Today we’d like to introduce you to Zhanjiang Liu.
Hi Zhanjiang, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I was born in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in northern China, where I studied art when I was a little boy and started my career in a design studio after graduating from art college. I worked as a creative art director at advertising agencies for many years and have been involved in a lot of commercials. My aesthetics and my commitment to morality have been shaped by these years of commercial experience. After years of navigating that competitive industry, I found myself stuck in a loop of worrying about creativity and constant anxiety. This unique feeling sparked a new beginning for me. So, I came to London to pursue my master’s degree in illustration. After graduation, I started exploring my career as an illustrator. So, I’m still relatively new in this industry at the moment.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has not been an easy path for me to become an illustrator. Developing my visual style required a significant amount of time and determination. Due to my previous background and the environment I am currently in. As well as the fact that there are tons of very talented illustrators living in this city. So, it’s pretty competitive. The trend at the moment is to become more and more digital, whereas my illustration style is created using traditional tools. It’s not a wise choice.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I was in the design industry for ten years before I started as an illustrator. Throughout my previous career, I worked across the media and advertising industries, where I worked as an art director and have been involved in a lot of commercials. After years of employment in that field, I discovered that I was mired in a cycle of persistent anxiety and worrying about my creativity. This distinct sensation inspired me to start over. So, I came to London to pursue my master’s degree in illustration. Following the completion of my course, I began pursuing an illustration career.
Drawing is a way to communicate, allowing my emotions to flow and take shape on paper. It serves as the foundation of my work and provides a continuous means of introspection and world-viewing. I am desperately trying to turn everyday moments into illustrations in just a few colours with simple marks and shapes. If I’m lucky, they’re the right strokes in the right places, but in a lot of cases, I’ve completely screwed up a drawing. This chaos translates itself into images that are full of energy and movement. Offering a little humor in its imperfections and beauty while also responding to family, fear, anxiety, confusion, uncertainty, and hopeful moments.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
Many people have kindly helped shape who I am today, such as my unhappy childhood, which drove me to find a way to express myself, and of course, my parents’ purposeless artistic upbringing, which allowed me to find a direction in my life, or maybe a better term, a “career.” The design and advertising industry, where I have worked for over a decade, and they’ve given me the foundation for my new career path by giving me a range of platforms and opportunities to practice and present my work. More importantly, my courage to abandon everything that I had, which seemed to be a promising and bright career, to join a field where it was difficult to find my place.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.zhanjiangliuart.uk/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liu.zhanjiang/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zhanjiang-liu-565a56240/
Image Credits
Zhanjiang Liu
