Peilin Li
Designer-illustrator Peilin Li on how to keep creating in the long run
If there’s one thing that Peilin Li urges, it's putting your work out there: visibility lends itself to opportunity. Peilin got her start as an illustrator and designer by posting her work on social media. “For me, sharing my work is more important than waiting for the perfect moment,” she stresses. At the same time, sharing her personal work has strengthened her unique visual language, rooted in colourful illustrations and designs of small everyday moments and imagined worlds. Pivoting between freelance and studio work, and balancing personal projects with professional ones, Peilin shares the wisdom she’s learned along the way below.
About my work
My creative practice
I’m a designer at BUCK, where I work across illustration, branding and graphic design, helping develop visual concepts and bring them to life.
Influences and inspiration
I’m inspired by everyday life and by small moments people often overlook, such as spending time with friends, being at home or simply noticing the light and space around me.
The picture books I grew up with also had a lasting influence on me: they taught me to pay attention to detail, atmosphere and the emotional tone of a scene. I often translate these simple moments into visual stories that feel warm, playful and relatable.
My training
I studied illustration at the School of Visual Arts where I built a strong foundation in visual storytelling. Later, I completed my MFA in graphic design at ArtCenter College of Design, with a focus on graphic design and branding.
Those experiences shaped the way I work today. Illustration allows me to bring emotion and narrative into my work, while graphic design gives me the structure to communicate ideas clearly. Bringing the two together allows me to create visuals that are both expressive and intentional.
Favourite recent project
Lately, my focus has been on my personal illustration practice. I’m interested in capturing small moments from everyday life – whether that means being at home, spending time with friends or noticing details that are easy to miss – and turning them into images.
I also bring these illustrations into graphic design, using layout, typography and composition to reorganize the content. It becomes more than an image; it becomes a fuller form of visual expression. For me, this is an ongoing line of inquiry rather than a single project.
A day in the life
My day starts with breakfast and a cup of coffee before work. I check Slack, go through my dailies and prepare for meetings so I can communicate and present clearly.
After work, I usually unwind by playing games, then spend time on my personal illustration practice. I enjoy becoming fully immersed in drawing and imagining myself inside the world I’m creating. I usually go to bed around midnight and give myself a little time to decompress before falling asleep.
'1980s New York' illustration
How I got here
Starting my creative journey
After graduating, I began working as a freelance illustrator, which felt like a natural transition. I reached out to art directors and consistently shared my work on social media, which led to projects and collaborations with larger clients.
Over time, I became more aware of the limits of working only within illustration. Much of that work involved creating images for articles or magazines, while I was increasingly drawn to more complete and structured projects. This led me to study graphic design, where I could work more directly with research, strategy and the overall visual experience.
Now at BUCK, I’m able to combine illustration and graphic design, contributing not only to visual expression but also to broader creative thinking and more systematic ways of building cohesive visual experiences.
Landing my first few jobs, clients and/or commissions
My first commission came from reaching out to an art director – it was an editorial illustration for VinePair. After that, most of my work came from clients finding me; the most effective way I got hired was through consistently updating my social media and building my personal website, so more people could see what I was doing. Over time, that visibility helped bring in more opportunities.
“Freelancing required not only creative focus, but the ability to maintain clarity and consistency without the structure of a larger organization.”
Biggest challenges along the way
One of the biggest challenges in my path has been navigating uncertainty, especially during the period when I was working independently. Freelancing required not only creative focus, but the ability to maintain clarity and consistency without the structure of a larger organization. That experience made me more disciplined in how I approach my work and more certain about the kind of practice I want to build.
Working full-time brings a different kind of challenge. It requires the ability to move fluidly within a collaborative environment, contribute clearly within a team and maintain a strong point of view while responding to the pace and expectations of a professional studio setting. For me, that challenge has been less about doubt and more about sustaining clarity, adaptability and intention across different contexts.
What has anchored me throughout is continuing to make and share work. That process has reinforced my confidence in my own visual language and strengthened my trust in my instincts. Over time, it has also made my voice more defined and my direction more grounded.
Everyday skills I’ve found helpful for my creative work:
Curiosity is central to my creative practice. I pay close attention to what is happening around me, whether that means small everyday moments or the relationships between people. In turn, curiosity keeps my work open and responsive, and prevents it from becoming fixed in only one way of thinking.
My social media and self-promotion vibe is…
I think having a sense of visual consistency is important. It doesn’t mean everything has to look the same, but there’s a shared tone or visual language that connects the work, which makes it easier for people to recognize it. In a way, social media also feels like curating your own work.
Three things I've found useful in my career:
- Visual thinking is really important to me. It’s not just about making images, but about organizing information and building structure so the work communicates clearly. I try to think beyond the visuals and focus on how ideas are understood.
- Maintaining a personal practice is also essential. It gives me space to experiment, explore new ideas and develop my own voice. It also helps me keep improving outside of work and stay open to new opportunities.
- Communication is another key skill. It’s about collaborating with others, expressing ideas clearly and being able to “sell” them. In many cases, how you present your thinking is just as important as the work itself.
My greatest learnings when it comes to making money and supporting myself as a creative:
One of the biggest things I’ve learned is that time and energy are just as important as money. Learning how to evaluate the time and effort a project requires in relation to what you get back, both financially and in terms of growth, is an ongoing process.
Finding a balance between work and personal projects is also really important. It’s about supporting your daily life while still making time for the kind of work you truly care about, so you can keep creating in the long term.
I’ve also come to understand the value of having a stable income. When I was freelancing, the instability could be stressful; having a more stable structure now gives me a stronger sense of security.
“Time and energy are just as important as money.”
Advice
My most useful career tips
I think one of the most important things is confidence, trusting your own ability and being willing to show your work.
A lot of the time, we hesitate because we feel like our work isn’t good enough or we’re not fully ready yet, but in reality, there’s never a perfect moment to feel “ready.” Many opportunities come from simply putting your work out there and learning along the way.
For me, sharing my work is more important than waiting for the perfect moment. The more you put your work out there, the more chances you have to be seen and recognized.
'Winter on the Balcony'
Where I go to feel connected as a creative
For me, I feel most connected in the office and in environments like book fairs and art fairs. At the former, I can exchange ideas with my teammates face-to-face and discuss projects, which makes me feel more involved and sparks new ways of thinking. At the latter, I get to see a wide range of work and connect with different creatives. Seeing these different approaches gives me a lot of inspiration and reminds me that I’m part of a larger creative community.
What I'd say to someone looking to get into a similar role
A strong and professional portfolio website is essential. Beyond the quality of the work itself, the structure, readability and ease of navigation all matter. Ideally, people should be able to find what they are looking for within a few seconds.
It is also important to stay connected with people in the industry. Whether that happens through attending events, having conversations or reaching out directly, those connections can deepen your understanding of the field and can also lead to new opportunities.