We were lucky to catch up with Allen Zhang recently and have shared our conversation below.
Allen, 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.
As a traditional illustrator, it takes more passion and experience than a sudden epiphany to stay creative. Once the necessary skills are in place, all I need is the right motivation to start creating.
Looking back at my creative process, I’ve realized that developing hobbies has always been the best way to keep myself passionate—not only about waking up the next morning, but also about providing inspiration for my career as an illustrator. A perfect example is my little hobby of collecting toys. I love hunting down old toys in markets around the world and searching for toy magazines from the ’90s. This small hobby has become one of my biggest sources of inspiration for creating children’s books, and it always keeps me excited while I’m drawing.
Other hobbies such as playing musical instruments, developing video games, photography, and even temporary interests like studying zoology, have all feed my creativity in different ways. Even though I might not spend much time or effort on them, they do provide important experience and knowledge.
So, for me, simply doing illustration isn’t always enough to keep my creativity alive. It is everything else besides illustration that nourished my creativity.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I’m an illustrator and picture book creator. Right now, I’m developing a picture book inspired by my undergraduate thesis. In the meantime, I also take on book covers, editorial, advertising, music covers, and all illustration-adjacent commissions. I primarily work with traditional media such as colored pencils, but I’m also comfortable working digitally when needed. I am known for creating unique and delicate textures, while conveying subtle emotions. I am passionate about folklore, monster designs, and animals. My style is rooted in traditional Asian art and grows into something more bizarre and playful. If anyone is looking for something in my style, I’ll be happy to collaborate.
How would you describe your ideal client?
Taiyo Matsumoto’s comics are something I frequently pick up and enjoy. I was influenced by them so much that I believe Taiyo’s art motivated me to become an artist in the first place. His work contains many qualities that I have never seen anywhere else: his restraint of emotion, loose brush strokes and perspective, and the undefined boundary between reality and imagination. All of these are qualities of traditional Asian art, but reinterpreted in a modern form. I personally benefit a lot by reading his work.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.allenzhangart.com
- Instagram: @allenzhang_illustration
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/allen-zhang-4aa199341
