Life & Work with Shuyun Xiao

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shuyun Xiao.

Hi Shuyun, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I love to be called as shushu! I am an Atlanta-based illustrator and motion design artist graduated from Savannah College of Art and Design in the fall of 2020 with a Motion Media Design MFA degree.

Influenced by my mother’s dream, I was major in textile and fashion design in university. However, I know where my heart belongs and finally chose to switch my major to motion design after studying at SCAD. I still remember those days watching animation with my sister together when I was a child. I was obsessed with drawing various comic characters, and I believe that this childhood time planted a seed in my heart of becoming an illustrator and animator.

Thanks to the experience, I am now working at a design & animation studio and enjoying exploring the visual world of both 2D and 3D every day.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Often the journey of chasing dream is full of thorns and hardship. I used to struggle with the idea of changing my major from fashion to motion because it means temporarily giving up the experience and skillset I had gained during the four years of university and start exploring an uncharted field as a newbie. Luckily, I got fully understand and supported by my family and friends who are particularly precious to me, and my mind gradually became firm after communicating with my professors.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
For a long time in the past, my personal illustration work has always focused on drawing characters in the field of animation, comics and games. After getting in touch with motion design, I gradually realized the infinite possibilities of digital art in both 2D and 3D visual expression. As I continue my art journey, I will concentrate on digital drawing and visual design with multiple art style attempts, especially focus on bridging different styles together to create a more unique style of my own. And at the same time, I would like to think of my career as one big learning experience that continuously grows with each project and collaboration.

So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
As a digital artist, I can often create work as long as I am with a screen, and currently I am getting used to and enjoying the convenience of working remotely. Please feel free to reach out to me by email and we can talk about creating something interesting together!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yun_illumo_design/

Image Credits:
All image created by Shuyun Xiao