Xinping Li

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Animals

Conceptual

Editorial

Food & Drink

Graphic

Nature

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Several broken fortune cookies with visible fortune slips

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Red and white striped lighthouse with flying seagulls under blue sky

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Birthday cake with lit candles and bears celebrating by Xinping Li

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Tiny people climbing large stacked summer tomatoes by Xinping Li

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Xinping: expansive forms, vibrant colors, surprising depth.

Pattern, texture, and vibrant accents: Xinping creates depth using a minimalist approach.

An experienced graphic designer, Xinping often uses a background pattern or texture as the foundations of an image, creating brighter focal points in the foreground – sometimes employing interesting layering to create depth that belies the simplicity of her approach. Her clients enjoy seeing how she takes their ideas and transforms them into imaginative visuals. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Xinping was born in China and was originally inspired by anime and manga. Studying at City College and then San Francisco State University, she trained in a range of traditional media before transitioning to digital. Her influences include Hayao Miyazaki and Vincent van Gogh.

Approach

Initial ideas are sketched on an iPad in Procreate, with a limited palette of up to three colours selected. The image is refined as Xinping works with brushes and textures to give it the right overall feel.

Key software

Procreate and Adobe Photoshop.

Style

Flat forms, bright colours and plenty of contrast are used to conjure the narrative and emotion of the piece, as the viewer gradually takes in its depth and nuance.

Languages

English and Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese).

Impressions

Interview

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Interview

What led you to become an illustrator? As a child, I found joy in drawing inspired by my favorite anime and manga. This early love for drawing evolved into a passion for illustration.Did you study illustration in college? I majored in Visual Communication Design at San Francisco State University. While it wasn’t a dedicated illustration program, I kept drawing throughout my time there and used every opportunity to incorporate illustration into my design projects.Where did you grow up? I grew up in Taishan, a small city in southern China known as the “Home of Overseas Chinese.” It’s a place with a strong sense of heritage and community.Do you have a childhood memory relating to art that you hold dear? Yes. When I was a child, I would visit my uncle’s house during summer holidays and watch him created Chinese brush paintings. I was fascinated by the graceful movements and flowing ink. Those quiet moments made a lasting impression and sparked my early love for art.Where do you live now and what drew you there? I live in San Francisco Bay Area now. I moved here with my family as an immigrant, and we’ve made it our home. The area’s diversity and creativity inspire me.Describe your studio for us My bedroom is my studio now. It’s a cozy, light-filled space where creativity flows naturally. I often work at my desk, surrounded by my tools - my iPad, sketchbooks, and a few art books. There’s always a cup of coffee nearby, and my favorite band music plays in the background. It’s a peaceful space that helps me focus and feel relax while I create.Do you have a studio pet?Not yet. I have a plan to adapt a cat in the future.Who or What is your biggest inspiration? One of my major influences is Hayao Miyazaki, his work has an artistic vision with its enchanting visuals and rich storytelling. I draw a lot of inspiration from animations. What’s your favourite way to spend a day off?I love starting my day with sunshine, a homemade latte, and a nice breakfast. I enjoy visiting exhibitions with friends—it’s a great way to get inspired. Afterwards, we usually grab a nice lunch or hang out at a boba tea shop to chat.What's your most prized possession and why?My iPad Pro and sketchbook. It’s full of ideas, memories, and moments of creative exploration. It’s something that I always keep close.Do you collect anything? Yes. I love collecting postcards and greeting cards. I always send greeting to my friends very year, and in return, they often send me postcards from different places and countries. It’s a heartwarming way to stay connected and build memories.What do you listen to when you work?I usually listen to band music while I work. Two of my favorites are CNBLUE and ONE OK ROCK—their energy and melodies help keep me focused and inspired.What's your favourite podcast?After Hours.What is the first record you bought? Bootleg by Kenshi Yonezu.Who is your art hero? Hayao Miyazaki.What is your favourite book?“Life Trailer from Newborn to 100 Years Old”, written by Heike Faller, an editor at Germany’s Die Zeit magazine, and illustrated by Italian artist Valerio Vidali.What is your favourite quote?"No pain, no gain."What movie can you watch over and over?Princess Mononoke. It’s a powerful storytelling animation, it explores the balance between nature and humanity.What is the last show you binged?9-1-1. What was the last exhibition you saw and loved?I visited the Guangdong Museum of Art while traveling in China and really loved the exhibition Glaze and Mundane World: Exhibition of Fang Xiang’s Work. He uses brush and ink to create a dynamic, ever-changing world, blending traditional Chinese ink painting with new perspectives and innovative approaches. It was both inspiring and deeply moving.What was the last concert you went to?CNBLUE VOYAGE into X. Their energy and live performance were incredible, it was such a fun and amazing experience!If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you go? There are so many places I’d love to visit: Yunnan, Iceland, Italy, France, and Japan.Is there any random thing you consider yourself an expert on/any hidden talents?I think I have a really good nose. I’m very sensitive to smells and can often detect things that others don’t notice, especially when something’s off.If you could only any eat one type of food for the rest of your life, what would it be?Seafood.You are stranded on a desert island with no power or running water. What art supplies would you take?Sketchbooks, and a solar-powered pencil (so it never runs out of lead).If a client paid you enough money to take a year off and create whatever you want – an open brief - no constraints - what would you create?I’d spend the year working on a personal project, it would be a book of my life or travel experiences. If you were not an illustrator, what would you be? Maybe a barista or baker.What is the most challenging part of being an illustrator?The most challenging part of being an illustrator is finding the balance between creativity and client demands, along with navigating the unpredictability of freelance work. There’s also the constant need to adapt to evolving technology and shifting client expectations.What career advice would you give your younger self?Trust your creative instincts more. Try different things, and know that it’s okay to not have everything figured out right away, just keep going, one step at a time.Do you have any tips/advice for other illustrators?Keep drawing what you love. Do your best and take every opportunity that comes your way. Share the work you’ve tried and experimented with-even if it’s not perfect, because it shows your range and potential. You never know who it might resonate with.

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