PingYu Chiu Live Event Drawing

Combining skilful ink and paint techniques with bold line work and dashes of color, illustrator Ping-Yu has created a style of fashion imagery that’s all his own. Thanks to his speed and accuracy, he’s become a top live illustrator wowing visitors at major fashion events.

Ping-Yu’s finely rendered detail is juxtaposed with slightly obscured elements to create surprise and intrigue. Originally from Taiwan but now based in San Francisco, Ping-Yu was encouraged to draw by his father, who is an architect. He learned the foundations of his craft in a fine art studio while still in elementary school but studied design at Tamkang University in Taiwan and then illustration at Academy of Art University in San Francisco. Taking inspiration from traveling and observing the world, Ping-Yu loves movies, television and visiting museums.

Approach

First, Ping-Yu searches for references that chime with his brief, studying poses, figures, clothing and styles. Then he draws, expertly applying watercolors and inks, allowing the happy accidents of traditional media to make each piece unique.

Styles

Ping-Yu’s use of negative space is one of the defining characteristics of his work. His compositions are carefully crafted to draw the eye from detail to detail and often a brush stroke is all it takes to suggest a garment’s form. The rest is left to the viewer’s imagination.