Kaleidoscope

You’re an illustrator and designer—what’s a common misconception people have about your field of work?
That it’s really easy. It actually takes a lot of time to produce something that looks good, but putting effort into perfecting it is what makes it rewarding.

What are some challenges around working in illustration in Singapore?
Not many people understand how to commercially use it. In general, our comics scene is super small and very indie, because people generally don’t like to read local comics. It’s kind of sad because we have a lot of really cool local comic artists. I like Sonny Liew, who recently won an Eisner award for The Art Of Charlie Chan Hock Chye, and JF Koh, who runs Panelgraph, a digital comics anthology.

You also experiment with makeup on your Instagram—how did you get interested in that?
It started because I like playing with colours. To me, makeup is like taking paint or watercolour and applying it on your face. It’s just another medium. I get inspiration from Instagram, and I’m also inspired by drag queens and Harajuku fashion.

If you could be any animal, what would it be?
Maybe a duck, I’ve liked them since I was young. I think I identify with how awkward they are, and I like the colour yellow.

What’s a dish that represents you?
Wanton noodles. It’s a very nostalgic food for me, and a lot of my artwork is inspired by nostalgia.

If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would it be and why?
I’d love to meet Imogen Heap. I discovered her music in primary school, and I’ve liked it ever since. She’s also been experimental and quirky with her visual identity and I think it laid a foundation for me to express myself through art.