Who created this wonderfully detailed black & white piece, you ask?
It’s Chris Yee – otherwise known as Yee the East. He’s a Sydney-based artist & illustrator who has a background in graphics design, but what he’s really known for are his traditional “pen and paper” methodologies.
Some fun facts about him:
- He’s a twin.
- His childhood consisted of a whole lot of Dragonball and WWF.
- His personal motto is apparently “Some you win, but dim sum, you lose.”
- His favourite Australian artists are Gerald Leung, James Jirat, and Ben Brown.
His main influences stem from 90’s post-apocalyptic manga, rap, and punk aesthetics, which are evident through his pieces. From humorous to macabre, his work has attracted the attention of international brands such as Hurley, Red Bull, Paul Frank, Sony, and Harley Davidson.
Some of the indispensable tools he uses to produce his work: “My most important tool is probably my Pentel calligraphy brush pen and learning how to get comfortable in mastering it for drawing. The learning curve in pressure control is huge, but once you get used to it, it allows you to execute a wide spectrum of line weights without buying and carrying a whole set of pens.” Via Lost at E Minor.
Trends noticed in his creative mediums that particularly interest or excite him: “Illustrators have begun to teach themselves animation or video without relying on outsourcing. It can be creatively satisfying while also allowing to expand on the still image and create the exact story one would want to tell without compromise. Don’t be afraid to experiment or take chances to find your own visual language. The more work you output, especially in the beginning stages will help you consciously or subconsciously find your own creative voice and visual style.” Also via Lost at E Minor.
His advice for aspiring artists: “The best advice I’ve learnt is to not be too precious with what you are working on. I think it’s healthy to work carefully and slowly on a piece but it’s also super easy to second guess yourself to a point where you get nothing done.” Via 5 to 9.
Leave a Reply