By: Eva Glettner
From a young age, when the world was still a blur and largely unknown to her, Wei Kang had a fondness for drawing. To her, the paintbrush was a friend; when she painted, she could sit for hours, undisturbed by the noise of the outside world. From animals to people, from single frames to rich, multi-frame narratives, Wei Kang used art as her medium, telling stories on paper and sketching the visions in her mind, expressing her thoughts. After entering elementary school, her artistic talent received widespread recognition from teachers and classmates alike. As expected, she consistently won awards in various drawing competitions, bringing home at least one or two trophies every year.
During her adolescence, she decided on the path she wanted to pursue: she hoped to explore the larger world through her art and see different skies. She was admitted to Tsinghua University’s Academy of Arts, where she majored in fashion design during her undergraduate studies and won several related awards, including the Hanbo Award, known as the Oscar of Chinese fashion design. She also successfully applied to Parsons School of Design in New York, a breeding ground for many internationally renowned fashion designers, securing her place at this prestigious institution was a testament to her talent and achievements in fashion design.
Despite receiving widespread acclaim and numerous awards in fashion design, seemingly achieving fame and fortune as traditionally conceived, Wei Kang’s heart remained with illustration. She still loved to paint and hoped to tell compelling stories through this art form, expressing herself and conveying ideas. Leaving her comfort zone was not easy, with an uncertain and unpredictable future ahead, but Wei Kang decided to follow her heart. She hoped to make her mark in the field of illustration, becoming a talent in this domain and contributing her value and strength to the industry. In 2013, she chose to leave Parsons School of Design and temporarily bid farewell to fashion design, embarking on the much-longed-for path of a freelance illustrator.
Wei Kang joined a cultural and creative company, opening a new chapter in her professional career. Becoming an illustrator was a new experience for her, but drawing was something she had persisted with for over twenty years and excelled at, so she quickly adapted to her role. With her inspiration, knowledge, and creativity, she provided unique cultural and creative solutions for over 30 Grade-A museums in China, achieving good dissemination effects and generating significant influence and appeal. Gradually, she secured her footing in the industry.
Innovative in thought, Wei Kang did not conform to the old ways or allow outdated ideas to stifle new thoughts. She actively innovated, integrating her accumulated knowledge and experience into each piece of work. When creating illustrations for the rock art inserts for the Ningxia Museum, she combined the Helan Mountain rock art inserts from the museum’s collection with the Western Xia script’s deer and the desert’s sandy texture, infusing the illustrations with locality and representativeness. This showcased Ningxia’s cultural history in a style characteristic of the region, presenting its unique features.
Her experience, knowledge, and thought processes are reflected in her highly praised works. When creating a historical journal for the Shaanxi History Museum, Wei Kang first thoroughly researched the museum’s historical development and analyzed its characteristics and representative works. Based on the famous museum collections such as the Tang dynasty cellar treasures from Hejiacun, the magnificent Tang dynasty terracotta figures, Tang dynasty female figurines, and the Golden Age of Tang dynasty metalwork, she created a journal that represents the museum’s IP in an accessible way. On one hand, this journal serves as an educational tool, furthering the public’s understanding of Shaanxi’s historical culture and fostering an interest in culture. On the other hand, it also serves as a promotional tool, expanding the museum’s influence and making its value known to a broader audience.
Wei Kang’s work has received accolades from collaborators and the public alike. Whenever she sees positive feedback on her illustrations online, she feels genuinely gratified, believing she has achieved her goal. Striving to produce more satisfying works and use her illustrations to contribute valuable things to society is her purpose and what she continues to insist on.
In the digital age, Wei Kang recognizes that “illustration + technology” is an inevitable path of transformation. She hopes to further improve her abilities, making her work more aligned with the demands of the smart media era. Therefore, Wei Kang once again stepped out of her comfort zone. In 2019, she went to New York University’s Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP) to study programming, mastering Arduino, AR/VR, and generative AI technologies, exploring diverse paths for illustration development through technological empowerment.
Looking to the future, Wei Kang still hopes to focus on the art field of illustration, conveying emotions and expressing ideas through her art. She hopes to become a force that contributes to the growth and development of the industry. She will continue to draw, as illustration and painting will never end.
