We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Emily Kwon a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Emily, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us 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?

I certainly feel great and happy to call myself an artist. I always think it is a blessing to have the talent to visualize what’s in my mind and share it with people with more than just words. When I was young, I enjoyed every moment of drawing characters with stories and exploring them in comics, illustrations, and simple doodles. I still love drawing characters and illustrations, too. However, now that my hobby has become a career, the pressure to excel in my skills and expectations slowly suffocates me. I’m starting to have burnout and self-doubt. Which led me to think, “What if I was pursuing something different? Different from art or creative field.” I thought of myself in an office room, on a field, doing sports, etc. At first, it was fun to picture myself in a different universe living a different life. However, interestingly enough, I noticed even in those imaginative lives, I was still drawing as a hobby or a side job. It may sound cheeky, but I just couldn’t give up on drawing. That’s when I realized no matter what I’m doing, I’ll always be an artist. I’m proud to call myself an artist and I’m aware my burnout is slowly making me doubtful of my path. But I’ll continue to find a way to not lose hope and pursue my career as an illustrator.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Emily Kwon. I’m an illustrator concentrating on concept art and character design for animation and game development. In other words, I am a visual communicator who helps people solve problems and inspire them through visual productions. Everything I draw contains a story. From characters, environments, and even a simple prop there are narratives behind them. Ever since I was young, I loved visualizing my imagination through art. Drawing was another form of communication for me. I always struggled to initiate talks as I was an extremely introverted kid in the school. There was so much to tell and share in my head, but I didn’t know how to open up to people. Until my drawings grabbed attention, and helped me build connections with others. More and more people approached me because I was one of the few students who helped them visualize their stories for them. It made me proud that I could create the bridge between our connections with my talent. From then on, I wanted to become an artist who not only shares my stories but also help people to share theirs through illustrations.

I believe growing up as an international student also allowed me to be more open-minded. Because I was living in a foreign country my entire life and studying in international schools, I learned to accept new perspectives from different people across countries. It’s interesting to see how individuals gave different feedback or advice due to their cultural aspects. As a strong listener, I combined different views and came up with several solutions. This ability especially helped me during my college years where we had to give and receive critiques numerous times. I was able to absorb different feedback and offer some advice to help them improve, as well. I learned from the best that we, visual communicators, aren’t just a bridge to help others build connections but also problem solvers to give better creative solutions.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

I agree that some non-creatives do not quite understand the creative journeys that artists struggle with. Specifically, I think sometimes they misunderstand how much time and effort we need during our process and how artists face burnout. For instance, when I start a project, I do not immediately run to render final illustrations. I begin with research, find references, create thumbnails, experiment with values and colors, and lastly, finish up my final illustrations. We have our steps and procedures that cannot be ignored. Furthermore, there are times when we encounter burnout. Burnouts always come and go unexpectedly. Some of us really can’t do any work when burnout hits us. It’s not that we are lazy, but it’s more of a sign telling us that we need to recharge. We can’t draw and think of creative ideas 24/7. Our brains need some time to take breaks like any other people. Of course, some non-creatives appreciate artists’ efforts and hardships, yet there are still some people who think art is a simple task. Well, art is never a simple task. It requires time and energy as any other industry does.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

One of the proudest things about being an artist is that we can touch people’s hearts deeply through artistic talents. As for me, watching animation and reading comics or webtoons wasn’t just a way to release stress but it was a way for me to relax and take a break from reality. I felt connected to the narratives and characters and sometimes it felt like I was part of the story. Whenever I imagined myself in their worlds, I felt a sense of freedom. Knowing firsthand how much art can impact one’s emotions, I wanted to cure people’s hearts through my drawings. As an illustrator, I love depicting stories that people would feel connected to and hopefully comforted. I once drew comics and illustrations for my friends and family. It was interesting to see how they portrayed different emotions. Some laughed, some gave me small smiles, and some even shed tears. It especially hit me hard when my father once cried looking at one of my illustrations. After the incident, he slowly opened up to me. I was happy and proud that I made something I could feel connected with him. The emotional impact that art can have on the viewers is strong. I want to utilize my talent to provide them solace and a chance to bring people together.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.emilykwonart.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peng_draws/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-kwon-5751b4264/

Image Credits
Original designs by Emily Kwon