10 Questions with Lola Yiting Zhang

Lola Yiting Zhang is a concept artist specializing in the entertainment industry. Currently working at Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sucker Punch Productions. She has collaborated with major clients such as Sony, Microsoft, and Netease on a variety of AAA game projects, including the widely acclaimed "Halo: Infinite." After earning her degree from ArtCenter College of Design, Lola has continued to hone her craft and gain recognition in the entertainment industry for her unique designs.

Throughout her career, Lola's distinctive designs have been acknowledged and celebrated with numerous design awards and exhibitions. She has also been invited by major industry events, workshops, and art colleges as an industry expert to give talks sharing her design process and technique. In addition to her creative pursuits, she is a committed instructor, sharing her expertise with aspiring students and professionals in the entertainment industry.

www.artstation.com/lolazhang | @lolaneedstosketchmooore

ARTIST STATEMENT

Lola Yiting Zhang is a concept artist whose unique perspective and sensibility empower her to extract design inspiration from the most unexpected sources. She's always on the hunt for the bizarre and often overlooked elements in nature. Lola's design aesthetics are deeply rooted in her fascination with exploring the untamed beauty of unconventional forms, subtle textures, nuanced color palettes, and the beauty hidden in nature's tapestry.

In her work, Lola incorporates these unconventional finds organically to form the original sparks of her designs. Her aim is to challenge perceptions and inspire fresh perspectives on the world around us. Through her distinct artistic vision, Lola encourages viewers to reexamine their surroundings and uncover the hidden beauty that lies within everyday life.

INTERVIEW

First of all, introduce yourself to our readers. Who are you, and how did you start experimenting with art?

My name is Lola Yiting Zhang; I am a concept artist primarily working in the game industry, currently employed at Sucker Punch Productions, Sony Interactive Entertainment. Throughout my career, I have had the opportunity to collaborate with companies such as Sony, Microsoft, and Netease on various AAA game projects, including the highly regarded Halo franchise and its Encyclopedia.
My work has been acknowledged with numerous design awards, and I have had the privilege to participate in gallery exhibitions, magazine features, and industry events, as well as give talks and workshops at various art colleges. All these achievements stem from staying true to my own artistic voice, embracing what makes me unique, and pursuing what genuinely excites and motivates me daily. I am truly grateful for the recognition and opportunities that have come my way throughout my career thus far.
My journey with art began at a young age when I became enamored with the artistic nostalgia of video games and anime from the 80s and 90s, which evoked a strong sense of sentimental longing and appreciation for the beauty of that era. I was captivated. Driven by curiosity and fascination, the intricate and fantastical worlds within these media inspired me to create something unique through my own artistic voice. This curiosity, desire for creative self-expression, and relentless pursuit of growth led me to embark on a creative path, attending Sichuan Fine Art Institute and later, ArtCenter College of Design. Ultimately, I landed a career in concept design at Sony Interactive Entertainment in the entertainment industry, which has provided me with a platform to contribute my own artistic voice to the industry. Above all, it is a place where I can truly be myself, continue to grow, learn, and find fulfillment.

How would you define yourself as an artist today?

I would define myself as an artist who defies categorization and embraces non-conformity. I am naturally drawn to conceptual innovation, originality, and emotional resonance, focusing less on technical-driven aspects in a painting or design. My work is centered around expressing emotions and conveying feelings through subtle nuances.
Driven by a curiosity for nature and a desire to explore the overlooked and underappreciated aspects of our surroundings, I integrate these intricate inspirations into my art, breathing new life and meaning into them through my own artistic vision.

And what experience helped you develop into the artist you are nowadays?

I wouldn't say there was just one experience that shaped my artistic identity; instead, it's been a series of interconnected events and learnings. Growing up, I was the kid with endless "weird" ideas popping into my head every second. I embraced that and became unapologetically committed to being uniquely myself. 
My design aesthetics and personal growth have been derived from learning and drawing inspiration from various sources, not just art but also technology, biology, natural sciences, and more. These unexpected discoveries sparked new perspectives and ways of looking at things.
Countless unsatisfactory artworks, failed experiments, and rejections have also played a significant role in shaping my artistic taste, aesthetics, and my personal growth. Tuning into my inherent strengths—attention to detail and sensitivity to the finest nuances in nature—is also an indispensable part of my artistic identity.
But I guess the turning point for me, the experience that served as the ultimate wake-up call, was working at a place that perfectly illustrated the complete opposite of how I wanted to devote my time and energy. It was a place that filled me with a sense of emptiness, like a zombie with no drive in life and no hope, draining my artistic energy on a daily basis. It was a hopeless void that kept pulling me in until I felt devoid of my creative soul and artistic identity. That experience made me realize that I am the only person who can free myself from the place where I don't belong, and create artistic freedom for myself, and it gave me the drive to escape that draining, sinking hole and embark on a journey with no turning back.

Can you tell us about the process of creating your work? What is your artistic routine when working?

My creative process typically involves two slightly different approaches, depending on the circumstances. If the subject, theme, or narrative is already given, my approach focuses on tackling design within the constraints. I start by immersing myself in extensive research, exploring the geological environment, cultural context, and mood of the setting. Then, I identify possible design solutions that fit within these constraints while looking for opportunities to push the boundaries and innovate. For example, adding a 10% "visual twist," which could involve altering the form, color, or texture that's seemingly irrelevant to the design I'm working on, to disrupt the expected rhythm, introduce contrast, and infuse freshness, breaking the familiarity and monotony of the original source.
The second approach is more intuitive with more artistic freedom. Without any predefined themes, requirements, or narratives, it's like wandering through nature, allowing my curiosity and fascination to guide me. In these moments, I create based on my immediate inspiration, emotions, and what captures my attention. For instance, if I come across a bizarre-looking plant, creature, or insect, or a specific element of it, I'll sketch out the imagery and emotions evoked by it and the ideas that come to mind. These sketches usually begin as abstract and seemingly nonsensical, but this is the fun part: the uncertainty of where it might lead. Later, I'll rationalize the abstract ideas and ground them in the familiarities of real life.
Throughout my creative process, one aspect I frequently explore is the balance between familiarity and unfamiliarity. This dynamic gives my designs a unique twist and a new perspective, building upon a familiar base that connects with the audience's perception. Introducing unfamiliar elements enables me to give my designs a distinct definition and flavor, as well as imbue them with new meanings. This approach drives me to continually discover the endless possibilities hidden within everyday life, allowing me to transform mundane things into something that truly speaks to me.

Your work blends technologies with design, creating characters and game settings. What are your sources of inspiration?

My primary source of inspiration is nature, which serves as an inexhaustible visual library. I am continually fascinated by those bizarre and overlooked elements in nature; the most stunningly designed raw elements are just always there and surround us, but we're often distracted by the noise of society and the fast-paced modern world. What intrigues me most and fuels my creative journey is the endless possibilities of combining the familiar with the unfamiliar to create something fresh and innovative. Whenever I find myself in an uncreative or inspiration-deprived state, I always return to nature to replenish my artistic inspiration—it breathes life and soul into my designs.
From the texture of a pinecone to insect biology, mycelial networks, mineral formations, snowflakes' microstructures, and the intricate details of fingerprints, everything serves as a catalyst for my artistic expression. These discoveries offer endless possibilities that lie just beneath the surface, yet rarely do people turn down the mental noise and tune in to their sensitivity to appreciate the hidden beauty that permeates everyday life.

And what messages do you want to convey with your work?

The messages I want to convey vary with each piece I create. Instead of explicit messages, I'd call them feelings. My artworks are reflections of my feelings, experiences, perceptions, or discoveries at any given moment during each season or stage of my artistic journey. I hope that my art serves as a medium for communicating with audiences on an emotional level.
Through my work, one of my goals is to inspire the audience to connect more deeply with nature and appreciate the intricate details and beauty that surround us. Every being tells its own story through color, texture, form, and subtle nuances. We can only sense these delicate voices when we fully immerse ourselves in nature and embrace a state of inner stillness.

How do you differentiate your work from the rest? In other words, what do you feel makes it unique and truly your own?

I'd say my work is a blend of my fascination with nature, my desire to explore the endless possibilities of elements found in nature, and the way I dissect and reorganize these elements in my creative process. I always have a heightened sensitivity for uncovering the raw, inconspicuous beauty of often overlooked forms, as well as the nuanced color palettes within creatures, insects, or natural substances, unique biological camouflage patterns, delicate textures, and other complex aspects found in nature, which drive my work.
My artistic tastes and emotions serve as essential filters throughout my entire creative process. I observe and distill the elements I find fascinating, incorporating my own interpretation and voice and imbuing them with new meaning.
For instance, when designing a nightmarish character or creature, I turn to nature to identify elements, forms, colors, and textures that evoke the specific sensation I aim for. I extract the most evocative aspects of these elements, whether it's a certain form, a fraction of a texture, or a subtle color transition, and apply my artistic filter to integrate them into my design. This process leads to a creation that embodies a deeply primal and intense nightmarish undertone, genuinely reflecting my own feelings and resonating with viewers on an emotional level, evoking the intended emotions.
Being attuned to my personal emotions and artistic sensitivity, combined with my artistic lens, allows me to deliver designs that originate from nature's raw forms and are reimagined through my perception, emotion, and artistic filters.

How do you promote your work and present it to the public? As you also focus on digital technologies, do you use the Metaverse or other online platforms?

I don't actively promote my work through specific campaigns; instead, I just share my best pieces on various art platforms and let the art speak for itself, allowing the algorithm to do the trick.
Regarding the integration of digital technologies in my work, I occasionally use 3D software such as 3D-Coat, Blender, ZBrush, or sometimes VR sketch tools when I aim to achieve particular textures or lighting scenarios in my art. However, these tools aren't the main focus of my work; they act more as a bridge to help me enhance my artistic execution and bring my ideas to life more efficiently.

What do you think about the art community and market?

It's been quite a rollercoaster for the art community and market with the advent of NFTs, AI, and other emerging technologies. It can be both thrilling and daunting for artists; we're always encountering new tools and technologies popping out of nowhere at a jaw-dropping pace, navigating uncharted territory, and facing our own inner struggles and artistic challenges. Amidst all the outer noise, it's essential for us to stay adaptable and resilient while remaining true to our artistic vision, making sure we don't lose our sense of self, no matter how the market fluctuates. After all, it's our unique perspectives and voices that make the art world vibrant and diverse.

Finally, any projects you are looking forward to for this year?

This year, I'm looking forward to working on several unique and "weird" ideas that I've been excited to bring to life, particularly those that involve trying something I haven't done before. Additionally, this year has already been filled with creative revelations as I've encountered challenges that have pushed me to grow in ways I hadn't anticipated. These experiences have opened my eyes to new perspectives and motivated me to explore even more. So, it's been a packed year so far, and I'm thrilled to see what other cool opportunities and adventures await in the months to come.