Maria Frade x EQT

Her first foray into mixed media, TDF’s Maria Frade created a series of dynamic illustrations and animations for eco-conscious investment organisation EQT.

Spotlighting the beauty of sustainability, Maria worked with agency Grow Sweden to pair her illustrations with photography, playfully interpreting how each element would interact with its new-found environment.

“Animation was the best part!” Maria says. “Seeing these images come to life is quite magical – it gives a whole new dimension to the illustrations.”

Offering a creative take on EQT’s ‘the-sky's-the-limit’ ethos, Maria scaled up her signature characters, positioning them as giant explorers in real-world forests, fields and cityscapes – not an easy feat as Maria recalls: “The challenge was to bring the characters to life within a photographic image. So, I aimed to make each character unique and striking, with significant shapes and silhouettes.”

As for her creative process, she doesn’t have one. “I give myself complete freedom from the outset, starting with a basic idea and then tweaking it over and over again. I keep reworking the image, evolving it each time.”

A visually stunning acknowledgement of growth and green energy; the initiative showcased Maria's ability to weave complex themes through her art style.