A selection of work by Rotterdam-based illustrator Julija Panova. Of Lithuanian-Russian heritage, Panova’s work is informed by that layered cultural inheritance as growing up between cultures has shaped her sensitivity to shifting narratives. Her work explores folklore, quiet, and images that feel suspended between past and present. Panova holds a Master’s degree from the Royal Academy of Art (KABK) in The Hague and has a background in book design and printmaking. She works primarily in digital media, recreating the tactile, atmospheric qualities of graphite and traditional printmaking through slow, intricate hatching and subtle tonal gradients.

Julija Panova participated in our 2025 Booooooom Illustration Awards and made our longlist (view all the artists on the longlist).