fact that i absolutely love the aesthetic of the brand, they gave me the freedom to work on something that represents and is inspired by me as an artist in a way or another.
What was the inspiration behind your limited edition coffee bag design?
My illustration exhibits an exaggerated point of view. As you can see I drew a person’s lower half, at the door step grabbing groceries. On the ground there’s a broken mason jar with a splatter of coffee everywhere. You can only imagine the expressions on the persons face and that’s the fun part
What fuels your creativity and inspires you to create?
I do not mean to sound cliché but everything and everyone around me!
What is your creative/painting routine? (e.g. do you listen to music? Do you drink coffee?)
I usually listen to podcasts and my “arting” playlist while I’m drawing but I also, weirdly enough, watch crime documentaries too !
How would you describe your art style?
This artwork represents me; I am a very clumsy messy person (the coffee mess) which can be a lot sometimes but I can also manage to keep it all together and ground myself (the tight grip around the grocery bags) I have been experimenting with art styles and mediums for so long but I finally found mine. I would say my art is amplified. I use contrast in colors a lot too. Everyone who knows me says that my art looks like me in a way and i am still trying to figure out how
What is your go-to beverage order?
Ironically I do not drink coffee, or I like to believe that maybe i have not found my “go to” yet. I do drink raspberry matcha occasionally though so that is a plus!
If you were a Chamberlain Coffee beverage, what would you be?
If I were a Chamberlain Coffee beverage I would be matcha! It’s just something about that green color that is just so cool and laid back.
Where can fans follow you/support your art?
If you want to check more of my art you can find me on Instagram @jihadsillustration !
When did you start your art journey? - I’ve been making artworks using different art mediums since 2017, but in 2020, during the first lockdown, I had more time to explore with the digital art medium. That’s when I developed my art style and love for digital illustration and animation.
What moment in your life inspired you the most to pursue art? - My interest in art started before studying Fine Arts at the University, but it grew immensely throughout my college journey as I got more exposed to different art mediums and art styles which made my knowledge and love for art in general get deeper.
Which individuals or aspects of culture influence your work the most? - The inspirations of my artworks always come from films and the characters or people that give me some kind of impact. I read somewhere that “every movie, song, story, or person has a best part” and I always keep that in mind everytime I watch movies, listen to songs, or meet people, and I think that it is part of my “artist's gut” that ideas and art concepts of those “best parts” will immediately come to my mind and it leads me into making a visualization of my ideas.
What drew you to this project with Chamberlain Coffee? - I’ve always loved Emma and everything she does. In fact, I have done a few animations of Emma in the past wherein I have included the brand or products of the brand in each of my artwork leading to my being involved in this special project.
What was the inspiration behind your limited edition coffee bag design? - Basically, the playful and fun aesthetic of the brand is the main inspiration of the artwork design. I wanted to show Emma’s love for coffee in this artwork — I made a perspective of Emma getting a jar of coffee inside the refrigerator. Using the perspective, even with all the elements in this artwork, the focused subject is a jar of Chamberlain coffee. To
add a little fun, I included the characters of the brand showing their individual characteristics and I thought it’s a great idea to see Emma with these characters.
What fuels your creativity and inspires you to create? - As an artist, there are some points where I get into a creative slump, and what I do to get out of it and to inspire me to create is by listening to Emma’s motivational podcast, “Anything Goes” and by watching my comfort films. The beauty of film cinematography inspires my works a lot, not only in illustrations, but also in photography.
What is your creative/painting routine? (e.g. do you listen to music? Do you drink coffee?) - Watching films through picture-in-picture at the corner of my laptop screen while I illustrate is the usual setting when I create. Though sometimes it could be distracting, I’ll just listen to music or podcasts while I snack on some fruits and chips.
How would you describe your art style? - I think what best describes my art style is that it is “satire” or “comfortably unsettling”. It shows realism, yet it is also whimsical. My art style showcases the characters’ personalities that are almost entirely evident at first sight because of the use of exaggerated features that, in a way, makes the subject interesting, unique, and aesthetically pleasing.
What is your go-to beverage order? - A hot or cold chocolate drink is my go-to beverage order. It’s a great drink for mornings and nights, for the cold weather or hot weather.
If you were a Chamberlain Coffee beverage, what would you be? - I would definitely be a ‘Night Owl Blend’. I find myself more creative and productive during late nights. I tend to stay awake until the wee hours as I usually get ideas and also get in the mood to create during those times.
Where can fans follow you/support your art? - Instagram is my favorite way of showing my artworks and connecting with people from around the world. My instagram page is @jusslim_.
