Jean Jullien's birthday message. Image courtesy of Jean's Instagram

Jean Jullien’s wonderfully un-grown-up birthday message

The artist, illustrator and Phaidon author shows us how we all feel on the day we get one year older

Jean Jullien can assume a wonderfully childlike point of view. His board books for 2-4 year olds, This is Not a Book and Before & After, are filled with the kind of visual gags perfectly suited to pre-schoolers.

However, he has also created paintings, plates, animations, t-shirt lines and restaurant logos for more grown-up viewers, and knows how to laugh along with the disappointments of later life.

 

Jean Jullien by Daniel Arnold
Jean Jullien by Daniel Arnold

While we might not all agree Mario is just as good as ever, we can certainly sympathise with Jean’s un-smiley face in this image, posted on his Instagram (and ours) to mark his 34th birthday.

 

Before & After by Jean Jullien
Before & After by Jean Jullien

Don't go changing, Jean. For more of his eternally youthful work, take a look at these books.