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
Animated Illustraton of a Mother on a couch nursing a baby while scrolling her phone, surrounded by overwhelming social media comments – "Perfect Mothers Only Exist Online", personal illustration by Lea Reusse
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
The Covent Gardener
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.
more about
Street scene in Munich's Westend around 1900 with workers and a pram – "Ledigenheim", Westend Stories by Lea ReussePassers-by reacting sceptically to the newly built Ledigenheim with Bavarian dialect speech bubbles – "Ledigenheim", Westend Stories by Lea ReusseStreet scene showing residents questioning the modern architecture of the Ledigenheim – "Ledigenheim", Westend Stories by Lea ReusseWorkers inside the Metzeler factory under industrial lighting, including foreign Gastarbeiter – "Metzeler", Westend Stories by Lea ReusseFounding assembly of the Verein Ledigenheim e.V. at Munich University in 1913 – "Ledigenheim", Westend Stories by Lea ReusseWorking-class family renting out a room to a lodger at their apartment door – "Ledigenheim", Westend Stories by Lea ReusseOvercrowded shared bedroom with men sleeping in shifts, one being told to leave – "Ledigenheim", Westend Stories by Lea ReusseResidents marching through the Westend holding a Bürgerinitiative Schwanthalerhöhe banner – "Bavaria's New Neighbors", Westend Stories by Lea ReusseLeopold and Maria Moskovitz serving a customer in their haberdashery shop in the Westend – "The Moskovitz Family", Westend Stories by Lea ReusseSmall figures of people walking, representing the roughly 400 single men still housed in the Ledigenheim today – "Ledigenheim", Westend Stories by Lea ReussePhotographer Herbert List photographing Gerda in her family's shop as part of the Magnum photo competition shoot – "Fräulein Gerda", Westend Stories by Lea ReusseGerda carrying a crate through a doorway in her family's shop during the photo shoot with Herbert List – "Fräulein Gerda", Westend Stories by Lea ReussePortrait of founding member Professor Dr. Max von Gruber alongside his quote on the necessity of the Ledigenheim – "Ledigenheim", Westend Stories by Lea ReusseA 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 ReusseAdult 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
Animated loop of three café portraits – a red-haired person over a meal, a woman writing with a cat beside her, and a tattooed man with a cup of tea – "Just Being Here.", personal illustration by Lea Reusse
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
First Taste
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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