Introducing: A line-up of our favourite illustrators and their amazing artworks.
Singapore’s got talent! But we know that already. We’ve got iconic contemporary artists, great writers and authors, designers, fantastic musicians and singers, and yes, brilliant illustrators. Whether on a street wall or a print, you’ve probably seen the work of these artists around town. Let’s get to know them properly.
Our fave illustrators in Singapore
Xin Li
Featuring watercolour-like illustrations reminiscent of old-school Singapore, Xin Li’s magic fingers take the crux of our neighbourhoods and transform them into charming works of art. His pieces are mainly framed around architecture, travel and food. You can find his amazing work at Independent Market – they make for a great souvenir, we’d say!
Xin Li
Mrn.a
Equal parts whimsy and otherworldly, Marina A’s kitschy artwork will take you back to the 80s with her retro-inspired designs. Her fab works are seen on murals and at exhibitions, as well as posters for bands and events at Zouk and Eatmepoptart. She’s also worked with Esplanade, National Library Board, National Arts Council, Aldo, Apple and Naiise, just to name a few.
Mrn.a
Ella is Weird
Ella Zheng goes by the moniker Ella is Weird but one look at her work and you’ll see nothing of that sort. In fact, her inspiration derives from her travels, surroundings and good ol’ Pinterest. Her works are often left to interpretation with revolving themes like self-discovery, adventure, satire, psychedelia, fashion, and duality. She currently helms graphic design and illustration studio The Workbench Studio with her partner.
Ella is Weird
Arty Farty Brin
Brinda Menon’s illustrations have a nostalgic touch to them. For us, the cartoon-like doodles remind us of the popular 80s Chew On It! Comics. The bulk of her drawings are inspired by Tamil culture, along with inspirational advice on self-worth and self-care. Talk about representation! Her adorable doodles come in the form of stickers, magnets, money envelopes (ang pao packets), digital drawings, decals and even on tote bags.
Arty Farty Brin
Mandy Lau
Très chic is exactly what comes to mind when we see Mandy Lau’s work of watercolour and digital art. We adore everything from the fluidity of the subject to the attention to detail in her fashion illustrations. She’s worked with big names such as Chanel, Dior, Piaget, Chopard, Bvlgari, D&G and more, and is also the founder of illustration studio, Draw A Story.
Mandy Lau
Marie Toh
She works with both digital and traditional mediums, such as embroidery. Marie enjoys creating surreal imagery, putting soft subtle symbols to her work to evoke curiosity and the silent emotions within us. You can even see her art in animated glory for a short film she worked on called The Boy in the Whale Suit.
Marie Toh
Anngee Neo
From plates to murals, tote bags to children’s books, Anngee Neo has done it all. One of the most versatile illustrators in Singapore, her personal style shines through all her work. She’s illustrated a book written by the late President S R Nathan called The Crane and the Crab, and won awards for other books she’s worked on, including Pura the Cat, The Rock and the Bird, and The Phantom of Oxley Castle.
Anngee Neo
Speak Cryptic
His works have lined the walls of Singapore Art Museum, Gillman Barracks, The Substation, The Projector and more. Inspired by the visual language of comics and underground music, Farizwan Fajari, also known as Speak Cryptic (aka one of the most prominent illustrators in Singapore), takes on the human condition. You’ll find characters in his art you can relate to or recognise, and that’s because they are inspired by his observations on current affairs and his immediate environment.
Speak Cryptic
Allison M. Low
If you find her work a little dark compared to the other illustrators in Singapore, it’s because Allison is inspired by and works around themes like vulnerability and emotional chaos. Morbid or not, her distinct style definitely makes her art stand out. It’s all the more mesmerising.
Allison M. Low
Kristal Melson
Also known as Krisonautopilot, Kristal has created and produced images and art for music, fashion, publications and brands. She has collaborated with the Apple Store, Uniqlo, Facebook, Kult Magazine and even Honeycombers! Informed by her upbringing in Singapore and previous training in graphic design and illustration, Kristal’s style is bursting with experimental shape, pattern and composition, adding dimension to her tropical surroundings.
Kristal Melson
Esther Goh
If you find her work familiar, it might be because you’ve probably seen it somewhere. Try: Maki-San, Tiger Street Lab, collaterals for Singapore Writers Festival and more. Surreal with dreamy colours, her illustration style has definitely got our attention!
Esther Goh
MessyMsxi
Singapore-born and London-trained, MessyMsxi is the moniker artist Zi Xi came up with while she was at Central Saint Martins as her course mates and friends had difficulties pronouncing her distinctively Chinese name. Her quirky and imaginative work has seen her collaborate with Kiehl’s, Melissa shoes, local label The Way We Were, restaurant Whitegrass and more.
MessyMsxi
