You can almost feel a magical aura emanating from illustrations by the New York-based artist Weston Wei. Blending surrealist fantasy with fairy-tale like visual storytelling, Weston is a digital painter of incredible talent who breathes life, mystique and vivid colour into each creative project he tackles.
Originally from Shenzhen, China, Weston’s training combined design, drawing and painting, culminating with an MFA in Illustration as Visual Essay from the School of Visual Arts in New York. Even before he graduated, Weston was building up an impressive client list including publishers, music labels and online businesses and today he is a sought-after illustrator for art directors around the world.
Weston is very open with his clients and prioritises their objectives. He provides detailed sketches and alternative colourways to get the tone just right and so that clients get a clear idea of what they are getting early on. He’s inspired by surrealism, fashion and pop culture, with a special appreciation for traditional fine artists and photographers who use light to capture complexity and human frailty in their images.
Approach
Painting digitally in Photoshop and Procreate, Weston also photographs real world textures to experiment with and use in his imagery.Style
Strong line work and powerful colours give Weston’s work the feel of a fine graphic novel, while flowing forms and physical textures build emotion and atmosphere around the main themes. Every picture tells a story.Languages
Mandarin and EnglishAwards
2024 - Communication Arts - Award of Excellence
2024 - American Illustration - Chosen Winner
2024 - Applied Arts Awards - Winner
2023 – World Illustration Awards – Science&Technology – Winner
2023 – World Illustration Awards – Site-Specific – Highly-Commended
2023 – JIA Illustration Award – Silver
2022 – Ijungle Illustration Awards – Self-promotion – Merit
2022 – London International Creative Competition – Graphics – Winner
2022 – Ijungle Illustration Awards – Comics – Merit