Xinmei Liu

Xinmei Liu was born in Shanghai, China and now lives in New York, where she works as a freelance illustrator. Xinmei has a BFA in Communications Design from Pratt Institute and graduated from the School of Visual Arts with an MFA in Illustration in 2020.

In her artistic practice, Xinmei combines digital and analogue methods to create unique textures while bringing linework and bright colors together to create moods. She produces highly conceptual imagery that also has rich narrative details. Her personal work is mostly inspired by her cultural background, social issues, childhood experience and history. Vintage ads and packaging, Asian calendar posters and propaganda posters are among the influences that shaped her style.

Xinmei has worked with various clients on a range of projects in the editorial and publishing fields. Her previous clients include: The New York Times, Medium, Amazon Publishing, Scholastic, Society6, Shanghai Museum amongst others.

Her dream jobs would be for brands and publications that are related to travel, food or lifestyle, theater and concert posters, and projects that have a rich cultural context. To some degree, illustrating is a channel through which she learns about the world.

Xinmei’s work has been recognized by the Society of Illustrators, American Illustration (selected), 3×3 International Illustration Shows (Gold), Illustration West, Communication Arts Illustration Annual and other renowned professional annuals. She and her work has been featured on Creative Review, Creative Boom, PLAIN Magazine, Girls Club Asia and other press.

In addition to illustrating, Xinmei also works as a part-time comic book editor and designer for Paradise Systems, an independent publisher in Brooklyn.