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

Hi Tianfang, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

The project that feels the most meaningful right now is my bird illustration series. I’ve completed 21 pieces and my goal is to draw at least 50 to make a book out of it. This project is a combination of field sketches, gentle humor and fun stories to capture interesting moments from my bird-watching life. From time to time, I would also develop bird-related characters, animation and comics for fun, which my followers quite enjoy.

I started birding earlier this year after a close encounter with a group of red-crowned amazon parrots. They are very social birds and at that moment they were casually playing on the wires. I stopped to watch them interacting with each other for a while and felt a strange connection between us. I realized I’d never paid any attention to birds around us, they just seemed to blend into the background. However, once I start to listen carefully to their singing and look for them, they are truly everywhere. Now, birding has become one of my weekly routine. It helps me to slow down and appreciate the world around me. My field sketches and illustrations are my way to capture not only the beauty of birds, but also the funny, poetic moments they bring into ordinary days.

It’s meaningful to me because it combines two things I live: observe the nature world and create art. Especially for the days I feel depressed and isolated, birds bring me back to life and drawing the birds help me maintain a more structured lifestyle. Sharing the illustrations with others also makes me feel much more connected to the world. Fellow birders and artists have given me so much love and support to help me keep doing what I love.

This project might be modest, but to me it means a lot.

Tianfang, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Tianfang Guo, though I go by Noah professionally. I just graduated from the Academy of Art University with an MFA in Visual Development. My main focus is character design, but I love trying out different things. Doing art is my profession and my leisure, I find joy in all kinds of crafts, including sketching, illustrating, wood-carving and sculpting. Thanks to my internships at NBCU, I’ve also developed an interest in toys and lifestyle design, which lets me combine my skills in visual design, textures, 3D, and storytelling.
Stylistically, my work often feels like a refined sketchbook. I like dynamic lines and playful shapes. A combination of long, confident lines and wobbly, goofy lines often make characters feel more alive and interesting.
I started my art journey in my late 20s. I’ve always loved drawing and painting ever since I was a child. But I went on a completely journey in college, where I was trained as a journalist. Sadly after a few years of practicing in the media, I could see myself succeed in that field. During Covid and after witnessing so many tragedies and uncertainties, I started asking myself what I really wanted. I decided to give myself a few years to try if I could make something happen as an artist and I’m glad and blessed that I decided to do so. In a book called ‘Alchemist’, the author writes ‘When you want something, the whole universe conspires in order for you to achieve it.’ It might sound like superstition, but somehow I got a lot of unexpected opportunities, such as my internships, animation cooperations and other support, with this line in my mind.
I’m actually proud of myself for taking that leap of faith, and continue to thrive as a creative and develop some unique style of my own.
Right now, I’m working on a bird illustration series and other bird-related art projects. I’ve also been collaborating with friends on a short animated film, where I handle layout and background painting. These projects are teaching me consistency and collaboration, and if all goes well, I’d love to turn them into books and products in the near future.
People often describe my work as joyful and original. I like adding little details and humor to my drawings, because I hope they remind people of their inner child and of the possibility of a freer, more playful world. That sense of wonder and lightness is something I want to carry through all my work.

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

The most rewarding aspect is to see my imagination become physical reality. As a child, I always had all kinds of crazy stories and worlds in my head. Now I can actually create those worlds using environments, characters and visual storytelling. And as a product designer, seeing the a product develop from thumbnails, 3D designs, samples and to final version, and finally hold that in hand is an incredible feeling.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Choosing to learn art and become a creative was actually a life-changing decision which was very hard for me to make. During Covid, everything seemed terrible and I probably was at the lowest point of my life. I barely survived my postgraduate program and I couldn’t really see my future as an analyst or a journalist or whatever I had decided to be.

I happened to come across an article written by a visual development artist from Pixar. She had a shockingly similar academic background with me, a bachelor degree in journalism and a master degree in public administration, and she pivoted to learn art afterwards. It almost seemed like a good omen. I started to think seriously about learning art. I kept asking myself this: do I wish to be in my late 30s and regret not giving it a try? Thankfully my family showed me great support, emotionally and financially, and helped me make that life pivot.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.noahguoart.com
• Instagram: /noahguoart
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tianfang-guo/