Illustrations – Khaleelah Elhajoui New

I work with organizations, agencies, and brands to create illustrations inspired by unexpected joys in everyday life. Characterized by a whimsical, colorful style, they are hand-drawn in traditional and digital media. You can find a selection below.

A friendly reminder
to wear a mask

I created this illustration at the beginning of the pandemic, a time of great uncertainty particularly for essential workers like home care and child care providers. This illustration was published alongside an announcement that our organization, in collaboration with the California governor's office, developed a stockpile of supplies like masks, gloves, and sanitizer specifically for care workers. I wanted the illustration to convey a simple concept—that masks can help us make it through COVID-19 more safely.

Maintenance UI for CircleCI

Illustrations to strike a balance between informative and calming in an experience that can otherwise be stressful for CircleCI users.

COVID-19 tips

Today, it’s easy to take for granted the practical knowledge we’ve gained around COVID-19. But when the pandemic hit, so did a deluge of misinformation. The day that California adopted its March 2020 stay-at-home order, UDW wanted to use its platform as a trusted information source to spread a few sound guidelines to its audience. I incorporated illustrations to add a human element to information that can seem distant and dry. UDW shared these digital illustrations across their social media presence and saw more than a 300% jump in engagement compared to their average for other content.

A graphic in pastel colors with illustrations describing different COVID-19 safety protocols: hand-washing, social distancing, sanitizing, and avoiding touching one's face.

Our union, our future

COVID-19 separated an already-segmented workforce of home care providers and early childhood educators. But that didn’t stop them from organizing, moving legislators, and adding new workers to their movement. To celebrate what they were able to accomplish together for workers’ rights and equity, I wanted to create a series of commemorative illustrations that would lift up the essential work they do. I based these digital gouache paintings on caregivers and child care providers I met prior to the pandemic. We used these illustrations on the cover of UDW’s quarterly publication and released a limited-edition poster print in honor of these workers.

An illustration of a child care provider kneeling next to a young boy riding a blue tricycle. The child care provider has short, dark hair, wears a pink shirt and grey pants. The child has curly black hair, wears a yellow shirt and dark blue pants. In the backgound are posters of the alphabet and different types of fruit.

An illustration of a caregiver brushing her client's hair while the client is seated. The caregiver has a medium skin tone, wears a pink shirt and a red skirt. Client sits on a pink armchair next to a window with a view of the sky. The client has a dark skin tone, wears a mustard-colored shirt and white pants.

An illustration of a caregiver holding her client's hand while the client is seated. The caregiver has a light-medium skin tone, mid-length brown hair, and wears a yellow shirt with white pants. The client sits on a yellow armchair next to a window and some houseplants. The client is an older adult with a light skin tone and white hair and wears a floral patterned shirt with dark blue pants and house slippers..

An illustration depicts a child care provider reading a book to a classroom of children. The child care provider has a dark skin tone, short curly hair, and wears a green shirt and skirt. The group of children are sitting on the floor listening to the story she tells. In the background are posters of a rainbow and a caterpillar eating a leaf.

A caregiver pushes his client in her wheelchair on a paved path through a garden. The caregiver has a light skin tone, dark hair, and wears a green shirt with yellow pants. His client has a light skin tone, a short, dark haircut with bangs, and wears a pink shirt and a navy skirt. There are flowers and bushes around them on either side of the path.

An open magazine shows a spread of six wine bottles with hand-drawn typography over top in white. The typography reads

Judging a book by its cover

An editorial illustration to accompany an article about choosing wine based solely on the label. I wanted to create an illustration that felt whimsical while also creating a strong visual impact, which led me to the use of hand-drawn typography. This spread design was recognized as a winner in the PRINT Magazine regional design annual.

Object studies

Personal project — During the pandemic, our home surroundings can eclipse our perception of the world. I illustrated some of the objects around me as an exercise in gratitude and thoughtful interaction with my environment.

A watercolor style illustration of various objects: a green onion, a letter, radishes, a tube of paint, a lemon, a teapot, strawberries, a stack of patterned bowls, and a vegetable cleaver.