Leann von Gunten
Visual Artist


Born in 1989 in Bern and brought-up in a creative environment
her interest in the visual arts started at a very young age. What began with
cutting bits and pieces out of old magazines and newspapers for her collages
soon developed into experimenting with illustrations on and off screen.

In the School of Design Basel she not only became familiar with numerous 
design applications but also with design history and a broad knowledge of
product and brand marketing. During her apprenticeship in Basel she learned
to channel her creativity for national and international clients such
as Schwarzkopf, Gesundheitsdepartement Basel-Stadt, Migros and Syngenta.

Whilst working in Zurich for the Think Tank "the w.i.r.e." and the publishing
agency Passaport, she developed a more refined style for illustrations and
colour design. The outcome was a wide range of icons, information design
and magazines that introduced her clients to a more meaningful and personal
way of presenting themselves visually. Her individual style further developped
and deepend while creating the design and concept for the city guide
"the Visitor" from scratch. It was comissioned by Zurich Tourism
and earned her the "Corporate Publishing Award" in 2015.

For the last two years she has focused on combining illustrations with information design for the prestigious Swiss Newspaper "Neue Zürcher Zeitung" (NZZ).
There she designes daily news stories in a new and fresh visual appearance.
Aside redesigning the graphic color concept for NZZ and making them readable
for colour-blind people she created a wide range of young and colourful pages
which combine complex storytelling and contemporary graphic design.

Living in Zurich with her partner and daughter she is currently
also experimenting with textiles and set design. And: She still can’t stop
collecting everyday items for patterns or collages.

2016 – TODAY

Information Designer & Illustrator
Neue Zürcher Zeitung


2014 – 2016

Art Director, Graphic Designer & Illustrator
Passaport Publishers in Zurich


2013 – 2014

Graphic Design internship
Think Tank the W.I.R.E. in Zurich


2009 – 2012

School of Design Basel,
Graphic Design apprenticeship
Scholz & Friends Basel and Cr Basel


2008 – 2009

Foundation Program
School of Design Basel

INTERESTS:

SEE
Art: Piet Mondrian, Frida Kahlo, Pablo Picasso, Banksy,
Paul Gauguin, Jenny Holzer, Stephan Sagmeister, David Shrigley.
Movies: Charade, Monsieur Ibrahim et les Fleurs du Coran,
The Life Aquatic, Amour, Delicatessen, Some Like it Hot, Volver.
Nature: Birds of Paradise, Quince Trees, Autumn Forests.

HEAR
Music: Nina Simone, The Internet, Pablo Nouvelle,
Marvin Gaye, Louis Armstrong, Massive Attack, Frank Ocean.
Everyday life: rain, dropping Mikado sticks, Veas laughter.

TASTE
Eat: A good piece of Meat at Metzg Zurich, pumpkin, figs,
garlic, apricot truffles from Tschirren Konditorei,
pulpo-asparagus salad with pigs ear from Boi Cavalo.
Drink: Essenzia, thyme tea, Negroni at Sacchi Bar.

SMELL
Inside: fresh Miro coffee, freshly cleaned windows, the perfume
on my grandmothers sawing machine, freshly printed work.
Outside: The upcoming spring, Herbstmesse Basel,
campfire(not so much the next day),
chestnut vendors during autumn.