Living and creating in Sydney, Australia, artist Chuubibi draws all things cute. Adorable and sweet, her works are a response to the need for joy. We talked to her about her path to being a successful artist, passions, and plans for the future. Read the interview below and discover the artist behind the work.
Tell us something about the place you live in.
I’m from Sydney, Australia, and I live and work in a small cozy studio room at home with my family. It’s the first and only space I’ve worked in, so it has a lot of wonderful memories and experiences when it comes to creating art. One day, I hope to get a bigger studio space so I can create and store more art!
What does „Chuubibi” mean?
I came up with “Chuubibi” when I was around thirteen or fourteen years old. I wanted to make a cute name and thought “Chuu” had a cute sound and “bibi” sounded like a baby. So, it made me think of a ‘cute baby’. The name also inspired me to draw many Chibi characters, which started my illustration journey.
What were your first steps as an artist?
I first started drawing at the end of 2017, when I started seeing a lot of cool illustrations on Instagram. Seeing all the amazing artworks posted by amazing artists online was very inspiring, and it motivated me to try it out as well. At the time, I had very little experience and knowledge of drawing, so I was quite reluctant to start for a while. But, my partner encouraged me to just give it a go, so I did. The very first steps that I took to illustrate were so scary. I remember sharing my first post and thinking so hard about writing in the caption. It was also very encouraging and uplifting when I started getting comments from other people about what they liked about my art. That really drove me to keep drawing more and more every day. From then, days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months, and now months have turned into years! Looking back, I’m really grateful that my partner gave me that first push to draw because I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for him!
Your characters are cute and bubbly. What inspires you to create them?
I’ve always been drawn to cute and bubbly characters because they remind me of all the sweet and joyful things in life, like little babies. The emotion and feelings of seeing something so cute and precious create such warming and exciting feelings. That is how I feel about illustrating, and I want my audience to feel the same when they see my art.
Do you have your favourite character? Who is it?
Oh gosh, I can’t choose!!! I love so many characters, and I feel like I will have a favorite character from any show that I watch. But usually, they are cute little magical girls like Bubbles from the Powerpuff girls, Eri from My Hero Academia, and Princess Rapunzel from Tangled!
Who would it be if you could choose one artist to grab a coffee with?
It is such a tough question! There are so many artists with who I’d love to grab a coffee because they are all so inspiring. But if I had to choose only one, it would be RossDraws because I admire how he has transformed his passion for drawing into such an amazing career. It would be so inspiring to hear about his journey, insights, and plans for the future!
Do you have any other passions other than drawing?
I see drawing as a base for my creativity. So while I take breaks from drawing, I love to branch out and apply my illustrative ideas through other creative activities like jewelry making, pin-making, and even ceramics! Lately, I’ve been creating more jewelry pieces that I am excited to share in the future!
How would you define your biggest success so far?
My biggest success would be that I can live my dream by illustrating and creating every day. So, I would define it as a miracle, haha. I am honestly blown away and amazed by how my two little hands can create artworks and projects that can evoke different emotions for others. It’s just so cool!
What are your plans for the near future?
I am always planning for exciting new projects! Currently, I am working on some fun Patreon clubs where I will be designing monthly pins, stickers, and prints! Patreon has been a huge help in letting me stay afloat while also creating new and exciting art all the time. So, I am really excited for the new clubs rolling out soon!
Instagram: @chuubibi
