Alex has worked with The New York Times on its massively popular Wordle series, so how does one begin to illustrate the simple grid of Wordle? “The brief was fairly open to begin with and things started with a few suggested concepts, which were then narrowed down to one which would run across five illustrations,” says Alex. “The only requirements were to have the number of that day’s Wordle in the same position in the centre, so the composition had to work around and incorporate that, and for the five illustrations to tell a continuous story.” The final concept featured friends foraging for lunch with numbers incorporated into the mushrooms they were picking. Another illustration shows a couple potting plants and another shows a group eating dinner together. There’s a lovely quality to these drawings that bake Wordle into daily life, mirroring how we play the game on the bus to work or competitively with friends.
These drawings are slightly autobiographical, as most of Alex’s inspirations are drawn from trips to the coast, growing vegetables, cooking and walking along the beach, experiences that lend a sense of personal satisfaction to the illustrations, and give off a wholesome mood. “Life is often fast paced or stressful, with work, relationships, social media, and so the moments where you can slow down and focus on what’s in front of you are really helpful in keeping a balance in life,” says Alex, “and that’s the message I’m often sharing in my work.”