South Korean designer Jinil Park is making waves in the global design world with his one-of-a-kind furniture collections that appear to leap straight out of a sketchbook. Fusing the visual spontaneity of hand-drawn illustrations with real-world craftsmanship, Park has pioneered a style he calls “drawing in the air.”
From Sketch to Sculpture: Park’s Signature Style
At first glance, Jinil Park’s furniture pieces—chairs, lamps, tables, and mirrors—look like rough pencil sketches hastily drawn in the margins of a notebook. But a closer look reveals that these are fully functional, real-life objects made from hand-bent steel wires welded together to recreate the raw aesthetic of a freehand line drawing.
Park uses photographs of his own pencil sketches as direct blueprints. By carefully manipulating wire rods, he brings two-dimensional ideas into the three-dimensional world. The result: furniture that blurs the line between flat art and practical design.
“The strength and dynamics of a sketch are directly connected to the finished piece,” Park said in an interview. “My goal is to preserve the motion and energy of a drawing even after it becomes a physical object.”
Park first gained international recognition in 2014 with his ‘Sketch Furniture’ collection, which quickly went viral online for its surreal, cartoon-like appearance. His work has since been featured in major design publications such as Dezeen, Designboom, and Wallpaper magazine, and exhibited at international fairs in Milan, Seoul, and Tokyo.
Function Meets Whimsy
Despite their whimsical look, Park’s pieces are carefully engineered for structural stability and everyday use. Each design undergoes multiple trials to balance visual irregularity with comfort and safety, making them just as functional as they are eye-catching.
His creations are a favorite among collectors, modern art enthusiasts, and interior designers looking to bring an artistic edge to contemporary spaces.
