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Diverse group of people walking through an urban space, seen from above – hero illustration by Lea Reusse

Painterly.

Atmospheric.

Hi! I'm Lea, an illustrator who captures the moments that make us human. I observe closely, think narratively, and feel genuinely curious about people.

Woman embracing herself with a wind farm landscape visible through her silhouette – "Want to Speed Up Climate Action?", Politico Europe, illustration by Lea Reusse

Want to Speed Up Climate Action?

Politico Europe

Laptop screen displaying "Perfect Mothers Only Exist Online" animated illustration by Lea Reusse

Perfect Mothers Only Exist Online

Editorial, self-initiated

Lively crowd of characters on a narrow London alley at night with figures leaning out of windows above – "Shepherd Market", The Covent Gardener, illustration by Lea Reusse

Magazine page rolled open showing the Shepherd Market illustration by Lea Reusse

Shepherd Market

Woman in a gynaecological chair surrounded by three judges in robes – "The Fight over the Body", Berliner Zeitung, illustration by Lea Reusse

The Fight over the Body

Berliner Zeitung

Paperback edition of "Von Fluten und vom Widerstehen" standing upright on a stack of two books, the cover showing towering icebergs and a small ship in rough seas – cover illustration by Lea Reusse for axel dielmann – verlag

Opened paperback revealing the full wraparound cover: one continuous panorama of icebergs and stormy seas spanning back cover, spine, and front – "Von Fluten und vom Widerstehen", axel dielmann – verlag, cover illustration by Lea Reusse

Von Fluten und vom Widerstehen

axel dielmann verlag

Chaotic crowd of apartment seekers rushing toward a front door with keys dangling and a timer on a phone – "If I Can't Find an Apartment", Berliner Zeitung, illustration by Lea Reusse

Berliner Zeitung newspaper folded open to the "If I Can't Find an Apartment" illustration by Lea Reusse

If I can’t find an Apartment

Berliner Zeitung

Westend Stories

Every place has a story, and Munich’s Westend has more than a few.

When I moved to Munich three years ago, I wanted to get to know my new neighborhood better. That’s how Westend Stories came to life: a walking tour through the district, guided by illustrated short stories revealing what’s hidden behind the facades.

Street scene in Munich's Westend around 1900 with workers and a pram – "Ledigenheim", Westend Stories by Lea Reusse

Passers-by reacting sceptically to the newly built Ledigenheim with Bavarian dialect speech bubbles – "Ledigenheim", Westend Stories by Lea Reusse

Street scene showing residents questioning the modern architecture of the Ledigenheim – "Ledigenheim", Westend Stories by Lea Reusse

Workers inside the Metzeler factory under industrial lighting, including foreign Gastarbeiter – "Metzeler", Westend Stories by Lea Reusse

Founding assembly of the Verein Ledigenheim e.V. at Munich University in 1913 – "Ledigenheim", Westend Stories by Lea Reusse

Working-class family renting out a room to a lodger at their apartment door – "Ledigenheim", Westend Stories by Lea Reusse

Overcrowded shared bedroom with men sleeping in shifts, one being told to leave – "Ledigenheim", Westend Stories by Lea Reusse

Residents marching through the Westend holding a Bürgerinitiative Schwanthalerhöhe banner – "Bavaria's New Neighbors", Westend Stories by Lea Reusse

Leopold and Maria Moskovitz serving a customer in their haberdashery shop in the Westend – "The Moskovitz Family", Westend Stories by Lea Reusse

Small figures of people walking, representing the roughly 400 single men still housed in the Ledigenheim today – "Ledigenheim", Westend Stories by Lea Reusse

Photographer Herbert List photographing Gerda in her family's shop as part of the Magnum photo competition shoot – "Fräulein Gerda", Westend Stories by Lea Reusse

Gerda carrying a crate through a doorway in her family's shop during the photo shoot with Herbert List – "Fräulein Gerda", Westend Stories by Lea Reusse

Portrait of founding member Professor Dr. Max von Gruber alongside his quote on the necessity of the Ledigenheim – "Ledigenheim", Westend Stories by Lea Reusse

A daughter asking her mother in the street about the whereabouts of the Moskovitz family after the November pogrom – "The Moskovitz Family", Westend Stories by Lea Reusse

Adult and child standing before the demolished Metzeler factory site with a "Sanierung Stadtteil Westend" sign, 1982 – "Metzeler", Westend Stories by Lea Reusse

Figure in pyjamas floating through a surreal night sky among pills, sleep supplements and a flying bed – "Paradox of the Optimized Night", personal illustration by Lea Reusse

Magazine spread showing "Das Paradox der optimierten Nacht" article with illustration by Lea Reusse

Paradox of the Optimized Night

Editorial, self-initiated

Split illustration showing a formal family portrait above and the same family dancing freely below – "Put Your Records On", Breathe Magazine, illustration by Lea Reusse

Breathe Magazine open to the "Put Your Records On" illustration series by Lea Reusse

Put Your Records On

Breathe Magazine

Magazine spread showing the "Just Being Here." illustration series by Lea Reusse across multiple pages

Just Being Here.

Editorial, self-initiated

Young man lying on a giant pie floating in the sea, with palm trees and a faint crowd of beach wanderers in the background – "First Taste", Popshot Magazine, illustration by Lea Reusse

Popshot Magazine open to the "First Taste" illustration by Lea Reusse

Popshot Magazine

Three people scanned by cascading green code as a man holds up a theatrical mask, questioning AI emotion detection – "The Algorithmic Emotion", personal illustration by Lea Reusse

Magazine spread showing "Das berechnete Gefühl" article with illustration by Lea Reusse

The Algorithmic Emotion

Editorial, self-initiated

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