Yan Jiang - Artist, Immigrant, and Student
- litkidsmagazine
- 10 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Yan Jiang is a Chinese-Canadian illustrator currently studying at the Rhode Island School of Design. Growing up as an immigrant and learning English as a second language, she found expression through images rather than words—a practice that continues to shape her visual storytelling. Drawing inspiration from her surroundings, the quiet rhythms of everyday life, and wandering thoughts, Yan creates work that reimagines the ordinary through a lens of curiosity and imagination, inviting viewers to pause, reflect, and engage more deeply with the world around them.
1. How do I know what to do on the white paper?
Usually… an idea comes first! I start with an idea, then I look for a piece of paper and quickly sketch it out (with a sketch that probably no one can understand except for me!).
BUT! Sometimes it works the opposite way. When I’m faced with a blank sheet and don’t know what to do, I start by writing about how I feel in that moment…often boredom. Then, I begin to look around and notice what catches my attention. If nothing feels interesting at first, I try to make it interesting.
The more I work this way, the more I realize how many things I usually take for granted. There are so many small, human details that I tend to overlook, but the longer I stare at them, the more fascinating they become!
So, a fun fact about me: I’m often drawn to garbage bins. I love looking at half-peeled stickers, spilled coffee stains, rust—those kinds of details. They hold so much character if you actually stop and look!
2. Do you prefer drawing by yourself, or with friends and/or family?
For me, drawing has two phases: planning and executing.
During the planning phase, I really need to work alone. Planning takes a lot of thinking for me, and I can’t do it well if I’m distracted or accompanied by others. I need quiet time to write, sketch, and figure things out in my own head.
But once the planning is done, I love being around people while I’m executing the work. I enjoy chatting, especially when I can do two of my favorite things at the same time—drawing and talking! And if I also have my favorite music playing and a cup of boba tea nearby, that’s honestly one of the best moments of my life!
3. What is something in your field that you don't yet know how to do, but you would like to learn?
THERE ARE WAY SO MANY!
I know a lot of artists who have at least one non-art hobby—like sports or music—that ends up influencing how they think and make work. I’m still searching for that for myself (aside from chatting).
One thing I’d really love to learn is skateboarding. I’ve tried a few times, but I’m pretty scared of falling, and I still get frustrated by being a complete beginner—especially at a skate park where everyone else looks so confident. But I think that’s exactly why I want to learn it. Being a beginner again, in a very visible way, reminds me how learning feels in the body—and that’s something I care deeply about in my work as an artist and educator. I don’t know how to do it yet, but I really want to learn one day!
4. What inspires you?
Recently, it’s been trees. I realized that I really love drawing trees—especially the messy, complicated ones you find deep in the woods.
I’m drawn to those tangled, gray branches on gray hillsides. Everything feels chaotic and unclear, but somehow very beautiful. I think I love that feeling of not fully seeing things, of letting the mess exist.
5. Do you only work in one medium?
No, not at all! I don’t work in just one medium, although I tend to stay within a similar range. I work with watercolor and gouache, but lately I’ve been using acrylic gouache and dry media, like colored pencils, pastels, and oil pastels, much more often.
I enjoy exploring different media because each one allows me to approach an image differently. In the past, I mainly worked in watercolor, but now I have so many ideas that I want to execute quickly. That’s why I’ve gradually moved toward more opaque materials—they let me work faster and more directly.
I’m also in the process of pushing myself further into mixed media, and I’m really excited to experiment more. One thing I hope to try someday is oil painting on wood!
6. Do you always have a sketchbook with you?
I usually carry a sketchbook with me. But if my bag is too small, or I feel like I probably won’t have time to draw, I sometimes decide not to bring it.
Of course, that’s usually when ideas show up—and I suddenly realize I don’t have a sketchbook with me, which I always regret. And even knowing that, I still sometimes forget to bring one anyway.
Honestly, I think I just need to commit to getting a smaller sketchbook next time.
7. What inspired you to try children's literature?
I love telling stories, and I love drawing, so children’s literature felt like a natural place where those two things could come together!
I’m especially drawn to stories about things people often overlook. Through storytelling, I want to slow the pace down a little—to invite readers to pause and notice that everyday life is actually very interesting. I think we don’t lose that sense of wonder because it disappears, but because we forget to stop and look. Children’s books feel like a powerful space to do that.
8. What do you do when you feel stuck?
When I don’t feel inspired, I usually stop painting for a while. I don’t push myself if the energy isn’t there. Instead, I take a break.
I try to get out of the house more—to relax and reset. I’ll go to galleries and museums, mostly just to take a mental break, and if I’m lucky, inspiration comes naturally from that. I also spend time researching different opportunities and learning about people in the field, so I can better understand the industry and where I fit within it.
For me, stepping away is often what allows inspiration to return :)
Yan, thank you for taking the time to share your artistic process with our young creatives! Please follow Yan on social media, peruse her lovely portfolio, and stay tuned for her picture book releasing next year. Keep shining!
Website: https://jiangyan.myportfolio.com/
