We were lucky to catch up with Tianying Yu recently and have shared our conversation below.

Tianying, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

Yes, answer is for sure. I am an illustrator and animator. If I have to change job to make living or job not about art, maybe I choose to open flower shop or work in garden with plants. This answer is still not like normal job, but I feel art is better fit for me. I really enjoy process of always creating new things and exploring. Every time I look back at my creations and make changes, I can feel my understanding of world get closer, and I make my own language. I like very much to observe small details in life and then zoom them big into my art, something that other jobs cannot provide. That’s why I cherish the journey of being an artist.

Tianying, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am Tianying Yu, born in Shanghai, currently based in New York. I focus on illustration, motion graphics, 2D animation. I study in School of Visual Arts, MFA Comptuer Arts, before that, I also hold a BFA Illustration degrees in SVA. From four years undergrads journey, I am developing my own language, combining traditional, Risograph and digital media, some spontaneous happened in my arts. I consider some subtle things and zooms in on the emotion infinitely. I hopes that people are looking at her art, thinking of lying on soft grass, looking at her colorful patterning world, and the romantic and gentle things happening around them. But when I explore more, I feel illustration for me is a small circle, I want to learn more technique that can support my art, I realized I really want to my art making a move. I hope my art can be more dynamic, people can see what the behind moving scene is that can show my emotion and personality more. I am working on a new book called Format this summer. I feel this is my 2.0 version. I am trying to become more graphic and storyteller and thinking about more movement in a still image. People can take a look for my new arts.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

my goal may seem simple, but it holds great significance to me – bringing joy to people through my art. I aspire to create colorful and captivating content that resonates with audiences, evoking a sense of happiness within them. Whether it’s through intricate patterns, adorable elements, or amusing animations, I hope my art connects with something that brings them joy.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I found the most challenging yet rewarding decision for me was to pursue computer art. At one point, I believed I would only be an illustrator, but I reached a moment when I wanted to learn something new. It’s tough to let go of the achievements I had and start in an entirely new field. Being someone with zero knowledge about computers, I relied heavily on tutorials to learn animation skills. Initially, I truly thought being an illustrator was a better fit for me, but I realized that pushing myself to acquire new skills allowed me to go much further. I am delighted because my perseverance led me to venture into a new domain.

Contact Info:

• Website: tianyingyu.com
• Instagram: angel_journal

Image Credits
1. Fragile 2. Cat and Cups 3. Happy Rabbit Year 4. Encounter 4. Journey in Peru 5. Format 6. Paperfolding 7.Summer Time