An artist is making a strong presence on social media with her distinctive brand of character drawings, writes Aiman Maulana.
LIM Zhi Lin’s art style is whimsical with a twist. She injects cheekiness and humour to her artwork, giving it personality and uniqueness.
The graduate of The One Academy was motivated to draw at a tender age to pass the time.
“The youngest in my family, I was born and raised in Petaling Jaya. Growing up, my grandmother was a strict woman. She allowed me to watch television only on weekends, so I had a lot of time for other pursuits and chose to draw.”
Zhi Lin was greatly inspired by Japanese manga and anime, and was adamant on drawing characters from the popular series Doraemon to perfection.
“As time went, I started to draw other characters from Japanese mangas like Sailor Moon and Samurai X. But the defining moment that completely pushed me into being in touch with my creative side was when I met my best friend in high school who shared my passion. We were frequently talking about comics and videogames and started exchanging artwork.”
Noticing her interest, her parents encouraged her to take a course to strengthen her creative skills. She graduated with a diploma in illustration at The One Academy.
“At first, I wanted to focus only on illustration. But I realised the importance of not limiting my skill set.”
Zhi Lin learnt new skills on designing and studied graphics on her own with the help of the Internet. The learning experience is still continuing; she frequently seeks out online tutorials as well as guidance from her designer friends as she firmly believes that one can never truly stop learning and improving.
A graphic designer at Big Tent Entertainment, she works on graphic and user interface designs for the company’s Web and mobile apps.
Outside of work, Zhi Lin is an illustrator who showcases her creative work and takes on personal creative projects and commissions on her Facebook page Artsyberry, which she manages herself. This includes social media management, communicating with her clients and the entire creative process.
Of the many art pieces she has created, her favourite is one that includes a shiba inu dog character that she dubs as Shiba Chan. It is a mischievous shiba inu that goes around stealing people’s undergarments. One of the more notable pieces involving Shiba Chan is her entry in last year’s INKtober challenge, where the shiba inu is the major focus of the artwork.
Being in the creative industry does not come without challenges. Despite having done so many creative pieces in the past, Zhi Lin says that coming up with good content is the most challenging aspect of her work. She has scrapped some of her personal projects because she felt that it was lacking compared to her other works.
Zhi Lin primarily utilises Facebook and Instagram where she gives fans a sneak peek into what she’s currently working on as well as new illustrations. She feels that the social platforms help keep her on her toes and be more diligent in creating newer artworks, mostly because their algorithm favours frequent activities. She doesn’t feel like it’s a burden but an encouragement to work harder in creating new pieces.
Q&A
What is your work philosophy?
If it’s something you really love, you’ll always find the time for it.
Who do you look up to (role model) and why?
I don’t have a particular role model. Instead, I surround myself with fellow artists and just soak in their creative energy and enthusiasm. They’re my go-to people when I feel uninspired. They’re all amazing because each person has his or her own distinctive style and it is great to be able to discuss and bounce new ideas and concepts with them.
Your preferred way to express your creativity in art?
I enjoy working with two media in particular. First, painting digitally with Photoshop, and the second is inking traditionally.
What do you do when you are not doing art?
Catching up on my favourite TV series, getting lost in a good book, or playing video games.
Do you enjoy what you are doing now?
Definitely. My job is fun because I get to learn new things and I still get to illustrate anytime.
What do you think you would be doing if it were’nt art?
I can’t decide between pastry chef and crime scene investigator.
What advice do you have for people who want to do creative art for a career?
There will be obstacles along the way. But whatever it is, if this is something you really want to do, give it your best. Keep practising, keep learning, don’t fear constructive criticism, and most importantly, have fun and enjoy the journey.
How would you like to be remembered?
As the girl who keeps drawing shiba inus.
If you’re interested to see Zhi Lin’s work or want to commission her for an artwork, visit the following platforms:
Facebook: http://facebook.com/Artsyberry
Instagram: @limzhilin
Tumblr: http://artsyberry.tumblr.com/
Deviant Art:http://limzhilin.deviantart.com/