artist insight

Cindy Kang on how photography informs her illustration work

- CINDY KANG

Yes, photos enable you to capture a moment in time, but you can also use them for colours, composition, textures, or to simply trigger the imagination…

Being able to produce an artwork based on scenes that only exist in my imagination gives me a wonderful sense of achievement. However, it’s a long journey to get there even as a professional illustrator. As much as I want to create a new piece, there are moments when I sit down in front of a blank canvas, not knowing where to start. Whenever this happens, I take a step back and look through the photographs on my phone. I hope to share my insights on how photos can help during each step of creating an artwork, from visualising those initial ideas to adding finishing touches.

COLLECTING PICTURES AS HABIT

Even when I’m just going for a walk, I habitually take countless pictures despite knowing that I’ll often have to free up the memory storage. My phone is full of images of urban and natural landscapes during my visits to places near and far.

You don’t need an expensive camera or smartphone, and the photo doesn’t have to be a masterpiece. I simply take photographs of the buildings, sunset or random little objects that I’ve come across with my phone.

Keeping photos is also a way of capturing experiences and memories in a visual form. Looking back at these images helps bring back the moment when I pause to think of something, and they can lead to new, exciting ideas.