Conversation with Artist and Illustrator Velwyn Yossy

London-based artist on fashion illustrations and art dolls
By Sharrona Valezka

Velwyn Yossy is a London-based artist and illustrator who works between fashion and art. Born in Indonesia, Velwyn migrated to the United States when she was 16 years old and went on to graduate from Art Center College of Design with a B.S. (Hons) in Entertainment Design in 2012. The various cultures that she was exposed to while growing up greatly influenced her creative practice. Working in both traditional and digital mediums, her illustrations communicate ideas of beauty and feminine strength depicted in her signature style of exaggerated forms and lines.

In this conversation, Velwyn talks about her career as a fashion illustrator, her main artistic influences, and her current practice as a doll artist.

To start, could you talk about your background and how you came to work in London as a fashion illustrator?

After graduation, I had a full time job as a concept artist and designer in an advertising agency in Los Angeles. I would often work on my fashion illustrations in the evening after work. At the time, I was in a long-distance relationship with my boyfriend, who is now my husband. After we decided to live together, I resigned from my job and moved to London, which also led to my transition to become a freelance illustrator.

After graduating with a B.S. (Hons) in Entertainment Design degree from the Art Center College of Design in California, you started working as a concept artist before switching careers as a fashion illustrator. What initially drew you into fashion illustration? And at what point did you decide to pursue a career in that specific area?

I have always loved looking at fashion photography and different styles of illustration. I like being transported into another world through these beautiful images. Even better, to immerse myself in music to create and express what I am feeling in the moment. I decided to pursue fashion illustration after I moved to London. The art and fashion scenes and the energy of the city are very inspiring. A few months after moving, I was invited by SHOWstudio to do a live illustration for London Fashion Week in 2014.

In what ways has your background in entertainment design influenced your art, especially in depicting the human form? Is there a specific technique that you apply when creating an illustration?

Looking back now, I think the entertainment design field felt rather masculine. Most of the students who were in the department ended up becoming a concept artist or an art director for major companies in the gaming, animation and movie industries. However, I noticed that character design is quite similar to fashion in many ways, from the avatar and identity formation to clothing and props as signifiers of personality. In terms of techniques, I am grateful to have learnt a lot during my studies at the Art Center College of Design, which includes time management, discipline and executing ideas.

Let’s talk about creating an illustration from scratch. Could you walk us through the process? What are your favourite mediums to work with?

The process usually starts with either a concept or a brief, which I would then research to create a mood board. For the next step, I will start with rough sketches, either with a pencil or a thin Photoshop brush. With this technique, I can quickly get ideas down without being too caught up in the details. After I am happy with the sketch, I will work with either a traditional medium – or digitally – depending on the intention of the artwork. My favourite mediums are a mechanical pencil, acrylic paints and Photoshop brushes.

Velwyn Yossy Dolls and Identity — Velwyn in the process of creating the ‘Dolls and Identity’ series. Image courtesy of the artist.

How would you describe your personal art style? Who or what has been an important artistic influence on your practice?

I like to experiment with different styles throughout my practice. However, I tend to come back to similar styles, which are gestural, minimal and often graphical. I get my inspiration from various aspects such as art, fashion, photography, movies, music and even dance scenes. Growing up, I also enjoyed manga, anime and video games. Therefore, I would say that my artistic influences are quite varied based on these interests and observations.

Velwyn Yossy Silhouette — Velwyn Yossy, ‘Silhouette’, final year project at Art Center College of Design, 2012. Image courtesy of the artist.

You have shown quite a strong interest in dolls, as observed from your personal doll collection that you share on your Instagram page. I have also noticed that it has served as a main influence for your ‘Dolls and Identity’ project where you explored the subjects of cross-cultural identity, childhood and subverting the stereotypical idea of the dolls as being passive. What is it about dolls that intrigues you and continually feeds your practice?

There are many aspects of dolls that intrigue me, and they are mostly psychological. To me, they represent a sense of belonging and many more. I also read that for a child, dolls and toys serve as a way for them to have a sense of control of their life and environment. I have a small doll collection in my house and each one feels precious in their own way. Even as a child, I did not feel that a doll is “just” an object. I often project my thoughts and feelings onto the dolls, style them and take them on travels with me.

In my ‘Dolls and Identity’ project, I created a variety of works based on research and observation ranging from writings, idea drawings, paintings. I explored the subjects of cross-cultural identity, childhood and adulthood escapism, anxieties, object sentimentality, and subverting the stereotypical idea of the passive dolls. Most of the dolls in the painting are situated in a non-narrative environment; the shapes are considered and the eyes are hollow while they contemplate and confront the viewer.

“There are many aspects of dolls that intrigue me, and they are mostly psychological. To me, they represent a sense of belonging and many more. Even as a child, I did not feel that a doll is “just” an object. I often project my thoughts and feelings onto the dolls, style them and take them on travels with me.”

Could you tell us what a typical day in your life is like as a freelance artist and fashion illustrator? What are your favorite parts of the job and which are the hardest?

When I was still actively working as a fashion illustrator, my day would depend on the job and whether I had a busy month or not. There were times when I would have two to three commercial projects happening all at once, and there were other times when there were none. The instability is what I think to be the hardest part of my practice. I personally prefer to be busy with projects. Of course, I also get to do my own things during my free time, which I would then utilise to experiment and take a pause to think of upcoming projects. My favourite aspects of the job would be the freedom to decide how I spend my time and the interesting events that I get to attend.

How do you maintain your practice as a fashion illustrator and a doll artist? What are the important factors that have kept you going?

At the moment, I am not as active as a fashion illustrator unless I get contacted for a commission or a project. I have been working as a full-time doll artist under a different name for about six years now. It has been very fulfilling to explore new methods of art practice that involve not just 2D illustration work, but also in a 3D form.

As a doll artist, I get to immerse myself in the process such as styling, photography and designing a doll from start to finish. These dolls then go directly to collectors' homes around the world. To me, the most satisfying part is when they tell me that my art dolls bring joy into their lives, which I think is quite powerful.

“As a doll artist, I get to immerse myself in the process such as styling, photography and designing a doll from start to finish. These dolls then go directly to collectors’ homes around the world. To me, the most satisfying part is when they tell me that my art dolls bring joy into their lives, which I think is quite powerful.”

Your works have been featured in various international publications and exhibitions. You showcased your illustrations at several SHOWstudio’s exhibitions in London and was chosen as one of their resident collections illustrators in 2015, 2017, and 2019. What do these achievements mean to you as a Southeast Asian artist? How does it affect your creative practice?

As an artist, there is definitely a feeling of accomplishment that comes with getting your work featured by well-respected institutions and publications. However, along with that comes the inevitable hunger for not only achievements, but to keep growing as an artist.

To answer the other part of the question, perhaps like many people from the Southeast Asian region, my life and identity have been shaped by migrations. My father and my mother’s grandparents migrated from China to Indonesia. I then migrated with my parents from Indonesia to the United States when I was 16 and last year, I received my British citizenship. At this point, I cannot seem to identify myself with a single region or nationality. This has led me to accumulate varied interests from different cultures in both my personal life and creative practice. For example, I am drawn to Japanese subcultures, Scandinavian designs, African-American music culture and enjoy everything from Jazz, Funk and House, to British humor and Asian cuisines.

Velwyn Yossy SHOWstudio A Beautiful Darkness — SHOWstudio’s ‘A Beautiful Darkness’ exhibition in London, 2015. Image courtesy of SHOWstudio.

Velwyn Yossy SHOWstudio Moving Kate — SHOWstudio’s ‘Moving Kate’ exhibition in Tokyo, 2017. Image courtesy of SHOWstudio.

Could you share with us what has been your favourite project so far? And why?

If I have to pick a couple, my favourite projects are ‘A Beautiful Darkness’ for SHOWstudio, ‘New Beginnings’ for Vogue Russia and from my personal projects: ‘Lines’, ‘Geometri’, and ‘Dolls and Identity’.

You have taken on varied roles in the industry since you graduated in 2012, from being a concept artist to an Associate Lecturer at the London College of Fashion, and finding success as an artist and fashion illustrator. What important takeaways do you have from your journey thus far?

I am still not sure what the exact definition of success is, but thank you! In terms of takeaways, I learnt over time to stay true and to be honest with myself. I used to care a lot about what others think. But as I grow older, I have learnt to let myself be more free because constantly thinking about others’ opinions and judgment is quite imprisoning. I have also learnt to build relationships with supportive people who genuinely care and wish me well. Lastly, I allow myself to be happy, and do more things that bring me joy, such as music and dancing.

Finally, what plans do you have in store for your practice moving forward? Do you have any upcoming projects that you are working on?

I have recently created my own doll design mold which can be styled in various ways. It took me about two years to finish the project. The process starts with designing the concept art, commissioning a 3D artist, having the prototype cast in a factory and finally receiving the dolls in person.

See more of Velwyn's works here or on Instagram at @velwyn and @charondolls.