Jieting Chen
Jieting Chen is an illustrator, animator and designer. With years of experience, she produced and directed several award-winning animation shorts. Her illustrations are strongly influenced by Asian paintings. She is based in New York.
Interview
What was your favorite book when you were a child?
Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
What’s your favorite line from a book?
“I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library.” ― Jorge Luis Borges
Who are your top three favorite authors or illustrators?
Jimmy Liao, Dan Brown, Edogawa Ranpo
Why did you want to become an author or illustrator?
Like most artists, I have loved drawing since I was little. I always kept drawing and creating during my school years, from elementary school thru high school. Not surprisingly, I chose animation as my major in college and then furthered my animation studies at Rochester Institute of Technology. I was encouraged by my professors, classmates and visiting critics and eventually got an offer from animator and filmmaker Bill Plympton. That’s how I stepped into the illustration/animation profession. Drawing and creating are the only things I am passionate about. This is my way to translate my vision into reality, to share and express my imagination with the world. I never stopped.
Do you have any advice for future authors or illustrators?
Don’t rush yourself and always do your best. Maybe your classmates get big name clients the day after their graduation, and you have to face waves of rejection. That’s OK. It takes time to build your portfolio and reputation in the business. Don’t let others destroy you. And when you do have a commission, always, always do your best, even you feel it’s a terrible job. You’ll never know how your jobs can help your career in the future, and yes, even the terrible ones.
