We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Zhiyu You. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Zhiyu below.
Hi Zhiyu, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
After being admitted to the illustration major of the School of Visual Arts, I still hesitated I was still a little unsure about my chosen major. While I was studying illustration, I also chose some fine art courses and design internships. After experimenting, I found that I prefer to tell stories in my works, tell stories of what I saw, and tell stories that make people thought-provoking. So I became more determined to study illustration. After graduation, I met a lot of tattoo artists. I decided to try it myself, because I always feel tattooing is interesting. I started my tattoo business in an “accident”, but I found that I was deeply attracted to tattoos. I style my illustrations to fit the body, using the body as an extension of the canvas. My tattoo designs continue my illustration style, mainly based on lines, and the design inspiration also comes from my cultural background.
In retrospect, the choices I made along the way may not be accidental, but all because of my love for drawing.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I am a teller when I am drawing and a listener when I am tattooing.
Women are the eternal theme in my art.
I hope to build a “female language” in my works, and as an Asian illustrator, use artistic narrative techniques to discuss social issues and arouse more social attention to contemporary women’s situation. Everyone in modern society has various pressures, and not everyone can understand, or even realize the pressures of different groups. If I can use artistic language to show more female emotions, more people can understand the current situation of contemporary women.
For tattooing, at the really beginning, I just wanted to show beauty through tattoos. It turned out later that the story behind the tattoo was what fascinated me the most. I like to listen to the story behind every idea, communicate with different people, understand their stories and ideas, and then construct the pattern design on my paper. Help them combine beauty and imagery and balance, and express emotions through tattoos.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
I believe that the most important quality for an artist is to keep creating. I remember what my professor told me before I graduated: ‘When everyone else gives up, you will be the winner as long as you keep working on your art.’ At first, I didn’t pay much attention to this. However, after graduating and starting my own career, I realized how difficult it is to keep going.
The beginning of my art career was hard. There were times when my artwork couldn’t pay my bills, when my work didn’t get attention or recognition, and I thought about giving up many times. The only reason I didn’t give up is because I can feel my true self when I am drawing. I tried to get some jobs to make money, at the same time make sure I have enough time to working on my artwork, so that I can balance my life between working and creating.
Creativity is important for an artist, also an artist’s ability to handle criticism and have your own judgmentis just as important as their artistic creativity.
All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
I think drawing is like having a conversation with myself. When creating, it can be difficult to stay inspired. After I finish a series of artwork, I often struggle to come up with the theme for the next one. At these times, I find that “the investments” I have made in other fields can be helpful.
To overcome this, I try to expose myself to more talented artists. I also find inspiration in fields that are not related to drawing, such as books, movies, and traveling. I like to draw some sketches on my sketchbook as they serve as a review of my life. Sometimes, a sketch that I am particularly fond of inspires me to create a complete painting or extend an existing one into a series. I also find that revisiting old sketches can lead to new ideas.
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Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.zhiyuyou.net/
- Instagram: @zyuyou_art
- Other: Tattoo instagram: @you.tats
