The Thousands

One of my all time heroes is the illustrator Christopher Niemann. This talented American does all kinds of graphic-based work for loads of magazines and newspapers worldwide. You might best know his cartoony drawing of toothpaste lovingly embracing the bristles of a toothbrush (pictured).

A few months back Niemann started a curious blog over at NYTimes.com called ABSTRACT CITY. There, Niemann writes, but mostly illustrates, little vignettes casually picked from his life. So far he’s posted only a few stories but they’re all winners. One post, drawn on a blackboard, details his sons’ obsession with the NYC subway system. His most recent, posted last week, documents his caffeine addiction via a series of coffee stain sketches on real cafe napkins.

**Niemann is an illustrator’s illustrator. He has that rare ability to sum up 1500 words of newspaper text in a simple spot drawing. What’s more, he’s not hamstrung by a prescribed medium or style; as ABSTRACT CITY shows, you get the feeling Niemann could do anything. Ideas and messages sure up his images, while risk, wit and innovation make them sensational.