Meet illustrator from Singapore, Rachael Lum.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I’m Rachael, and I’m an illustrator and motion graphic designer from Singapore.
I love nature, animals and the human anatomy, from which I often draw inspiration for my work.

Describe the city you’re living in and what it’s like to live there.

People say it’s like a melting pot of cultures, but it’s also just a melting pot.
It’s really hot, haha but I think you’d hear this from every local.
Because we’re such a small country, everything is incredibly convenient to get around, even though we may complain about it some times anyway.

People say it’s like a melting pot of cultures, but it’s also just a melting pot.

What is the best and worst thing about living in your city?

Best thing – I love the greenery, and how it’s everywhere. It’s something I have come to appreciate even more.

Worst Thing – The heat and humidity!

Give us 3 words that describe what it’s like to be a creative in your city.

Relational, paradoxical, bold.

How did you start your career in art?

As like many other creatives, art is something I’ve always loved since young.
I got a diploma in Motion Graphics and Broadcast Design and freelanced for a couple of months before working full-time as a motion graphic designer at local studio Genesis Motion Design.
I was there for 2.5 years before I decided to go freelance.

As like many other creatives, art is something I’ve always loved since young.

Were the people around you supportive of your decision on working as a creative?

I come from a very academic family, but they have always encouraged me to pursue what I’m passionate about.
My mother has constantly pushed me to explore different crafts since young, and I’m very grateful for that.
I think as long as I’m not doing things blindly, people are supportive of what I’m doing.
It’s also a really huge blessing to have found a solid community of creative friends I can relate and share my passion with as well.

What are some goals and ambitions you have for your future work?

I would definitely love to create more illustrative work, regardless of the medium.

My ambition would be to evolve and grow as a creative, and have that translate into works with more depth which people can connect with.
I also hope to create work that is more inclusive for various communities.

My ambition would be to evolve and grow as a creative, and have that translate into works with more depth which people can connect with. 

If you could collaborate with any person in the world who would it be?

Oh man, this is a tough one. I think it would be really cool to create something with Sigrid, like an album cover or a music video.
I love her energy and spirit she puts into her music, and it would be awesome to translate that into visuals.

How would you describe the women around you?

Headstrong, passionate, inspirational, independent and sincere.

Were there any local female creatives that you looked up to when you were growing up?

I wasn’t very aware of the local arts scene when I was young. But I had an art teacher in primary school, Jane Chang, who now runs a creative team Big 3 Media.
She was the first person to introduce stop-motion to me during a class. She drew typography on various fruits using markers and animated them rotating using stop-motion.
It kind of blew my tiny mind that I could not only create art but animate it.

Are there any challenging aspects of being a female in your industry?

Personally for me, not really. I think many creatives face similar problems regardless of their gender.
Age and inexperience are factors which to me have posed more challenges than being a female.
However, I’m very thankful that people are becoming more open to recognizing young creatives and encouraging them to grow.

Never underestimate or limit yourself to what you think you can do.

Do you have any advice to young women who are aspiring to work in your field?

– Never underestimate or limit yourself to what you think you can do.
– Don’t get caught up in finding your style, but rather find your voice – what do you want to tell people through your work?
– Also, don’t be afraid to ask for help!! We all need a hand sometimes.

Photos courtesy of Rachael Lum.