Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Leah Han. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Leah, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.
One thing I’ve learned about myself is that my creativity grows the most when my life isn’t completely settled. I don’t mean chaos, but a kind of open-endedness , a life where the future isn’t fully mapped out and there are always multiple paths ahead of me. That sense of possibility keeps me alert, curious, and emotionally sensitive. It forces me to think, to observe, and to stay engaged with the world instead of falling into a predictable routine.
I experience creativity blocks like everyone else, but what keeps my creativity alive is staying open-minded toward unfamiliar experiences and contrasts in life. I often gravitate toward things that challenge my comfort zone , like new environments, different cultures, conversations with people whose lives are nothing like mine. When life doesn’t feel “set,” every small detail becomes meaningful. Every day feels slightly different, and those subtle emotional fluctuations naturally spark ideas.
At the same time, when my inner world becomes too complicated or overwhelming, I intentionally simplify my external life. I keep my physical space minimal and quiet so my mind can stay clear. This balance between external simplicity and internal exploration allows creativity to flow instead of being drowned by noise.
Living in this in-between state, where certainty and uncertainty coexist, keeps my artistic senses awake. It helps me stay deeply empathetic, observant, and emotionally receptive, which are the foundations of my creative work.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
As an illustrator and artist working between Berlin and Chengdu, my focus is on building a sustainable artistic career shaped by a clear and recognizable visual language. Most of my work is created digitally with subtle hand-drawn textures, and I collaborate with fashion, beauty, lifestyle, editorial, and hospitality clients. In the future, I’m also planning to expand into picture books and more narrative-driven projects, because I want my artistic voice to grow in different directions and connect with a wider audience.
What excites me most right now is that many of my recent collaborations align with the core themes I’ve been exploring this year — especially the lifestyle of contemporary women, particularly those who enjoy the beauty of being on their own. My work celebrates the quiet moments women spend with themselves, embracing independence, appreciation of personal space, and emotional awareness. I’m grateful that several brands in fashion, beauty, and hospitality resonated with this vision and invited me to bring these themes into their campaigns. This is something I deeply love about illustration: unlike traditional fine art that often lives in galleries, illustration can enter people’s everyday lives. It allows my work to interact directly with viewers — through packaging, products, fashion, social media, interiors — becoming part of their routines and emotional world. That connection feels truly meaningful.
My artistic vision is rooted in a lifestyle that is calm, gentle, chic, and emotionally refined. I believe art is always connected to the way we choose to live. I am drawn to simplicity, delicacy, and the small rituals that nourish the heart — reading, lighting a candle, making good coffee, enjoying a peaceful home. These values naturally flow into my illustrations. When people see my work, I hope they feel a sense of calm and inner balance, and that the images invite them to slow down, introspect, and explore their inner world.
As for what’s new, I recently completed a collaboration with a LANN spa brand in China, creating a five-meter installation that reflects wellness and elegant living. I’m also working on two animation projects for fashion brands for the upcoming Year of the Horse in 2026. I’m responsible for the illustration work, while the animation is handled in collaboration with a professional animator. Looking ahead, I plan to continue expanding my series A Little Escape and develop a new hand-drawn picture book project, which will explore storytelling and poetry in a more intimate way. I also hope to travel to France next year to experience the artistic atmosphere there and gather new inspiration for my work.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Looking back, the three qualities that have shaped me the most in my creative journey are resilience, boldness, and emotional maturity.
Resilience is essential in the creative industry. The path is rarely linear — there are setbacks, long quiet seasons, rejections, and moments where doubt creeps in. I’ve learned that it’s okay to feel discouraged, frustrated, or even cry, but what matters is the ability to return to center quickly. Resilience isn’t about never falling; it’s the capacity to rise again with clarity and continue creating with an open heart.
Boldness has also been crucial. A creative career rarely follows a predictable or stable path. Your environment may shift, your opportunities may come unexpectedly, and you often have to step into unfamiliar spaces without guarantees. Being bold means staying open-minded, embracing change instead of resisting it, and allowing yourself to evolve rather than staying confined to a single “safe” version of yourself.
And finally, emotional maturity. As an illustrator, my work is deeply personal, but my industry is also collaborative. Maturity helps me communicate clearly, take responsibility for my decisions, and navigate partnerships with respect and professionalism. I believe artists can remain sincere, sensitive, and imaginative while still being grounded, reliable, and thoughtful in how they work with others.
Technical skill is important, of course, but these three qualities — resilience, boldness, and maturity — are what truly sustain a creative life. They allow you to keep growing, keep expressing, and keep choosing this path even when it’s difficult.
What would you advise – going all in on your strengths or investing on areas where you aren’t as strong to be more well-rounded?
I believe it is far more valuable to focus on our strengths. No one is perfect in every direction, and I don’t think we are meant to be. Every person carries both talents and limitations, which is exactly why collaboration exists. A meaningful project is never accomplished by one individual alone. Great work comes from a team of people who each bring their own area of expertise — creativity, marketing, finance, production, editing, art direction. Everyone contributes their strongest part so the whole project can shine.
For me, being a professional means the field you specialize in should be exceptionally strong. That is your contribution to the team. Trying to force yourself to excel in areas that are not natural to you can drain your energy and joy, and the result often remains mediocre. We do not need to be perfect at everything. We need depth, not dilution.
In my own case, I know I am not naturally good with systems that require heavy logic or technical precision, such as After Effects. When I tried to learn motion design through complex software, I quickly realized it wasn’t designed for the way my mind works. It made me unhappy, my productivity dropped, and the results were far from professional. But this doesn’t mean I cannot create animation — in fact, hand-drawn, frame-by-frame animation fits my artistic language much better and allows me to preserve the emotional quality of my work. What I truly avoid is forcing myself into technical tools that compromise the expressive nature of my illustration.
Instead, I focus on what I do best : illustration, emotion, intuition, and visual narrative and collaborate with experts on the parts outside my strengths. This year, I worked with professional animators for two major projects. They handle the motion; I create the illustration language. Together, the final outcome will become polished, professional, and elevated. The problem is solved beautifully, and I remain fully committed to my craft.
In short, leaning into your strength allows you to contribute your highest value, produce your best work, and feel fulfilled. Collaboration fills the rest. That is how creativity thrives.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.leahhan.art/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leah.hanhan/
- Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/leahhanillustration
Image Credits
Leah Han
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