We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sheila Zhang. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sheila below.

Hi Sheila, thanks for joining us today. Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?

I am extremely happy and honored to have become an Illustrator. I consider myself luckier than many around me because my parents have provided unwavering support and encouraged me to pursue my dreams. To facilitate this journey, they invested substantially to send me abroad for further education. In return, I have dedicated myself to absorbing as much knowledge and experience as possible during my time in college.

Although my experience as an illustrator is relatively short, I firmly believe that becoming a professional illustrator is the best decision I’ve ever made. Learning the art of drawing and expression is not an easy task. Throughout my learning process, my friends and I have encountered periods of self-doubt, low moments, and anxieties. However, overcoming these challenges is an integral part of the artist’s journey.

As an illustrator, I find the most meaningful aspect lies in translating my inner emotions onto the canvas. Each artwork comes with its own set of fresh challenges and experiences. Even in the professional realm, every illustration we create carries its own distinct emotions. This offers an exhilaration that conventional jobs simply cannot provide.

I am confident that my voyage as an artist has only just begun, and I am resolute in my commitment to continue learning, growing, and exploring the boundless possibilities that lie ahead.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am currently a freelance illustrator, and I am steadily working towards becoming a professional Visual Development Artist. Just like many others, I have had a passion for drawing since I was young, I could happily draw for an entire day if I got a piece of paper and a pencil.

Compared to most people, I am undoubtedly fortunate. My parents have been incredibly supportive, encouraging me to chase my dreams. They have generously funded my MFA in Illustration, enabling me to successfully complete my studies.

My portfolio mainly consists of Illustrations and Visual Development Arts. To break it down further, I particularly enjoy creating Visual Development Art such as Character Designs, Colour Scripts, and Key Frames.

Throughout my artistic journey, one challenge that has consistently troubled me is my art style. As an Asian individual, I was heavily influenced by Japanese Anime from an early age, which naturally tilted my style towards Anime. However, during my university years in the UK, my professors repeatedly emphasized the importance of not adopting an Anime style. This left me feeling adrift. In my quest for direction, I attempted to explore a new direction by mimicking Disney’s style. Unfortunately, I was once again reminded to find a style unique to myself.

Until this year, not having a specific art style has remained a significant dilemma for me. However, in recent years, I’ve come to realize that an illustrator’s art style should be consistent, as it represents you, essentially being an independent brand. In contrast, a Visual Development Artist needs to be versatile, quickly adapting to different painting styles required for various film and TV projects.

My goal is to become a Visual Development Artist, and the ability to work with diverse styles is perfectly aligned with industry standards. Even though I’m currently an illustrator, the positive news is that I believe I’m progressing on the right path. My style aligns with the aspirations I’m diligently working towards.

My work is frequently described as vibrant in colors. I not only appreciate vibrant hues but also strive to infuse my colours with emotions. During the process, I make an effort to organize my thoughts on colors, sketch out colour compositions (colour comps), and then proceed with the final artwork. (Although sometimes I might take shortcuts and skip the colour comps due to laziness, I acknowledge the significant impact they have on the final piece, so I make sure to create them when I have the time!)

Moreover, I thoroughly enjoy capturing the expressions of characters. Similar to my approach with colors, I want my characters’ emotions to evoke empathy, allowing readers to feel their emotional expressions. So, personally, I enjoy practicing character expressions in my spare time.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

Personally, I believe that online art courses and various tutorials have tremendously aided my learning journey. The knowledge I’ve gained from online art courses might even surpass what I acquired during my time in art college.

In this era of advanced internet connectivity, numerous learning platforms have emerged. These platforms often feature courses led by distinguished creators from the animation, illustration, and gaming industries.

However, it wasn’t until around 2017 that I became aware of these online learning resources. If possible, I wish I had discovered these platforms earlier, allowing me to access a diverse array of artistic knowledge during my leisure time.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

Since my earliest memories, I’ve held a deep passion for animation and comics. I vividly recall my first encounter with ‘Pokemon’ at the age of 5 and my enduring fondness for the comic ‘Old Master Q.’ Even now, I can’t quite pinpoint what exactly drew me into the world of animation and comics, but I’ve always sensed a sensitivity to imagery and colour within me.

I’ve steadfastly nurtured this love for drawing and animation. It wasn’t until university that I began consciously purchasing Art Books of films produced by Disney and other animation studios. The Character Design, Color Scripts, Key Frames, and Background Designs contained in these Art Books left a profound impact on me. From that point onwards, I found myself aspiring to contribute to visual development in film, television, or game projects. I genuinely hope to see my designs and creations on the big screen someday.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sheilaart.portfolio.site/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sheilaz1118/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/xiaoxiao-zhang-22934211b/