You move fluidly between two worlds: the sharp, solution-driven side of design and the expressive, often emotional space of illustration. When you sit down to start a project, what tells you whether it belongs in the “clarity” bucket or the “change” bucket?
It often begins with intention. Before starting any project, I try to sense what it requires from me: clarity or expression? If the goal is to solve a problem, clearly communicate an idea, or build a visual language that helps people connect effortlessly with a brand, it naturally falls into the clarity category. This aspect of my work is primarily grounded in logic, structure, and purpose. However, when a project starts with a question, an emotion, or a story that encourages people to pause and reflect, it shifts toward the change category. Illustration allows me to explore ideas more intuitively and emotionally. More often than not, clarity and change intersect somewhere in between. In the design world, my illustrations can provide structure and intention, while illustration infuses warmth and empathy into my design work.
Branding often asks for restraint, simplicity, and structure. Illustration, on the other hand, gives you space to be playful and bold. Do you find the two balancing each other, or do they ever clash?
Even though branding is often associated with structure and restraint, and illustration with playfulness and freedom, I’ve found that both can shift depending on the project. Illustrations created for a purpose also require clarity and intention, while branding, depending on the client or story, can be expressive and richly detailed. So rather than seeing them as opposites, I see them as overlapping worlds. Each side teaches me something about balance, when to simplify, when to let emotion take the lead, and when the two can coexist to create something more meaningful.
Your work frequently circles back to themes of environment, ecology, and community. When did you first realise these concerns weren’t just personal interests but also creative fuel?
I’ve always found myself drawn to the natural world and its quiet details. I’ve been curious about animals and how everything in an ecosystem is interconnected. Over time, that curiosity grew into an awareness of conservation and empathy. I realised that while art may not directly change things, it can spark a sense of care and connection in people. Working with those already in the conservation space has strengthened that belief. It’s fulfilling to create something I genuinely enjoy while playing a small part in something meaningful, and that sense of purpose continues to fuel my work.
Do you see design as having the power to influence change, while illustration might have the power to provoke it? Or is the line blurrier than that?
I think of design as something that shapes understanding. It influences how people connect with ideas, products, or causes by making communication accessible and thoughtful. Illustration, on the other hand, can challenge or stir emotion. It has a way of reaching people on a more instinctive level. Where design guides, illustration often sparks. But the line between them isn’t always distinct. A strong design system can move someone emotionally, and an illustration can communicate complex ideas with clarity. Together, they make ideas easier to relate to and harder to forget.
