Artist in conversation: Zhaochen Wu

Zhaochen Wu is an US-based concept artist and illustrator. He is passionate about utilizing digital media to explore universal emotions, bridging cultural divides, transcending boundaries, and celebrating our shared human experiences.

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What initially inspired you to become an artist, and how did you develop your unique style?

I come from a family of art lovers in Beijing, where I was exposed to art from a very young age. I remember reading vivid illustrated books by Jimmy Liao, Hergé, and Christian Jolibois, which influenced me deeply. I loved getting lost in these captivating stories, and soon, I started making my own. My mother saw my passion and gave me my first pack of crayons. I drew on anything I could find, from napkins to notebooks, and even the walls. I also enjoyed building with Legos, creating my own Bionicle characters, and inventing complex stories for them with twists and turns.

When I grew older, I watched The Lord of The Rings and was amazed by the beautiful and believable world. This work has inspired me the most and made me want to create such worlds with my own hands. I drew about adventurers and a world of wonders almost every day. But it was only in my second year of high school that I learned about an awesome profession called Concept Artists, who design characters, environments, and props for films and video games. I decided that this was my goal, so I went to ArtCenter College of Design to pursue it. It was a great experience. I improved my skills, met mentors, and most importantly, made inspiring friends.

Now, I work at Blizzard Entertainment, and it’s a dream come true for me. I’m thankful to my mentors, friends, and especially my parents for their constant support in my life.

In terms of subject matter, what themes or motifs do you frequently explore in your work, and what draws you to these topics?

My projects reflect my fascination and respect for the diversity and creativity of cultures in the world. I created two fictional cultures in conflict on an island for SEAL: Dreamland, inspired by nomadic cultures and the Chinese Shang dynasty. I designed Write or Might, an award-winning board game where poets compete for glory in a symposium, using pottery art from Ancient Greece. I imagined a light-hearted scenario of anthropomorphic fishes living on land with a Mediterranean culture for Sitnalta.

I am passionate about exploring how humans adapt to their environments and create different lifestyles and cultures. I believe we should learn from diverse cultures with an open-minded and respectful attitude.

Your work focuses on utilizing digital media to explore universal emotions and bridge cultural divides. Could you discuss how you approach this process of transcending boundaries and creating art that celebrates our shared human experiences?

I believe that digital media can be a powerful tool to explore our emotions and evoke empathy across cultures and boundaries. I use both 2D and 3D softwares to create concept art and illustrations that tell stories and convey messages. Before I start any project, I always ask myself what the purpose of the project is and how I can achieve it through my unique perspective. This often involves doing research on artworks and histories that relate to the theme and message of the project. I also like to incorporate elements from different cultures and traditions, such as symbols, myths, and languages, to enrich my art and celebrate our shared human experiences. By doing so, I hope to create art that transcends boundaries and connects with people from different backgrounds and identities.

As a concept artist and illustrator, what role does storytelling play in your work? How do you use visual elements and digital media to convey narratives and evoke emotional responses from your audience?

Storytelling is the core of my work as a concept artist and illustrator. I create immersive and authentic environments that show the history and culture of the people who live in them. I do a lot of research into the culture, whether it’s real or fictional, and I build it based on various factors such as environment, resources, technology, beliefs, and so on. For example, a chair can tell a lot about its owner: a well-protected chair means they are careful, while a broken chair with a missing leg means they don’t care about their belongings. I make my images dynamic and engaging, so that the viewer can feel part of the world I create. My goal is to create images that resonate with my audience and inspire them to imagine more.

Can you discuss a specific piece or project that challenged you as an artist, and how you overcome those challenges?

One of the projects that challenged me as an artist was GRAFFÚTI. Inspired by the graffiti artists who transform shipping labels into free art canvases, I envision a world where fú, a slender piece of paper adorned with incantations and symbols, traditionally burned to communicate with deities in Daoist practices, is utilized for shipping, and street Daoists create artwork upon them. Since the goal for this project is to transcend the boundaries between tradition and the contemporary world, I want my design to not only reflect the rich history behind fú and graffiti but propose a possible solution for the old to revive in the fictional setting.

This was challenging because of how drastically different visual languages these two subject matters have. I need to not only do thorough research for them and find ways to combine them in a creative and logical way. For example, I extract the information that is drawn on traditional fú’s and make them into a shipping label template layout. I also sought feedback from my friends to see if all these changes are readable and sense-making. I learned a lot from this project, not only about the technical aspects of concept art and illustration, but also about the cultural and emotional aspects of storytelling and worldbuilding.

How do you stay connected with other artists and keep up with new developments and trends in the art world?

I keep up with the latest trends and technologies in the industry by being active on social media and online artist communities. I also enjoy talking with my friends and coworkers, who share their insights on new industry developments. While I follow the changing trends, I mainly focus on exploring timeless themes that remain relevant over time.

How do you incorporate feedback from critics and audiences into your artistic practice, and how do you balance this feedback with your own artistic intuition?

The balance between audience feedback and my artistic opinion is a complex and ongoing issue that I always consider. It depends on the nature of the specific projects that I work on. For professional or commercial works, I focus more on client feedback and their preferences. But I also add my personal touch to the design, so that my artistic voice is not lost. For personal projects, I rely mostly on my own artistic intuition. These projects give me the opportunity to experiment and try new ideas. But I also appreciate the opinions of other artists and audiences. They offer different perspectives that I might not have thought of by myself. This dynamic interaction between internal intuition and external input is what drives the evolution of my work. Both are important to me and my artistic expression.

How do you stay motivated and inspired despite any setbacks or creative blocks you may encounter?

I stay motivated and inspired in my work as an illustrator by doing several things: looking at other artists’ work, taking breaks, and seeking feedback. I look at other artists’ work for inspiration and learning, and I follow some of my favorite artists online. I take breaks from my work and do something else that relaxes me or makes me happy, such as reading books or playing video games. I seek feedback and advice from other artists or professionals, and I join online communities or forums where I can share my work and get constructive criticism. These things help me stay focused, confident, and inspired in my work

How do you feel about exhibiting your artworks with The Holy Art Gallery?

This has been a wonderful exhibition experience for me. The Holy Art Gallery is a platform that showcases diverse artworks from global artists. It is a place where I can share my passion with a larger audience group, and also learn from and connect with other artists. I’m excited to see my works exhibited in New York. A shout out to the gallery staff that made this exhibition possible!

Looking ahead, what are your long-term goals and aspirations as an artist, and how do you plan to achieve them?

I aspire to create concept design and illustration that can touch people’s hearts and minds with meaning and memory. I want to reach a wider range of audiences, not only in video games but also in board games, exhibitions, and so on. I want to explore different themes and genres, especially those that relate to people’s everyday life. I also want to collaborate and learn from other artists from different fields and their methods.

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Zhaochen Wu!