@rachealchu

Instagram: @rachealchu Twitter: @racheal_chu Facebook: www.facebook.com/rachelchudesigns Website: www.rachelchudesigns.com  

1. What's your story? Where are you from?

I'm a graphic designer, illustrator and letterer currently working in Sydney, Australia. I'm pretty much the black sheep in my family as I was the only one that pursued a career in design and illustration. I started my career as a textiles surface pattern designer which explains why my work is so intricate all the time because of my old habits of creating pattern repeats. I got into advertising and now branding design which I'm totally in love with because it's a challenge to creatively represent a product, service or campaign for a business/start up.

2. Tell us about your aesthetic.

I'm greatly inspired by nature, so my work has a lot natural elements followed by an abstract representation of botanicals. The aesthetics are very intricate and I'm quite obsessed with finer details. It's a habit that I established when I design repeats for a living.

3. What is your favourite medium and why?

I tend to work in Adobe illustrator a lot partly because I tend to do very intricate line work.

4. What is your artistic process like?

I don't really have any artistic process. Though I always keep a journal close just in case a great idea comes to mind. I generally draft out an idea or concept first, then rough sketches.

5. Who and/or what inspires your work?

I'm heavily influenced by illustrators and letterers like Jessica Hische, Louise Fili, Timothy Goodman, Georgia Hill, but what really got me started was when I went to one of Gemma O'Brien's lettering workshop and absolutely loved it. It's like a new found love for lettering and illustration and it's addictive.

6. What role does art play in your life? How does it change the way you view the world?

I think art is unique itself as the ideas behind art are generally not appropriate from anywhere else - they are original. Art is not about the trends, art influences them. So for me, art is a better inspiration than the latest trend.

7. Where did you study?

I studied a Bachelor degree in Design in College of Fine Arts - University of New South Wales (UNSW).

8. Where do you see yourself in five years? Working in an agency?

I see myself working for myself in five years time. Signed up to a few illustration agencies. At the moment I am working a Creative agency for start-ups and loving it a lot but my real passion is illustration.

9. What about in ten?

In 10 years time, I really want to get to the point where I can speak at design conferences and be an inspire people and talk about my work.

10. What do you hope to achieve with your art?

I hope to inspire people with my art. Make the work a little bit more prettier.

11. Now, tell us a little more about you as a person: what is your favourite food?

I never had a favourite food.

12. Favourite book?

A smile in the mind. By Beryl McAlhone

13. Favourite genre of music?

Alternative, Old 1920s jazz.

14. What are your hobbies?

I like to DIY and make crafty decorations. I'm also a scuba diver, it's a different world down there.

15. If you weren't an artist, what would you be?

Tough question. A scuba diver instructor.