Story & Lesson Highlights with Rasato Ma of Shanghai

We recently had the chance to connect with Rasato Ma and have shared our conversation below.

Rasato, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What is a normal day like for you right now?
Due to the fact that I am not currently a full-time artist, my morning routine really depends on whether it’s a weekday or a weekend.

On weekends, I usually wake up around 9 a.m. and start my day around 10 a.m. by replying to emails, exploring new collaboration opportunities, and brainstorming new creative projects.
Around 6:30 p.m., I typically spend one to two hours exercising. After that, I head home to wind down and usually go to bed around midnight.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hello, I’m Rasato, an emerging illustrator and graphic designer based in Shanghai. Currently, I work as a Senior Graphic Designer at NIO Technology, where I am responsible for front-end visual communication for the ONVO brand. Alongside my design role, I maintain an active illustration practice, with my work often exploring themes such as personal growth, culture, love, relationships, and family.

In my digital creations, I focus on integrating composition, colour, narrative and texture to build engaging illustrations. Through this approach, I aim to create a comfortable and evolving visual platform that fosters connection and dialogue with my audience.

To me, both illustration and graphic design are meaningful yet only a part of my life’s journey. I don’t live for art or design—rather, I live for life itself, and for being true to who I am. My creative work is a means of expression and exploration, but it does not define my entire existence.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Looking back at these words now, I find them quite difficult to answer. I want to say that I never truly knew I had a gift like painting, nor did I realise I was trying to break the rules and cages that confined me.

I might describe my former self as an ordinary person—a learner who believed that hard work alone was enough to achieve any goal.

Along the way, I’ve kept asking myself, “Who am I really meant to be?” Yet it’s the kind of question that stays with each of us throughout our lives—we are always searching, always exploring for an answer.

When I really think about it, there have been people around me who told me what I ought to become. But at some point in my life, I began to recognise the ability I possess, and I want to try to become something extraordinary.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
The thought of giving up has crossed my mind more times than I can count—so many times, in fact. That voice in my head whispering, “I might not be able to do this,” often felt like a sign that I should stop right there. I knew the outcome might be disappointing, or even futile—but so what?

I still chose to try. I’d pick myself up after setbacks and start over again.

I remember during my master’s degree, when I shifted from traditional to digital painting and decided to create my graduation project entirely digitally. Each illustration took me nearly two weeks to complete. It wasn’t my strength at the time, and I hadn’t yet adapted to such a sudden change. There were so many moments I wanted to quit, so many times I felt disheartened because the work didn’t meet my expectations.

But I got through it. Looking back now, I’m deeply grateful to myself for persevering.

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I suppose it’s the act of continually creating illustrations—and the belief that I’ve always loved drawing—that forms the core of my conviction. Even now, at 27, I’m fully aware that illustration cannot currently provide me with a stable income. Despite the considerable time, effort, and money I’ve invested—with returns that feel disproportionately small—I still choose to pursue it. This is my gift, and my passion. I love drawing; I love creating something from nothing on a blank sheet of paper. I want my work to be seen, to be appreciated—that is my hope.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
I suppose if I found out I had only ten years left to live, I would resign from my job straight away. It’s widely recognised how hardworking the Chinese are—always working, even after hours, on weekends, and during holidays. Having time truly to oneself is remarkably hard to come by.

So after quitting, I would travel—see the world, visit Paris again, Copenhagen, Amsterdam. You know, there are moments, drowsing alone on a crowded subway, when I’ve almost let slip those memories of my student days in the UK. It’s precisely because of that—I catch myself wishing time could flow backward. Just so I could return, if only briefly, and take shelter in that time. Back then, I didn’t know the limits of the world. I was ready to walk through fire, to lose myself completely in what moved me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://rasato.me/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rasato3240/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rasato-ma-931b67224/
• Other: Behance: https://www.behance.net/rasato