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Striking, Stylized Visions of the Future by Matthew Lyons

Step into the visual universe of Matthew Lyons and you’ll find yourself adrift between the analog past and an imagined, radiant future.

Lyons, a UK-based illustrator and visual storyteller, crafts scenes that feel like stills from films that don’t yet exist. Retro-futuristic daydreams rendered in sun-faded tones and geometric serenity.

A stylized illustration of a modern bedroom with a woman organizing papers. The room features plants, a computer, and wooden furniture, with a large window and ceiling beams.

At first glance, his work evokes mid-century design sensibilities: sharp lines, modernist architecture, and a restrained color palette.

But beneath that vintage veneer is a current of imaginative futurism.

A stylized illustration depicting two seated characters in a modern interior, observing two animated geometric figures engaging in a playful dance. The background features a stone fireplace and contemporary furniture, all rendered in a muted color palette.

We see airships drift past angular towers, explorers gaze across surreal, pastel-colored landscapes, and shadows play across brutalist structures in far-off worlds.

A colorful, stylized illustration depicting a futuristic urban landscape with people interacting near a modern transportation system and mountain background.

Lyons’ compositions are deceptively quiet. You feel the weight of silence in his images, yet they’re rich with story.

A stylized illustration of a futuristic urban scene featuring modern architecture, individuals walking around, and a spacecraft taking off in the background.

Lyons has done editorial illustrations for BBC, The New York Times, Google . Engadget. WIRED Magazine, and many more.

A digital art illustration depicting a person reclining in a chair wearing a headset, immersed in a virtual reality scenario with two figures engaging in a standoff, surrounded by geometric lines and a stylized urban background.

See more of his highly stylized work on his website.

An illustration of four people interacting outside a modern building, with abstract graphics and lines connecting them to an icon featuring utensils. The scene has a stylized, artistic quality.
An illustrated scene depicting a futuristic urban environment with people walking around and flying vehicles overhead. The architecture features greenery and modern design elements.
A stylized illustration of a modern, eco-friendly building with solar panels on the roof, set against a mountainous background. A person walks by the entrance, while a vintage car is parked nearby.
A digitally rendered astronaut walking on a rocky moon-like surface with futuristic habitats in the background and Earth visible in the sky.
An illustration of a smartphone displaying a scientific interface, with a planet in the background and molecular structures surrounding it.
A stylized illustration of a person with glasses and a jacket standing next to an open yellow car, with a wind turbine in the background and abstract circular signals emanating from the car.

Images © Copyright Matthew Lyons. Used with permission.

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