Only a fast flick through Leah Han’s portfolio greater than demonstrates what an unimaginable expertise she is. Few illustrators have a mode that is fairly so resolved and purposeful, whereas depicting topics that so completely stability confidence with vulnerability. Sweeping, natural curves mix with light palettes for a glance that is tranquil but glowing with quiet, sustained vitality.
In an age of processor-powered AI imitation, Leah is a real unique. The key, maybe, is that every illustration is drawn with feeling and created for a motive – to have a good time fashionable femininity.
“The intention behind my work is to seize girls’s moments of self-introspection and solitude. In my illustrations, there may be nearly all the time a lady having fun with a second of her personal, immersed in her personal world with a peaceful, inward focus,” says Leah.
“I wish to specific that ladies ought to really feel cheerful about themselves and care for their very own ideas, rising their sense of particular person company reasonably than measuring themselves by others’ eyes or by how nicely they match into a gaggle,” she provides.
Nomad’s Backyard – shortlisted within the World Illustration Awards 2025.
Two photos from the Little Escape sequence.
From Leah’s collaboration with CASEKOO.
A few of her work’s originality stems from the way in which she synthesises Japanese and Western influences. Initially from Chengdu in China, Leah grew up in a spot the place life is a little bit slower and the place individuals have a extra philosophical outlook. Transferring to Berlin, the considering is extra exact and logical. Collectively, these attitudes create a captivating stress in her work, whereas her aesthetic takes cues from each European and Chinese language tradition, with some whimsical surrealism thrown into the combination.
For instance, the fantastic, natural line work that could be a cornerstone of her fashion comes out of years of practising Chinese language portray, but the traces themselves are skinny, and her types are balanced. “By combining empathy, private reflection and constant apply, I’ve steadily refined my fashion to what it’s right this moment, whereas permitting it to maintain evolving as I do,” says Leah.
She makes use of a wide range of media. Procreate is the primary choice for smaller items, the place she builds up her sketches and color matches. For bigger commissions, Photoshop is usually the software of selection. With its limitless layers and the power to deal with finer particulars, it is simpler to make use of for advanced jobs.
Nevertheless, Leah has by no means deserted her favorite conventional media. For instance, her private sequence Moments of Her Personal is created solely by hand utilizing gouache and watercolour. “I believe it is essential to take care of that slower, extra tactile course of. It creates a deeper reference to the work and stimulates each sensitivity and creativity in a manner that digital instruments cannot absolutely exchange,” she says.
Ethereal Embrace.
Moments of Her Personal.
The streets of Berlin are brimming with inspiration for Leah. It is filled with style boutiques serving completely different neighbourhoods, every of which has a particular fashion. Trend is one thing she finds massively inspiring too, whereas her creative heroes embrace David Hockney, Frida Kahlo, Kelly Beeman and Chang Yu. They’ve all influenced her visible language.
Because the playfulness of her art work suggests, Leah would not see illustration as a job. For her, it is a world to discover new issues – from portray to crafts to movement design and extra.
“Essentially the most thrilling factor I’ve developing is a brand new illustration line that I am growing alongside my current sequence,” says Leah. “Whereas my present work usually options full, detailed compositions, this new line will concentrate on dynamic, motion-based components in my fashion. I plan to create animated icons, movement illustrations, and adaptable visible components that may work for campaigns, packaging, merchandise and extra.”
