Jun Ioneda at LABASAD: “Talent and authenticity don’t guarantee success, but they are the starting point”
Jun Ioneda’s masterclass explores the balance between artistic expression and market demands in contemporary illustration.
On 5 August, LABASAD held a new masterclass that focused on one of the most complex—and common—dilemmas in the professional illustration world: to what extent should one give in to market demands without losing their personal voice as an artist? Under the title “Illustration: self-expression vs. commercial success”, the session was led by Jun Ioneda, Brazilian illustrator, visual artist, and professor of the Online Master in Editorial and Advertising Illustration at LABASAD.
With a career marked by contrasts and difficult decisions, Ioneda offered an intimate, reflective and deeply honest session about his professional experience. Through real-life examples and key moments in his journey, he invited attendees to question their own ideas about success, authenticity and creative strategy.
“Break your own expectations. Try something you think utterly ugly.”
With this provocative statement, Ioneda opened the session by challenging one of the greatest fears for any creative: breaking with their own expectations of their work. For him, artistic evolution begins when the illustrator dares to experiment beyond their aesthetic boundaries or what they believe “works” in the market.
Throughout the masterclass, he explored how to live with the ongoing tension between art as a means of self-expression and as a tool for commercial communication. Ioneda, who has worked for global brands such as McDonald’s, Spotify and MTV, emphasised that being authentic does not mean ignoring the rules of the professional game:
“The Market recognises when something is genuine and special. But success takes time, and there’s a lot of effort in marketing yourself.”
From his perspective, the market is not necessarily at odds with authenticity, but it does require a clear strategy, consistency and, above all, emotional intelligence to avoid getting lost in the process. “Talent and uniqueness does not equal success,” he stated, stressing the importance of self-promotion, client care, and understanding the rhythms of the industry.
With over a decade of experience and as founder of the studio BARCA, Ioneda also shared a significant shift in his view of success:
“I’m now in a place where success might mean to make my art less and less marketable.”
This personal shift reflects a professional evolution in which, for some artists, the true achievement lies in moving away from what sells and closer to what they truly want to create. However, he also pointed out that these two positions are not mutually exclusive. “I also understood that things are not that separated. What I did in my studio already had some of my expression. My illustrations now also carry my knowledge of the market. It’s all you, it’s all mixed.”, he said
This fusion between the personal and the commercial was one of the core themes of the session: the idea that an illustrator’s work need not be split into two opposing worlds, but rather find its natural point of connection and balance.
For those who couldn’t attend live, the full masterclass is available on LABASAD’s official YouTube channel. A valuable opportunity to explore, through the eyes of a working professional, the complexities and opportunities of building an authentic, sustainable and meaningful illustration career.
Would you like to learn from artists like Jun Ioneda? Write to us at [email protected] and we’ll tell you more about the Online Master in Editorial and Advertising Illustration.