We recently connected with Yiyi Chen and have shared our conversation below.

Yiyi, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. The first dollar you earn is always exciting – it’s like the start of a new chapter and so we’d love to hear about the first time you sold or generated revenue from your creative work?

After graduation, I sent out a lot of emails to art directors to pitch myself. But I barely get any reply. I was upset and started to doubt myself. However, I was still creating my personal projects and kept updating my social media. One day I noticed an Instagram post by SPD(the society of publication designers), sharing the news that they are going to have a portfolio review inviting many art directors from big magazines and newspapers. Though the ticket price is a bit high for me about $300, I bought it immediately. I prepare my portfolio nicely and practice the conversation. I met six art directors during the review and one month later, I got my first work commission! I successfully got into this illustration industry and I became more confident about my work after receiving a real job.

Yiyi, 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 an illustrator who enjoys creating conceptual illustrations with strong shape language and interesting color palettes. I learned all the knowledge about illustration skills and the market from Savannah College of Art and Design. I am good at brainstorming and I draw fast, which make me handle the editorial illustration commission very well. My personal projects tend to depict the unnatural moment that people take for granted. I deconstruct it in an ironic and humorous way. I wish viewers could resonate with my art and my talent could be noticed by more potential clients.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Drawing and keep creating make my life meaningful and colorful. If you check out my recent personal work, you will find out I tend to depict the unnatural in contemporary life such as we live in neat cubes, we work every day, we worship money. Because these unnatural moments around my life make me feel uncomfortable. So I keep creating those illustrations to express how I feel to shout out that the life we take for granted is unnatural. After I created illustrations as a way to relieve my discomfort, I find out it is also a way to make me feel my existence. Also, through art, I met many amazing illustrators in this community. They inspire me a lot and gave huge support for my art career.

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

When you follow the illustrators you love on Instagram, always check out the clients they have cooperated with and follow them collecting their contact. This is a good way to find out potential clients.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.yiyichenart.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yiyich_chen/