Announcing the #PictoNYC26 speaker line-up: Brandon Sines created the character Frank Ape as a mirror to our time and vehicle to explore identity, emotion, and the evolving role of the contemporary artist—part storyteller, part activist, and part myth-maker.

Announcing the #PictoNYC26 speaker line-up: A few weeks ago Gemma Correl released her graphic memoir debut, chronicling her lifelong experience with anxiety and depression. "Anxietyland" is now a National Bestseller, featured in The New Yorker, NPR – and Molly Ringwald's Inaugural Book Club Pick!

Announcing the #PictoNYC26 speaker line-up: Brooklyn-based illustrator Karlotta Freier mainly uses the medium of drawing on paper to tell intimate stories and atmospheric visual narrations. It’s all in the detail: limited early bird tickets available now! ⬤⬤ nyc.pictoplasma.com

The hatching has started!

The hatching starts in 24 hours…

feeling cute (and old), might delete later.

Announcing the #PictoNYC26 speaker line-up: Japanese animator and illustrator Sawako Kabuki is famed for her distinctive hand-drawn style, bold colors, irreverent point of view, and unapologetic passion for butts.

Announcing the #PictoNYC26 speaker line-up: Brian Blomerth – illustrator, cartoonist, musician, and veteran of the underground music and arts scene whose work has graced numerous album covers, posters, clothing and his own line of T-shirts.

Announcing the #PictoNYC26 speaker line-up: Illustrator and animator Spencer Gabor builds around zany and expressive characters and his love of bright palettes and wonky perspectives to create moments of color and joy.

Pictoplasma NYC 2026 dates confirmed! First speakers announced – early bird offer goes online in 12 days, June 1st ... ⬤⬤ nyc.pictoplasma.com

Some work by the illustrator Christoph Niemann, who did an excellent talk at @pictoplasma.bsky.social last week. I really need to watch the Netflix documentary about him!

broke woke bespoke

Current status: mysteriously missing one Missing Link costume. Last seen: Saturday

… but when one door closes, another opens. So here we go: Picto NYC, see you soon!

It feels like last week's 22nd Picto Berlin hasn't even ended yet …

If any one of our attendees doesn't want to go home and is looking for a Berlin shared studio space (directly above where Saturday's post-picto-party happened) we might be able to suggest something. Please contact me (Peter) via email – 30 m2 – available July - possibly earlier – €600/month

Day 3 – LIVE from the #PictoBerlin2026 conference Tune in 👉 pictoplasma.com/LIVE for ALL artist talks + the FULL official Animation selection on PictoTV!

Day 2 – LIVE from the #PictoBerlin2026 conference Tune in 👉 pictoplasma.com/LIVE for ALL artist talks + the FULL official Animation selection on PictoTV!

yes, please find me at the stage and I'm happy to elaborate

Day 1 – LIVE from the #PictoBerlin2026 conference Tune in 👉 pictoplasma.com/LIVE for ALL artist talks + the FULL official Animation selection on PictoTV!

Join us this evening for the opening of STICKY CHARACTERS – 100 Bumper Stickers with a Snappy Statement! The exhibition at gallery neurotitan presents 100 bumper sticker designs – as bold, large-scale prints, designed to be seen, shared, and slapped on a surface of your choosing.

Did you know you can join this year’s #PictoBerlin2026 conference – for 𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍 𝟏𝟎 €, without having to travel, book a hotel, or wearing pants??? Рїcто—PRO—Hack: This May 7—9 we’re LIVE streaming ALL artist talks + the FULL official Animation selection on PictoTV!

It’s Pictoplasma week! By now the Conference is basically sold out, BUT even without a conference pass, the accompanying #PictoFestival offers endless, free (or wallet friendly) opportunities for you to explore state of the art character creativity … berlin.pictoplasma.com

Final call, Picto Berlin will switch to sold out tonight

Oh look — it’s like I’m actually there!!! ⬤⬤ Almost like being at PictoBerlin: May 7—9 pictoplasma.com/live

Next week, Friday May 8, Pictoplasma's beloved big-screen psychedelia midnight mix is set to blow your mind, expand your retinas and question your understanding of traditional story-telling. Go! Donʼt ask why! Thank us later.

It’s time to talk character: Katy Cowan, founder and editor of UK-based platform Creative Boom, joins Pictoplasma to champion creatives of every background at the daily community round table sessions. ⬤⬤

I hope this post finds you well Thought you’d like to know: ⬤⬤ 🔜 SOLD OUT!

This is the annual moment where it suddenly hits me: It starts smelling of paint, printed matter and manifesting madness. OMG – it’s happening again … …for the *checks notes* 22nd time!

COME to BERLIN and HANG OUT with ME (and/or @rickyhaggett.bsky.social, @lizzlunney.bsky.social, Will Anderson, Larissa Honsek + more!) in a TENT!?! ⛺︎⛺︎⛺︎⛺︎⛺︎

Helga Stentzel on finding personality: “I don’t see characters in every object I come across, the point is to stay curious and let go of expectations. Sometimes nothing happens, but sometimes an object reveals a gesture or a personality I haven’t noticed before...”

Only at Pictoplasma: In between conference talks you can join “AMA sessions” at this year’s sunny character camp ⛺︎ on the green – hosted by the likes of Ricky Haggett, Lizz Lunney, Will Anderson, Larissa Honsek and AJ Jefferies - or spontaneously sign up to throw your own!

Kaho Yoshida on honesty: “Depicting intimacy from a woman's perspective matters to me: growing up, women were oversexualised or treated as if our sexuality was taboo. I want to challenge that. I'm drawn to moments that feel real. Vulnerability and humour make intimacy genuine.”

Jack Sachs on how everything starts with a pen on paper: “Whatever the context, my work always starts in my sketchbook – it could even be a tiny scrap in the corner of a page that leads to a new idea. I treat it like a catalogue for characters.”

Happening TODAY, FREE + LIVE on PictoTV: Best of Pictoplasma – Remastered! We’re broadcasting "Saturday Morning Cartoons" today from noon to approximately 2:30 pm (CEST). Grab a bowl of comforting cornflakes, tell your friends, head over to tv.pictoplasma.com, hit the ✨LIVE ON AIR✨ button and enjoy

Saydan Celik, Head of Design at Jung von Matt, takes the stage to talk us through the client/agency perspective, the creative process, and how narrative can emerge from minimal means, especially in environments where brands tend to resist more explicit or figurative approaches.

Step into Dr. Maciek Łazowski’s VR Media Lab at #PictoBerlin2026 – and get a hands-on introduction to intuitive 3D sculpting using Shapelab, supported by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute. 📍 Berlin, May 7–10 🎟️ conference.pictoplasma.com

Caroline Attia on why characters are best when personal: “I put a part of myself into every character I create. They are the heart of the stories I tell, which are inspired by my personal experiences, as well as my dreams, aspirations and the people around me.”

Murat Palta on mixing pop symbolism with Ottoman-era miniatures: “My work is not really about forcing pop cultural references and history together, but translating them into each other. I reinterpret pop-cultural elements through the mindset, symbolism, and narrative structures of the context.”

Melissa Mathieson on coming face to face with her creation: "The thing that surprised me about my work translated from 3D to a large installation is the scale of everything. I work on my computer so everything feels tiny. When scaled up, you suddenly notice every detail!"

Big shout-out to Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg for the ongoing support, tender loving character care, and making #PictoplasmaPossible 💡

Magnus Møller on navigating the cute - absurd spectrum: “Characters are relatable when they have a want, a flaw, an attitude you can read instantly. I love characters who are floppy, fun, a little bit dumb in the most endearing way. I love crazy designs, but the mood and expression must be clear.”

Karlotta Freier on routine: “I keep Sunday's free – and wake up giddy to experiment. I walk around all day without a map, only stoping to make a drawing every hour at the place I happen to be. My routine sets me up to start the week playful and connected to my intuition.”

Analog, baby – at #PictoBerlin‘s Zine Zone! Take a break from the conference hall to experiment with classic technologies like old-school copy machines, typewriters, overhead projectors, and a funky risograph machine (courtesy of @DRUCKEN3000 and @adobe_de).

Jun Ioneda on facing his fears: “Growing up I always felt uneasy when cartoon characters had lips. Because of that, all my characters now have lips. In this way, they all scare me a bit…”

Augustinas Paukštė, Partner and Creative Director of Lithuania based andstudio, turns strategy into expressive visual worlds – building identities that are not only seen, but also tested, challenged, and measured in real contexts.

Marylou Faure on the female form: "The body is my main source of inspiration – more specifically, body language. My female characters embody confidence, carefreeness and desire – qualities I find inspiring, and which I hope resonate, offering a sense of lightness and empowerment."

Frode Bolhuis on knowing when to stop: "I intuitively know a sculpture is finished when it conveys a certain clarity, even if the story it carries is difficult to put into words. Clarity lives in its form, without needing to be smooth or perfect. When it happens, it’s unmistakably clear to me."

Gemma Correll on placing herself upfront and center of her work: “Since childhood, I have drawn characters who represent parts of me I wasn’t brave enough to convey in real life ... abandoning that character would feel like abandoning myself!”

Christoph Niemann on taking creative risks: “Drawing can be intimidating – so I tend to gravitate towards what feels safe. The Sunday Sketches are my way of pushing against that. They force me to take risks and keep evolving, especially at a time when everything changes so quickly.”