Tell us about yourself.
Hi there! I'm Tammy, a product designer, and illustrator living in the Bay Area.
What type of art do you feel most connected to?
I feel the most connected to art that is inspired by culture. As an Asian American, I absolutely love seeing art that I can deeply resonate with: art that creates a sense of familiarity, art that makes me feel as though I'm at home.
I truly believe that illustration is an opportunity to tell a story.
How long have you been drawing or illustrating?
I've been doodling and teaching myself to illustrate ever since I could hold a pencil.
What inspires you the most to illustrate?
Stories! I truly believe that illustration is an opportunity to tell a story. Memories, meaningful moments shared by the people around me, fairytales from childhood, experiences, conversations every day, inspire me to illustrate.
Do you remember your first-ever illustration? What was it?
I used to adore drawing anything that could fly. I still believe doing so taught me to dream and kept me hopeful. While I can't remember my first-ever illustration, I'm almost positive it included a medley of birds, butterflies, and dragons!
Describe your creative illustration process in several steps
1. Recall a story or experience!
2. put pencil to paper and create a rough sketch.
3. Iterate!
4. Finalize the sketch and add color!
5. Share :)
Where do you see yourself in the future?
In the future, I hope that I am still finding time to illustrate every day, that I continue to pursue a career that is socially impactful and pushes me to grow, and that I am surrounded by the people that I love. :)
What three things would you tell others to be inspired to make art during Covid-19?
I would say that every day is an opportunity to learn, experience, or create something new. If illustrating is a skill that you've always wanted to improve on, dedicate some time day after day to sketching - even if it's only for 5 minutes.
That being said, the most important thing you can do is take care of yourself! Make sure you're doing something every day that makes you happy. :)
Which tools do you use to illustrate? Which one do you use the most?
I've started using procreate on my iPad more and more frequently to explore digital illustration! However, I will always appreciate simple pencil and paper and my favorite 0.5mm Muji pens!
How can others find your work or connect with you?