IllustrationX - Yuewei Nino Li portfolio

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Chinese illustrator Yuewei Nino Lee couldn’t be better named. “The name Yuewei means ‘to observe carefully’,” she explains. “I have always enjoyed quietly observing the world and then depicting it along with the people in it as I see them.” Her work will take you on an imaginative journey into a strange, fairytale existence where gleeful, manga-esque characters frolic in sparkling metropolises.

Now based in New York City, she goes by the handle Nino and relishes any blank canvas put before her. The bright lights and big city feature in many of Nino’s images, and The Big Apple is one of her biggest inspirations. This is crossed with a lifelong interest in Japanese art and animation. Clients enjoy discussing the various creative possibilities she brings to the table and seeing their ideas brought to life in ways they may not have anticipated. Photography is a key inspiration for Nino and she actively uses it to plan her illustrations, taking numerous pictures to set up the compositions and inform her drawings. She studied animation at the School of Visual Arts in New York, but switched majors to illustration as she discovered her passion for static images.

Approach

Nino paints digitally using Photoshop and Procreate.

Key software

Photoshop, Procreate and Lightroom.

Style

Nino works in three styles. Firstly, decorative illustration inspired by New York and its architecture. Secondly, using simple line work and collage to create portraits. Thirdly, collage illustrations assembled from collected materials.

Languages

English, Chinese and Japanese.

Client list

All Graphic Storyboard Collage & Montage Character Design Comic Lifestyle Anime Editorial Book Covers New Talent

US

Yuewei Nino Li

A narrative illustration inspired by 42nd Street in Midtown Manhattan at 6 PM. A traveler arrives and leisurely sits atop a streetlamp, gazing out at the cityscape. The city, bathed in pastel pinks and blues, features distinctive vehicles lined up along the streets. This vibrant city comes to life in this very image.

Yuewei Nino Li

An illustration inspired by a Chinatown supermarket in downtown New York. The afternoon sun streams in, casting light on the bustling crowd of children just out of school, with bicycles and cars tangled together. The air is thick with the aroma of herbs. Green spiral staircases and red-tiled walls rise in layers, while a doctor stands by, taking a moment to smoke and relax.

Yuewei Nino Li

A narrative illustration inspired by St. Patrick's Cathedral in Midtown Manhattan. Under the moon and a deep blue sky, several weddings quietly take place in this dreamy scene. At the entrance, pigeons gather for their own party, weaving together each individual's voice and story in the cacophony of this diverse city.

Yuewei Nino Li

A narrative illustration created for the Brooklyn Botanical Garden in New York, depicting an evening scene where a young boy and a witch are boating on the lake at seven o'clock in July. Blue butterflies flutter, welcoming the sunset.

Yuewei Nino Li

A narrative illustration created for Broadway Street in New York, capturing the moment as the city lights begin to shine at night. This is when Broadway truly comes alive, with bustling traffic, street lamps, and promotional posters setting the stage for a series of plays and musicals that unfold here.

Yuewei Nino Li

A narrative illustration created for 56 Beaver Street in New York (also known as the Delmonico's Building and 2 South William Street), set on a gray, snowy day in January. As snowflakes gently settle on rooftops and balconies, everything is enveloped in a profound silence. The traffic lights glow, but there are few pedestrians. She waits for someone here. This solitary moment is also a quintessential part of New York.

Yuewei Nino Li

An illustration created for New York's Subway Line 1, depicting a crowded train filled with the city's most authentic faces—people of various races and professions converging at this moment. It captures one of the unique corners of New York City. The dim lighting, orange seats, swaying carriages, and enigmatic odors in the corners all contribute to the atmosphere. Oh, who knows what else might happen? I just want to reach my stop quickly.

Yuewei Nino Li

A narrative illustration created for Christmas in New York, set on the night of December 24th. Outside, the towering skyscrapers and golden windows shimmer, while inside, the warm lights and festive decorations create a cozy atmosphere. Even when alone, one can share the joy with beloved pets. As the Christmas bells chime, amidst the grandeur of this vast city, Merry Christmas, Miss Lawrence.

Yuewei Nino Li

An illustration created for Brooklyn's famous beach and amusement park, Coney Island and Luna Park. This place is always brimming with sounds and excitement, with the summer sky and beach etched in everyone's memory. New Yorkers come here, waiting for even more thrilling performances, more exhilarating than any roller coaster.

Yuewei Nino Li

For my favorite bookstore, The Argosy Book Store, I created an illustration. I always enjoy passing by there, stepping inside to soak in the atmosphere, and picking out a book that I like. Collecting them brings me extra happiness. I would imagine the afternoon sunlight streaming through, casting its glow upon the floor, while the books hold even more stories, waiting to be discovered.

Yuewei Nino Li

A cosmic-themed lip gloss advertisement inspired by beauty products, highlighting the sparkling shades of the lip gloss that shine like stars.

Yuewei Nino Li

A decorative illustration inspired by cleaning and color, featuring a fairy tale sprite cleaning windows.

Yuewei Nino Li

A New York travel poster inspired by the city's intricate street signs and pigeon ecology, emphasizing the unique characteristics of this vibrant metropolis.

Yuewei Nino Li

A food promotional poster inspired by seafood and Japanese sashimi culture, combining the patterns of fish with the designs of women's kimonos.

Yuewei Nino Li

An editorial work illustrating the challenges faced by Asian women in the Asian workplace's drinking culture. It expresses the pressure on Asian women to force themselves to drink in order to fit into the male-dominated professional circles, critiquing this cultural norm and presenting the difficulties women encounter in their careers.

Yuewei Nino Li

Inspired by the previous Dream Studio concept, I incorporated the themes of polaroids and the moon to create a new design for the Kodak One Time Camera product box.

Yuewei Nino Li

A mock-up photo of the packaging design for the Kodak One Time Camera. The camera's theme is "Flashlights Illuminate the City," with the film available in warm and cool tones, resulting in two distinct packaging designs. The design on the camera cover comes from "My Dream Studio," highlighting the vibrant colors that characterize this camera.

Yuewei Nino Li

A mock-up photo of the packaging design for the Kodak One Time Camera. The camera's theme is "Flashlights Illuminate the City," with the film available in warm and cool tones, resulting in two distinct packaging designs. The design on the camera cover comes from "My Dream Studio," highlighting the vibrant colors that characterize this camera.

Yuewei Nino Li

A storyboard illustration depicting the story of a couple and a mysterious box.

Yuewei Nino Li

A storyboard illustration depicting the story of a couple and a mysterious box.

Yuewei Nino Li

A mock-up photo of the packaging design for the Kodak One Time Camera. The camera's theme is "Flashlights Illuminate the City," with the film available in warm and cool tones, resulting in two distinct packaging designs. The design on the camera cover comes from "My Dream Studio," highlighting the vibrant colors that characterize this camera.

Yuewei Nino Li

A packaging design for the Kodak One Time Camera, themed around the idea of flashlights illuminating the city. The film comes in two color tones—warm and cool—resulting in two distinct packaging designs.

Yuewei Nino Li

A packaging design for the Kodak One Time Camera, themed around the idea of flashlights illuminating the city. The film comes in two color tones—warm and cool—resulting in two distinct packaging designs.

Yuewei Nino Li

Inspired by a little witch telling stories at night, I created an illustration that was transformed into an animated graphic using motion graphics. The overall blue hue evokes the night and the moon held in her hands. The aim was to showcase the illustration's decorative elements and cohesive color scheme while providing both visual dynamism and a static aesthetic, narrating an engaging and whimsical story.

Yuewei Nino Li

In the theme "My Dream Studio," I designed a dreamlike, colorful print room that reflects my ideal vision. Everything is represented in my preferred graphics. For this piece, I used Riso color to bring out the magical quality of the illustration, with colors that are more pure and vibrant.

Yuewei Nino Li

An illustration for Ernest Hemingway's novel The Sun Also Rises, focusing on the perspective of the character Lady Ashley, depicting a scene of encountering bullfighters in Pamplona, Spain.

Yuewei Nino Li

An illustration for Ernest Hemingway's novel The Sun Also Rises, focusing on the perspective of the character Lady Ashley, depicting a Parisian café at night.

Yuewei Nino Li

Character design with the theme of a shy French witch girl.

Yuewei Nino Li

Character design with the theme of a hunter and his pet white wolf, inspired by Princess Mononoke.

Yuewei Nino Li

A band poster design for the Japanese city pop band I DON'T LIKE MONDAYS' first live performance in New York City. The design incorporates elements of the New York subway, blending text and slogans with subway signs, aiming for a localized and distinctive promotion.

Yuewei Nino Li

An editorial work illustrating the challenges faced by Asian women in the Asian workplace's drinking culture. It expresses the pressure on Asian women to force themselves to drink in order to fit into the male-dominated professional circles, critiquing this cultural norm and presenting the difficulties women encounter in their careers.

Yuewei Nino Li

Character design with the theme of blending retro and modern elements, featuring robots and prosthetics.

Yuewei Nino Li

Character design with the theme of Halloween spirits and dolls.

Yuewei Nino Li

Character design with the theme of two wild bounty hunters.

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