It’s all about layers for New York–based illustrator Dominic Bodden, whether that’s the physical layers that come from imagemaking or the thought process that goes into each visual solution. “I start with layers of research that I use to inform all the design solutions for my project,” he explains. “Ideation and sketching help me refine my ideas into loose sketches. My drawing process is all about layers; each layer informs the next.” Prior to illustration, Bodden worked as a fashion stylist and costume designer on photoshoots for magazines and music videos—he even worked as an assistant stylist for The Spice Girls’s 2007 reunion tour. “The work was exciting, but I found the most joy when I was able to draw,” he says. “So, when I turned 35 years old, I returned to school [and studied] illustration at ArtCenter College of Design.” Now, Bodden experiments with harmonizing several media in his work. “When it comes to the drawing process, I use chalk pastel on sanded paper and cut paper collage to build the shapes and scale of my compositions,” he says. “Working this way helps me think about simplification and discover new ways to introduce unexpected elements into my work.”