A New Frontier

Three local illustrators speak to Vogue Singapore about their inspirations, ingenuity and the state of the visual arts industry.

- BRYAN HO

Jon Tan

Jon Tan’s foray into the world of arts started later than most. Growing up in a traditional Chinese family meant that pursuing a career in the creative field was off his radar. “I came from the usual conventional education route. It wasn’t until my junior college years that I started being more exposed to the arts,” he shares.

Fast forward half a decade and the multidisciplinary artist and designer—who is currently the art director of local design studio and clothing brand Beyond The Vines—has done work for an array of clients which includes Nike, Art-Science Museum and even hip-hop icon Kendrick Lamar.

Recounts Tan of his introduction to illustration: “Back in 2019, I was a part of the vintage store Death Threads, which held monthly fashion pop-ups. That platform provided me with the opportunity to illustrate over two years’ worth of promotional posters, which was where I built my design fundamentals.”

An average day of work includes a flurry of back-to-back meetings followed by hours of ideation. “It always starts with research for me. I try to find out what my clients are looking for and focus on aligning it to my personal design language and ethos. From there, I begin to sketch a draft, filling in details along the way based on emotions I am feeling or wish to invoke.”

Tan shares that his recent references have primarily been distilled from Fashion Month as he was paying close attention to everything from show invites to runway set designs. Music and travel have also been two indispensable sources of inspiration for Tan, who sees personal experiences as the greatest catalyst for creativity.