Elena Lee is an illustrator, exclusively represented by the Art Lab agency. Now based in Australia, she spends her time exploring the country and improving her portfolio with the inspirations she gathers from her travels. 

Drawing has always been her source of comfort and communication. As a child, before she learned how to read or write, she would ask for something from her parents by drawing for them what she wanted or needed. Because of this, they had always encouraged her artistic talent.

‘I am lucky that my parents have always been so supportive of my art. I have been with people who didn’t understand. They would say that I should study something more serious. But I believe it is important to do what you love.’

Elena took part in Anya Kuvarzina’s illustration course via Instagram. She had just finished illustrating a children’s book prior but felt that it did not suit her. She hoped that Anya’s course would help her improve and develop her style. From there, she became one of Anya’s artists with Art Lab agency. 

It started with her illustrating many small things in a variety of different styles. She would then go on the explore different colour palettes. She predominantly uses procreate for her art, but still occasionally returns to traditional mediums such as pencils and natural ink. 

‘I prefer digital art. It’s easy because I can draw anytime anywhere. No matter whether it’s a quick sketch or a full commission.’

Elena continues to this day to improve and work on her portfolio. 

Her biggest dream is to illustrate book covers for a variety of age groups and genres. Currently, Elena is working for a client Anya has found for her. The client wanted an illustrator for a graphic novel about sports, mainly basketball. 

Living in Australia, nature has proven to be Elena’s biggest source of inspiration. She enjoys hiking. A lot of her art reflects her unique findings of birds, flowers and trees on her walks. Close to her home are many market stalls that sell fresh fruits and vegetables. Many of which Elena had never tried before, such as pink dragon fruit. 

For her illustrations, she mainly uses earthy, pastel tones in her palette. This style encourages a fun colourful depiction of the produce while adding a feminine element to her art. 

She hopes to continue working as an illustrator full-time. Whilst she is looking forward to drawing graphic novels, for now, she wants to prioritize her portfolio and skillset. 

‘I like drawing, but it can be tough. If I am in a bad mood, I need to relieve my stress elsewhere as I find it hard to concentrate. Also, working by myself means I need to manage my time a lot. It can be a challenge to try and make time for myself and my family as well as my art. Some days I feel like Wonder Woman has to juggle it all.’

Elena continues by describing certain topics she hopes to add to her portfolio. 

‘The more things and ideas I can add to my portfolio, the better. I would love to include more about travel such as different cities. The three words I would use to summarize my art would be nature, travel and people.’

You can find more of Elena’s work on Art Lab agency’s website https://artlabagency.com/elena-lee or Instagram @artlab_agency as well as Elena’s own Instagram @elena_myillustrations.

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Maria Schmidt is a writer and painter based in Chester. Invited back by the University as a Learning Facilitator immediately after completing her degrees in Literature, Creative Writing, and Fine Art, Maria Schmidt dedicates her time in helping others, improving her own craft and developing creative projects. Fluent in four languages with a background in dance and theatre, Maria is incredibly fascinated by the arts and determined to promote others and their own work. She has high ambition in paving a way for herself in both the world of Traditional Painting and Publishing.