Buzzer illustrator interview: Jenny Hsieh

Buzzer illustrator interview: Jenny Hsieh

The December 2017 edition of the print Buzzer was illustrated by the talented Jenny Hsieh, who we originally discovered through her super fun Instagram account.

Jenny’s adorable winter clad creatures don the cover in promotion of winter service changes, all-door boarding, TransLink merchandise, and more!

We asked Jenny a few questions to learn a little more about her as an illustrator.

Tell us about yourself!

I am a freelance illustrator based in Vancouver. I recently graduated from Emily Carr University with a BFA in Illustration. When I’m not drawing I’m liking cute dog photos on Instagram.

(us too Jenny… us too!)

What gets you inspired when you’re creating?

I get my inspiration from everyday life. I like to take seemingly banal moments and illustrate them in a way that makes them extraordinary.

What are your favourite subjects to illustrate?

I enjoy drawing people and dogs (especially shiba inus).

Tell us about your illustration for the latest print Buzzer?

My illustration features three warmly dressed animals waiting for the bus. I wanted to illustrate something simple and fun to represent bus schedule changes in the winter season.

What are your artist tools of choice?

I like to switch between various mediums. I mainly use Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator for my digital work, and watercolour, ink, or coloured pencils for my traditional stuff. I like exploring different mediums since each one can really lend to the mood of a work.

What has been some of your favourite projects you’ve created?

Recently, I made a zine consisting of ink drawings that I created in October. It’s basically cute girls in cute outfits – it was a lot of fun to draw!

What are some of the fun projects you’re working on now?

Right now, I am trying to put together another zine/comic. I am also working on opening an online store, which will probably be ready early next year. You can stay updated with me on my instagram and website!

What is your favourite mode of transit?

My favourite and most frequent mode of transit is definitely the SkyTrain. I’ve spent most of my time on the SkyTrain because of school. It just makes travelling downtown so convenient!

Do you have any fun plans for winter?

Yes! Winter vacation plans included spending Christmas and New Year’s in Taiwan.

A huge thanks to Jenny for creating such a great illustration for our print Buzzer! We wish you well in your future art projects!

Grab your copy of The Buzzer on SkyTrain, SeaBus, West Coast Express and buses before they’re gone or download it here.

Interested in becoming an illustrator for The Buzzer? Shoot us an email at thebuzzer@translink.ca.

Author: Sarah Kertcher