Baccarat Malaysia magazine has published a 6-page interview of me and my illustration works on this month’s issue. All the feature artworks are some of the latest and proudest ever done for various clients.
In case you can’t get hold of a copy of the magazine, here is the set of Q&A of my interview:
AND SO IT IS DRAWN
YEO LIYIN enjoys drawing up a storm and shares some of her works with us
by RAINA NG
Liyin Yeo is not on Facebook. Born and bred in Miri she is a advertising and graphic design major who draws, travels, spends time in her garden and cooks. She also has a pet hen that lays eggs almost everyday.
Will you tell us about each of the pieces you have included in the series?
They are some of my proudest work of cartoon illustrations I ever done for clients for different projects.
Why have you chosen to include them and what inspired them?
They are some of the best works I have ever worked on and I am proud of them. What inspired them was the process of the making of the artworks. Thoughts and practice put into producing each piece of work is a journey of myself learning something new and sharpening my skills. The process itself inspired me. Leonardo da Vinci inspires me most of the time.
What are the things that are most important to you in your life?
Oxygen to breathe, food to keep me energised, clean drinking water to keep my body hydrated, a roof over my head but most of all, freedom! Freedom to do whatever I want without being judged.
What was your first encounter with art — when did you take your first drawing?
At a very tender age of 6 or 7 years old. The first piece I could recall vividly of myself drawing was a portrait of a Penan kid with a coconut haircut. I folded it and kept it in my the pocket of my pyjamas. Once, I secretly took some cooked squid tentacles from a plate during lunch and hid them in a drawer because I thought they looked artistic.
What motivated you to keep going?
Social media. Everytime I see awesome work done by talented international artists and designers on the Instagram, I tell myself, “I have got to keep going, keep creating more impressive work like that!” Just hoping for the day will come that I no longer have to misuse/ abuse those hashtags to get my work noticed and that the number of my followers will outnumber the number of my post. I am so not there yet, I have to keep going.
What in your view is art about — what is the purpose of art for you?
Art is in the nature and everything that surrounds us. The purpose of art is to express an idea, convey a message and just a pleasure to the beholder of its beauty.
And flowing on from that question, what is the artist’s work — what does it entail?
It entails a creative process, probably thinking along the line of breaking the rules, breaking away from the norm and being unpredictable in the end result of the artist’s work.
What makes a good piece of work?
It is so subjective. What do you think Picasso’s work – good? Or great? Personally, I think a good piece of work is one that reflects the artist’s brilliance of the artist’s mind with good sense of composition and colour, and excellent skills in his / her artistic style.
What is it that you try to capture in your work? Are they merely aesthetic?
Aesthetic is important, so is the element of the sense of humour of the message in the visual, especially in satirical cartoons. Make it sarcastic, dramatic and offensive if possible.
Do you always see images in your mind?
If I told you I don’t, I would probably be a plant. But yes, I do, especially when I close my eyes.
What would you like to do with your work? Where would you like to take it?
Show it off, expose it, make good money out of it, so that it could continue to create more, travel the world, and inspire others too.
Are there any projects you are currently working on, what motivated the project and why?
I am currently learning up a new skill and practicing hand lettering. I have always loved typography. Hand-drawn lettering has become a global trend nowadays that I would not want to miss out on acquiring the skill which also helps me incorporate into my illustration and logo designing work. I am always looking forward to opportunities in the future to work on new anything and everything new. The sky is the limit. I am here to make fresh ideas grow.
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Personal: @liyin_yeo
Creative: @liyincreative
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