Sze Hang Lo: Where words fail, illustrations convey the feeling

After the dust settled following all the graduate shows for illustration and art courses across the UK, the Association of Illustrators sent out its Grads to Watch list. One of the talents that grabbed our attention straight away was Sze Hang Lo. Sze – pronounced 'see' – is a Hong Kong-born illustrator and animator who has just graduated from the London College of Communication and whose work brings together emotions, nostalgia and a magical touch of surrealism.

Pictured above, the piece Self Care is a case in point. It deals with compassion fatigue and the challenge of caring for others while potentially neglecting oneself. It depicts a moment of solitude and desperation but also has a sense of renewal. "The mundanity of the scene was really important because the character in the piece could be anyone, anywhere. The plants and the fully clothed character in the shower represent that interesting juxtaposition of complete emotional numbness and the resolve to try anyway," says Sze.

She continues: "Much of my artwork comes from a personal desire to better understand and explain emotions that I find hard to verbalise. I frequently draw from my own and other people's experience of the world, and I'm very intrigued by the drama and wonder we hide in our everyday lives."

The magic comes in with a series Sze has begun entitled Urban Fantasy. Adding a mythological twist, it explores the dichotomy between Hong Kong's dense urban landscape and rich natural tapestry. This is the backdrop, at least, because the artworks are really about the different lives of people in the city. The artwork here was inspired by an ocean-themed decal Sze noticed in someone's window, which gave rise to a fantasy scene.

Sze's style is inspired by Hollywood films, documentaries and classic shōjo anime. She's also quick to credit Studio Ghibli's worldbuilding, the activist artist Yuumei, the Hong Kong illustrator Little Thunder and the Finnish designer maker Heikala.

"I typically sketch and iterate in my sketchbook, then use a digital application like Procreate to create my artwork. I'm very meticulous with rendering, so I really enjoy the granular detail and flexibility that can be achieved with digital mediums. I'm still very drawn to the warmth and grittiness of organic textures, and I often use digital brushes that have analogue qualities so my artwork can retain some of that warmth," says Sze.

Now working at the London animation studio Hocus Pokus, if Sze could tackle her ideal project next, it would be a continuation of her graduate project, The Spark. "It was my first fully conceptualised and animated film. I had to learn many new skills on the fly, and I don't feel I did it justice," she says. "I have a few other stories I'd like to bring to life."

Meanwhile, she is illustrating a Deaf Kids Tip Kit for Sound Waves Foundation, a book written by deaf children giving practical advice on how we can be more inclusive and understanding of the hearing-impaired.