When it comes to illustrations, what could be more adorable than animals and plants? Animals filled with plants, that’s the answer! Meet Emma Van, an illustrator from Taiwan, who uses her drawings to record anything that catches her eyes, bringing together her favourite elements in an imaginary world filled with animals and living plant tattoos.
KB: How did you begin illustrating and drawing? Did you always do that since you were a kid?
Emma: When I was five years old in preschool, I didn’t like to take a nap at noon so I joined an art class. From this moment on, I began to fall in love with drawing. I could draw anything I wanted and escape the nap time!
KB: Your illustrations are very much like a diary. Where do you get your inspiration from?
Emma: I like animals and plants, they inspire me and so do people in my life. I like drawing to express my emotions, and on the other side it’s a record of my life.
KB: How did you develop this specific style in illustration?
Emma: I love animals and plants but I don’t like to grab them to be my own, not as property. I don’t like humans because they are selfish and destroy nature. A while ago, I held my personal art show and my topics were humans, animals, and plants. I also like tattoos, so I try to connect them together. This show’s subject is: “Plants tattooed ”. We all need water, sunshine, and air, so let plants be tattooed on you to become a part of nature.
KB: What are other artists of any kind that you admire?
Emma: I admire Romanian artist Aitch and Taiwanese artist Soupy Tang. Aitch’s paintings are full of colours, strong ,and attractive. Her works are also full of details inside, you must take time to feel them. When you look at Soupy Tang’s works you feel relaxed. It’s simply to know and to show her daily life.
KB: What would be your dream project? What would you like to work on next?
Emma: My dream is to go travel around this world, use my illustrations as a way to record and to inspire more ideas. Now I’m having a new plan, I want to help animal shelters to draw animals in there, and to help them to be adopted.
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