Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Zhigang Zhang. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Zhigang thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Alright, let’s jump into one of the most exciting parts of starting a new venture – how did you get your first client who was not a friend or family?

This is a good question. I was very fortunate to get my first client about three months after graduating from my MA course in 2020. I still remember clearly that my first commercial project was an editorial illustration for Issue 10 of The Sport Issue, about “The Transcontinental Race,” for a Belgian client. I was so so excited.

It was a challenging experience because it was my very first commercial commission. The sketching stage went well—I created many different drafts for them to choose from—but the final artwork required several revisions because I lacked experience in editorial illustration at the time. The Art Director felt that the pond in my illustration didn’t look like a pond and assumed I had drawn it that way intentionally. After researching references from other illustrators, I finally revised it successfully. The Art Director was very pleased with the final result.

Despite the multiple rounds of revisions, I was really happy with the completed artwork. When I received the physical copy, it felt incredibly fulfilling and satisfying—it was my first publication seen around the world.

If you’d like, I can also create a shorter version, a more formal version, or a more conversational version.

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?

Hi, my name is Zhigang Zhang. I am a Chinese illustrator currently based in London, UK. I mainly create editorial illustrations for magazines and newspapers.

I started working as a freelance illustrator in Shenzhen after completing my MA degree. At the same time, I returned to my previous job as an art teacher. Like many new illustrators, I needed another job to support myself at the beginning. Teaching art provided me with a stable income, which allowed me to focus on developing my illustration practice without worrying too much about financial pressure. It worked very well for me. I was also very grateful to my former and loyal clients who sent their children to study art in my studio.

One of the achievements I am most proud of is receiving the Global Talent Visa endorsed by Arts Council England, which gave me the opportunity to move to the UK in 2022. It was a significant milestone for me and still means a lot to me as an illustrator.

During my first year in London, I had the opportunity to work with several dream clients, including Bandcamp, WeTransfer, and Süddeutsche Zeitung. These experiences gave me great encouragement to continue pursuing my career in illustration.

Over time, I have built relationships with several regular clients. For example, I have been working with the Belgian newspaper De Morgen for three years, and we have developed a strong and positive collaboration. I also currently work with another regular client on a weekly basis, and we have been collaborating for about half a year. I am very thankful for the trust and support of these loyal clients.

Being a freelance illustrator is not always easy. We need to make a living while continuing to develop our creative work, and it takes time to build long-term relationships and a stable client base. However, I truly enjoy this profession because it is both creative and fulfilling.

In terms of subject matter, I especially enjoy creating illustrations related to crowded scenes, still life, and food. These themes are some of my favorites, and I always feel excited when working on them.

Looking ahead, I hope to collaborate with more dream and potential clients in the future. I would also love to work on book covers and create illustrations for commercial brands if the opportunity arises.

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

As far as I am concerned, I like to share my new personal projects with my clients from time to time. I believe it is very important to keep updating my personal work. In fact, many of my commercial commissions have come from my personal projects.

For this reason, I always try to create new personal projects to showcase my ideas and style. It is a good way to attract potential clients, stay connected with existing clients, and maintain long-term relationships with them.

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

For me, one of the most rewarding aspects of being an illustrator is seeing my work published and shared around the world. It is very fulfilling and satisfying, sometimes even more meaningful than the financial reward.

At the same time, having the opportunity to work with dream clients is also a great honour. I believe this is something that many illustrators aspire to achieve.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.zhigangzhang.com
• Instagram: z_zhigang
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zhang-zhigang-95b457155/

Image Credits

Morocco Trip
Malatang Series
Durian`s Fans
Nice Trip Series
Nice Trip Series
Nice Trip Series
loyalty Love
The C0lour of Spring