Marco Oggian has wanted to be illustrator since he was just a little kid. Describing his style as “simple, strong, a five-year-old could do better”, it seems that a lot of that energy has stayed with him. Although most small children don’t quite have Marco’s client base, there’s definitely more than a touch of the playful to the Italian illustrator’s colourful approach. But his simple shapes and bright colours are often deployed to highlight more serious issues, from the environment to the war in Syria. Born in Italy but now based in La Coruña in Northern Spain (for his “lovely girlfriend and of course tapas and beer!”), Marco is largely self-taught, after being expelled from college pretty-early on. Ever the optimist, the young illustrator frames his departure from formal education as an opportunity for self-study and to gain life experience. “Since I had the chance to start working earlier than my peers, I have already done a lot of interesting things: travel, give talks, put on exhibitions and performances – all this is incredible,” he enthuses.