Mikko Saarainen (b. 1983) is a Lahti-based illustrator and comic artist. He studied graphic design at the
Kymenlaakso University of Applied Sciences, graduating in 2009. With a reduced line, Mikko draws personal characters that contain abundant details and that are humorous and strongly styled. His works speak to even the most challenging target groups from teenage boys to large companies. Mikko uses a Wacom drawing table. As an illustrator he is insightful, full of ideas and isn’t afraid to tackle complex subjects. He grabs topics firmly and has worked with big Finnish companies such as Metso (a listed Finnish process industry company) and Alko (a Finnish state-owned monopoly company with the exclusive right for alcoholic beverages for retail sale). Mikko won the Nordic Cartoon Competition in Kemi in 2011. In the same year he was awarded with the SICAF International Cartoon Competition’s Jury Special Prize. In 2009, he won the 2009 Sarjis – newspaper comics competition.
Specialty: humor, comics, line drawing, character illustration, editorial illustration, illustrations for corporate communication

Path of the craft: From sketch to illustration process by Mikko Saarainen (pdf)
Instagram: @mikkosaarainen