Xinmei Liu's pictures are impressed by historic Chinese language propaganda posters
The New York based illustrator Xinmei Liu is an only child and says that as a child she would copy the pictures from her picture books to avoid any loneliness. "When I played with my cousins, we would do narrative drawings with captions, and I think those were my earliest illustrations, ”she says.
Liu's parents are scientists, so art school never seemed the obvious choice, even though she had always enjoyed drawing and painting. "When I went to college majors, I realized that the only thing that got me excited was art, so I applied to art schools," Liu explains. "I didn't know exactly what illustration was when I chose my major and I thought it was just drawing in books. But I still enjoyed it as I got to know the field better."
Above: Child without a mother is like a rainy day; Above: Boys and girls should stay away from the Model Citizen Guidelines (ongoing project).
Born in Shanghai, she graduated from the School of Visual Arts in New York to earn an MFA from the Illustration as Visual Essay program. “New York has a great art and design community. So many things just happen – exhibitions, art book fairs, openings, museums, etc., so that I can always be inspired, ”she says.
“When I need resources for a project, they are usually available immediately. Also, there are so many talented people in New York, and I think it's important that artists are with people in the same field. As an illustration student, I really enjoyed discovering works and projects from fellow artistes and I was able to easily speak to them face to face as many of them are in town too. "
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After graduating, Liu now works as a publishing assistant at Paradise Systems, a Brooklyn-based independent comic book publisher that shares stories from the US, China, Taiwan and Hong Kong and does freelance illustration assignments. Liu's customer list is growing continuously and she has worked with the New York Times, Medium, Scholastics, and Amazon Publishing.
“To be honest, I enjoy the most knowing that my art is needed somewhere,” she says of her commissions. “For professional illustrators, commissioned work is our main source of income, and it's very common to work on projects that we're not very passionate about. But when there is the opportunity to work with a dream client or on an exciting project, it's always a great sense of accomplishment (like ticking an item on a checklist) and I'm grateful that my art can be used to make something to promote what is important to me About. "
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Liu's illustrations have a nostalgic element, both in the textures and colors she uses and in the clear, simple lines. In addition to aesthetics, the illustrator also wants to add fun and satire to her pieces and play with surreal situations or surprising visual gags.
"I've been really into Chinese propaganda posters from the 1980s and vintage print advertising lately, and my work has been based on these elements," explains Liu. “When I grew up in Shanghai, a lot of the objects I was surrounded by had really great designs and pictures, like the picture books I copied drawings from and the candy and popsicle packages. I think my illustration style was influenced in some way by these designs in my childhood. "
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For Liu, the concept is one of the most important aspects of working on a new piece, so she takes her time. “I sketch a lot when I'm working. When I have the time, I produce as many thumbnails as possible until I have the strongest idea. Then I often revise my sketch with great precision (some of my professors have advised against it, but I find it easier to work with detailed sketches), ”she explains.
“The sketching process is basically my thinking process, and the rest is pretty relaxing. I transfer my sketch onto textured drawing paper on a light box. I use a dip pen and Indian ink when drawing. Then I scan the line drawing and color it in Photoshop.
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Although most of Liu's work continued during the pandemic, she misses the community of the illustration world. “My MFA Thesis Show went online which was a huge disappointment. What I miss most are events like art book fairs and openings or just regular drink and drawing meetings where I can keep in touch with my artist friends (and online events just aren't the same thing), ”she says.
That sense of support is part of their advice to anyone thinking about getting into illustration as a career. “This is a career path that takes a lot of hard work and determination. So you have to be really passionate about illustration, ”she says. "That said, be confident and don't question your talent over a difficult client! It's also important to keep in touch with your community and turn your back on each other. Help other fellow artists whenever you can."
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