Eglė Plytnikaitė is a Lithuanian illustrator, recognized for her distinctive minimalistic yet bold style, often infused with a touch of vintage warmth. She has collaborated with major clients such as The New York Times, The Guardian, Bank of America, and the United Nations.
In this Talk on Creativity, Eglė reflects on developing her unique style and the challenges that come with it. She opens up about her transition from architecture to illustration, the shifting creative industry, the struggles beginner illustrators face today, and the practices that keep her grounded and inspired.
Eglė’s creative path wasn’t linear. Originally, she studied architecture—a compromise between her artistic passion and her parents’ wish for a stable career. After completing her studies, she realized what she truly wanted was more creative freedom. That honest answer led her toward illustration.
Her first commission, a children’s book, seemed like a dream but turned out to be a disappointment. The limiting text and lack of inspiration left her feeling she couldn’t use her full potential. Instead of giving up, she began exploring other avenues and soon discovered the vast world of editorial illustration. Inspired by Lithuanian illustrators like Kotryna Žukauskaitė and Karolis Strautniekas, who were already working internationally, she saw new possibilities. Bit by bit, she built her portfolio, reached out to art directors, and learned from their feedback. This persistence and curiosity helped her break into the field and understand how illustration could bring clarity to complex subjects.
Finding her own style was indeed challenging for Eglė. With endless techniques and visual languages available, she struggled to decide what would truly represent her. Therapy and self-reflection played a decisive role. “I hate drama and clutter,” she admits, explaining how her personality shaped her creative work. She developed a process of deleting and simplifying until only the essence remained—no more, no less.
“I hate drama and clutter”
Her illustrations began to stand out for their bold shapes, clean forms, and striking colors. The bright palettes, she explains, often came as a reaction to Lithuania’s gray winters, adding vibrancy to what she felt was missing around her. Style, for Eglė, became more than aesthetics; it was an honest reflection of her inner world and her search for clarity.
The rise of AI is impossible to ignore in the creative industry, and Eglė has strong views. While she keeps up with what the technology can do, she finds it limiting and ethically problematic. “It’s basically stealing,” she says, pointing to the way AI systems are trained on artists’ work without consent. She also worries about its environmental cost.
What troubles her most, however, is the impact on beginners. “When you’re just starting out, your work may be at the same level as what AI can produce,” she explains. “If beginners can’t find jobs, how will they grow?” For her, human creativity remains irreplaceable—the ability to analyze, reflect, and develop metaphors that give meaning to complex ideas is something machines cannot replicate.
She also notes how AI has unexpectedly changed her own career. For years, Eglė preferred to remain anonymous, letting her work speak for itself. Many of her clients didn’t know her age or even that she was a woman, and she liked it that way. But today, with clients eager to prove they are hiring real humans rather than AI, she feels more pressure to be visible—participating in photoshoots, reels, and online appearances. This shift, she admits, is uncomfortable, as her presence sometimes overshadows her work, yet she adapts in order to stay relevant in the industry.
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