Chrissy Lau — Intricate Line Illustrator, Sydney

Based in Sydney, Australia, Chrissy Lau’s impressive pen & ink and digital drawing skills have enabled her to develop a bold-yet-intricate style that’s perfect for fashion and beauty, lifestyle and branding projects. A professional illustrator since 2002, Chrissy’s award-winning work has featured everywhere from coins by the Royal Australian Mint to leading publications and campaigns by global brands.

Born to Chinese parents in Yorkshire, Chrissy grew up in a family that runs Chinese takeaways. She’s highly skilled with a wok and, if you’ve ever seen a cookery program where the wok is alight and the chef is flipping food up in the air – well, she can do that. She also has a degree in law but her passion has always been drawing and she’s inspired by her Chinese heritage, the alluring pattern work of Yayoi Kusama and Finnish illustrator Laura Laine.

Approach

Chrissy’s compositions develop organically but she usually starts with a focal point, adding the line work to build up the image and its textures. Flourishes of colour are added in Photoshop.

Key Software

Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, iPad Pro and Apple Pencil, Procreate and Adobe Fresco.

Style

Flowing hair, detailed patterns and intricate line work are highlighted with dashes of colour – sometimes subtle, sometimes bold – and quirky, surreal twists. Metallic flashes occasionally give the work something extra.

Awards

2011 – IAB Search Marketing Awards – Marketing Campaign of the Year 2013 – Red Dot Design Awards – Winner – Communication Design 2020 - World Illustration Awards Longlist - Design Product & Packaging category - Johnnie Walker

Client list

Chrissy’s clients include Samsung, Johnnie Walker, Marie Claire, Sydney Opera House, Royal Australian Mint, Mambo, Jetstar, BIC, Virgin, Random House Penguin, Harper Collins, US Bank, LUSH, Woodford Reserve, Australia Post, Commonwealth Bank and many more.