Tianyi You — Picture Book & Editorial Illustrator

Yooteenii is the creative handle of Tianyi You, an artist based in New Haven, Connecticut whose fresh, light-hearted illustrations balance charm with quirkiness, and a touch of knowing humour that might even remind you of Quentin Blake. However, Tianyi works in a style all her own – one that’s versatile enough to cover everything from kids’ picture books to editorial and advertising for adult audiences.

Originally from Changsha, China – a city of bold flavours – Tianyi loves drawing food of all descriptions, along with architecture and cityscapes, music and many other aspects of lifestyle and culture. Wherever she applies that cartoony charm, she creates imagery that draws the viewer in, with expressive characters and a touch of the unexpected. Clients often point to the uniqueness of the characters in Tianyi’s work, and the warmth that’s infused into her finished artworks. With an MFA in Illustration Practice from the Maryland Institute College of Art, her influences go back to the great Japanese Manga artist Fujiko F Fujio of the 1960s and 70s, whose Doraemon series is considered a classic. She’s also influenced by the work of illustrators Saul Steinberg, Jean-Jacques Sempé and Yoshitake Shinsuke.

Approach

Tianyi creates her line work using pencils or an ink brush on paper, before scanning it in. This maintains the texture of handmade marks and the human quality of the drawing. Her approach to composition is influenced by Chinese ink painting, with plenty of negative space so the image can breathe. Everything is finished in a soft, warm palette that makes her images seem tinted and aged for that classic feel.

Key software

Procreate, Adobe Photoshop.

Style

The Yooteenii style is marked by gentle humour; light, cartoony line work; and warm, vintage colour palettes. There is an offbeat perspective, but it’s always grounded in everyday life.