Interview of Yulia Shchelkunova by Freya Bennett
Hi Yulia, how are you? Can you tell us a bit about your art practice?
I’m doing quite well, thank you! I work across both narrative and editorial illustration, with a strong focus on storytelling and atmosphere. I’ve spent a large part of my adult life living in different cities, such as Shanghai and Taipei, learning new languages and adapting to new environments. Because of this, my work often explores themes of place, memory, and transformation. Folklore and cultural references play an important role in my practice, helping me reflect on these experiences through imagery that feels both personal and connected to shared visual traditions.
What draws you to the mix of mediums you use to create your art, and how do you know when a piece needs something tactile rather than purely digital?
I’m drawn to mixed media because it brings a sense of unpredictability into my process. While I enjoy working digitally — especially because it’s flexible and easy to work with on the go — analogue techniques like hand printing, collage, and stencils add a physical resistance that I really value. Texture and imperfection give the work more emotional weight and make the images feel more alive.
I usually turn to tactile processes when a piece feels too resolved or a bit flat digitally. Working through different versions helps me move forward. I might start with a sketch in Procreate, then make a hand-drawn or printed version, and later bring it back into digital tools to refine it. This back-and-forth — almost like a ping-pong between mediums — keeps my process fluid and helps me avoid getting stuck.
Folklore and place-based storytelling run through much of your work. What is it about folklore that continues to hold your attention as an illustrator?
Folklore feels like a shared visual language that travels across cultures and time. On a personal level, it gives me a strong sense of home. Some of my earliest projects involved illustrating fairy tales I heard from my grandparents as a child, and returning to those stories while living far from home helped me stay connected to my roots.
At the same time, folklore allows me to find connections between different cultures. As I travel and spend time in new places, I often notice how similar symbols, stories, and archetypes appear in different traditions. That feeling of familiarity within difference continues to fascinate me, and it’s why folklore remains such an important part of my work.
You work across editorial and narrative illustration. How does your approach shift when you’re responding to a written brief versus building a story entirely from your own imagination?
I really enjoy balancing client work with my own narrative illustration. Storytelling and world-building have been important to me since childhood, and creating my own stories is still very fulfilling. At the same time, I’ve learned that working only on personal projects can sometimes lead to repeating familiar ideas.
Editorial projects require active listening and collaboration. Responding to someone else’s text or vision brings in new perspectives and often pushes my work in unexpected directions. That energy feeds back into my personal practice. Mixing narrative and editorial work helps keep my work dynamic and my thinking fresh.
Has there been a particular place or journey that significantly changed the way you think about image-making?
Moving to Taipei was a real turning point for me, and it was when illustration became my main focus. Walking through the city and making observational sketches helped me slow down and really look at my surroundings. For example, I would visit the same temple every morning for a week, trying to capture something different each time — the architecture, overheard conversations, or the mix of colours, smells and sounds.
That practice taught me to pay attention to small, often overlooked details, and it continues to shape how I approach image-making today.
Looking at your work now, what themes or questions do you notice yourself returning to — and where do you hope your illustration practice is heading next?
I keep coming back to themes of childhood memories, nostalgia, and the experience of discovering new worlds. These ideas still excite me, and I’d love to explore them further through longer narrative projects, especially picture books.
I’m also always curious about new tools and mediums. Recently, animation has really captured my attention, and I’m excited to see where that interest might lead. Above all, I try to trust the creative process and follow the sense of wonder that first drew me to illustration.
