Meet Yang Qian

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Yang Qian a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Yang, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?

When I start an illustration, I like to create little stories inspired by the people and objects around me. I can’t help but fantasize every day, and this always leads to interesting scenes in my mind that I want to bring to life on paper.
I think many artists, including myself, constantly admire masterpieces and other illustrators’ works of art. Sometimes others’ creations could be incredibly inspiring in different ways. I always keep an open eye on my friends’ artworks and learn from them.
Like many artists, I occasionally face creative blocks where inspiration is hard to find, and I stare at a blank canvas, unsure where to begin. When this happens, I turn to my sketchbook. Sketching regularly is essential—it helps me draw freely and experiment with new materials. I often find new themes or emotions that I want to express through my art.
If my mind is completely blank, I go for a walk in the park, observe the leaves and flowers, or take some time to rest and recharge. Maintaining a childlike curiosity in daily life is also a great way to embrace new ideas, which often find their way into my work eventually.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

Hi! I’m Yang, an illustrator based in Atlanta. I focus on children’s books and surface design, combining watercolor with digital media to create visual stories rich in emotion and imagination.
The most exciting part of being an illustrator is the ability to create my own stories and make connections between words and images, finding a balance between narrative and visuals. I aim to create pieces that evoke emotions in viewers and resonate with both children and adults.
One of my current projects is a book about a girl and her cat traveling to different countries, each filled with cat characters. It’s so much fun to work with diverse cultures, costumes, and food, and I’m thoroughly enjoying the research into different places around the world.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

First, we need to have an open mind. I’m studying at SCAD, a school filled with potential artists from different countries and cultures. Since day one, I’ve been receiving feedback from people with unique perspectives. It’s been incredibly inspiring to learn that everyone has their own aesthetic and way of thinking. The advice I get from those around me helps me grow in my career. As an artist in a globalized world, being open to all cultures is crucial to creating books that can be enjoyed by children everywhere.
Second, confidence is essential. As I mentioned earlier, everyone has their own aesthetic, which means there will always be some who don’t connect with our art. But there will also be many who do. I went through a period where I doubted myself. Seeing my classmates’ fantastic work made me feel embarrassed to share my own, but my professor encouraged me. I’ve since realized that I’m good enough to be here. Every time I finish a new piece, I feel a sense of progress and satisfaction.
Finally, it’s important to keep trying new things. We can’t stick to what we already know if we want to find new inspiration. This world offers us so many new experiences every day, and it would be a waste to ignore them. Besides drawing, I have other hobbies that help me refresh my mind and connect with people in different fields.

To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?

When I was a little girl, my parents bought me many picture books and filled my shelves with them. I spent hours every day enjoying the colorful and imaginative worlds that each author created. Even though it’s been years since then, I still remember some of those scenes and the feelings I had while reading them. Those experiences encouraged me to doodle my own characters, and drawing became my passion from a young age.
I think this is one of the reasons I want to be a children’s book illustrator. I want to create stories and artwork that will leave a lasting impression on other children, just as those books did for me.

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