Jinyue Fan
- Anna Lilli Garai
- Sep 26
- 3 min read
Jinyue Fan creates digital paintings that explore the space between inner thought and external reality. Working in Photoshop with brushes that mimic rough paper, she gives her images a tactile depth that feels close to handmade. RISO-inspired textures add warmth and unpredictability, bringing chance into the digital process. Her works often begin with a mood, as in “Inner Contemplation,” shaped by moments of quiet reflection, or “Stories of Home,” drawn from her shifting sense of belonging while living abroad. What emerges are layered portraits of the mind, where personal experience and imagination shape each scene.
Q: What pulls you back again and again to the split between inner world and outside reality?
A: I have a strong interest in psychology and mental processes. I view the human inner world as a mirror reflecting one’s experiences in reality. The interplay between inner and outer worlds continually draws me back, inspiring my exploration through art. Through my work, I aim to convey how the phenomena people encounter in the external world subtly shape their behavior and psychological state.
Q: When you’re working in Photoshop, how do you keep that handmade, layered feel alive?
A: When I work in Photoshop, I choose brushes that simulate the texture of rough paper. I really enjoy this tactile quality—it gives me the feeling of drawing on real paper. At the same time, it allows my work to retain a sense of handmade, layered depth, even in a digital environment.
Q: What was the spark behind "Inner Contemplation"?
A: The spark behind "Inner Contemplation" is closely related to my MBTI personality type—I’m an INFJ, which means I am primarily intuitive and introverted.
I naturally enjoy spending time alone in reflection. Sometimes I ponder seemingly random questions. Other times, I find myself contemplating my surroundings—my home, my relationships, and how I am connected to the external world. These moments of introspection are the true source of inspiration for my artwork.
Q: RISO textures show up a lot in your work. What do they give you that other methods don’t?
A: RISO textures give my illustrations the warmth and tactile quality of traditional print media, adding a sense of life and human touch that digital methods often lack. I especially love how RISO can produce unpredictable color blends—these spontaneous, unexpected combinations bring moments of surprise and delight, making the creative process more playful and inspiring.
Q: How much of "Between Mind and World" comes straight from your own experiences?
A: Many of my works are directly inspired by my own experiences. For instance, "Stories of Home" reflects my time living and working in the UK.
Having moved frequently, "home" for me is not a fixed place but a sense of constantly moving forward, wherever I am becomes home. I translate this feeling into my illustrations, using the work also as a way to commemorate my last home in the UK.
Q: Do you start more from a mood or from an image when you sit down to make something new?
A: Most of the time, I start from a mood rather than a specific image. For instance, in winter I feel a sudden wave of melancholy, which makes me want to create an illustration about the cold, gloomy winter in London to capture my emotional state at that moment. Similarly, with "The Cloud Washer," after reading the original story, I felt a deep sense of compassion and connected psychologically with the main character who was about to disappear. I wanted to create an editorial illustration that captures the moment he vanishes, carrying his memories with him.
