I’m Rebel Freeman, an award-winning visual journalist and editorial illustrator with 15+ years of experience across editorial illustration, visual storytelling, and multimedia design. I specialize in art direction and visual storytelling for news and opinion, collaborating closely with editors, columnists, and design teams to craft cohesive visual packages for articles, newsletters, and social platforms. My frontline experience navigating press freedom and censorship in diverse contexts gives me a rare global perspective and a disciplined, deadline-driven approach. I’m passionate about using imagery to illuminate complex ideas, bridge East and West discourse, and lead cross-platform initiatives from concept to publish.…

Rebel Freeman

I’m Rebel Freeman, an award-winning visual journalist and editorial illustrator with 15+ years of experience across editorial illustration, visual storytelling, and multimedia design. I specialize in art direction and visual storytelling for news and opinion, collaborating closely with editors, columnists, and design teams to craft cohesive visual packages for articles, newsletters, and social platforms. My frontline experience navigating press freedom and censorship in diverse contexts gives me a rare global perspective and a disciplined, deadline-driven approach. I’m passionate about using imagery to illuminate complex ideas, bridge East and West discourse, and lead cross-platform initiatives from concept to publish.…

Available to hire

I’m Rebel Freeman, an award-winning visual journalist and editorial illustrator with 15+ years of experience across editorial illustration, visual storytelling, and multimedia design. I specialize in art direction and visual storytelling for news and opinion, collaborating closely with editors, columnists, and design teams to craft cohesive visual packages for articles, newsletters, and social platforms.

My frontline experience navigating press freedom and censorship in diverse contexts gives me a rare global perspective and a disciplined, deadline-driven approach. I’m passionate about using imagery to illuminate complex ideas, bridge East and West discourse, and lead cross-platform initiatives from concept to publish.

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Language

Chinese
Fluent
English
Fluent

Work Experience

Politico Cartoonist& Digital Artist at Radio Free Asia
May 30, 2017 - March 22, 2025
I’m a professional illustrator with over 15 years of experience in editorial, portrait, and narrative illustration. My work spans from realistic pencil renderings to stylized digital art, with a strong focus on expressive storytelling and cultural commentary. I’ve collaborated with media outlets, publishers, and independent clients worldwide to deliver compelling, high-impact visuals across print and digital formats. Whether it’s a sharply observed caricature or a quiet, human portrait, I bring clarity, emotion, and visual precision to every piece.
Editorial Illustrator & Visual Strategist at Radio Free Asia
December 31, 2025 - October 18, 2025
Produced and managed 800+ illustrations across multilingual opinion content. Partnered with editors, columnists, and digital producers to craft cohesive visual packages for articles, newsletters, and social platforms. Supported rapid visual turnaround on breaking news and opinion columns. Contributed to visual tone and art direction for the opinion section’s brand identity.
Freelance Editorial Illustrator at Newsweek Japan
January 1, 2016 - Present
Delivered bi-weekly illustrations for global affairs columns. Developed visual metaphors bridging Eastern and Western political discourse.
Creative Lead, Weibo Division at QingSongJia Network (Beijing)
December 31, 2014 - October 18, 2025
Led visual storytelling initiatives for early mobile and social news formats. Directed team in producing illustration and infographic content for user engagement.
Freelance Illustrator & Designer at Shanghai (Freelance)
December 31, 2011 - October 18, 2025
Provided editorial and commercial illustration for books, advertising, and editorial content. Worked with publishers and agencies on visual communication campaigns.
Assistant Creative Director at Shanghai Zhongshi New Vision Advertising
December 31, 2004 - October 18, 2025
Developed integrated visual strategies for multimedia ad campaigns. Presented creative concepts to clients and led in-house execution.
Art Director at Shanghai Guantang Advertising
December 31, 2002 - October 18, 2025
Oversaw branding and creative execution for large-scale print and TV media. Managed creative teams and production workflows.
Graphic Designer at Shanghai MPI Advertising Co., Ltd.
December 31, 1997 - October 18, 2025
Created advertising visuals and commercial graphic designs for corporate clients in one of Shanghai’s earliest joint-venture ad firms.
Editorial Illustrator & Visual Strategist at Radio Free Asia
January 1, 2025 - October 18, 2025
Produced and managed 800+ illustrations across multilingual opinion content. Partnered with editors, columnists, and digital producers to craft cohesive visual packages for articles, newsletters, and social platforms. Supported rapid visual turnaround on breaking news and opinion columns. Contributed to visual tone and art direction for the opinion section’s brand identity.
Freelance Editorial Illustrator at Newsweek Japan
January 1, 2016 - Present
Delivered bi-weekly illustrations for global affairs columns. Developed visual metaphors bridging Eastern and Western political discourse.
Creative Lead, Weibo Division at QINGSONGJIA NETWORK (BEIJING)
January 1, 2014 - October 18, 2025
Led visual storytelling initiatives for early mobile and social news formats. Directed team in producing illustration and infographic content for user engagement.
Freelance Illustrator & Designer at Shanghai
January 1, 2011 - October 18, 2025
Provided editorial and commercial illustration for books, advertising, and editorial content. Worked with publishers and agencies on visual communication campaigns.
Assistant Creative Director at Shanghai Zhongshi New Vision Advertising
January 1, 2004 - October 18, 2025
Developed integrated visual strategies for multimedia ad campaigns. Presented creative concepts to clients and led in-house execution.
Art Director at Shanghai Guantang Advertising
January 1, 2002 - October 18, 2025
Oversaw branding and creative execution for large-scale print and TV media. Managed creative teams and production workflows.
Graphic Designer at Shanghai MPI Advertising Co., Ltd.
January 1, 1997 - October 18, 2025
Created advertising visuals and commercial graphic designs for corporate clients in one of Shanghai’s earliest joint-venture ad firms.

Education

Add your educational history here.

Qualifications

B.A. in Fine Arts / Communication Design
January 11, 2030 - October 18, 2025
B.A. in Fine Arts / Communication Design
January 11, 2030 - October 18, 2025

Industry Experience

Government, Consumer Goods, Media & Entertainment, Non-Profit Organization, Retail, Software & Internet, Professional Services, Other, Education
    uniE621 Podcast Cover Designs for Radio Free Asia
    A curated set of podcast cover designs created for Radio Free Asia’s Burmese, Lao, and Mandarin programs. Each design blends narrative illustration, cultural cues, and character-driven storytelling. Key Features: – Multi-style approach: from cartoon simplicity to editorial realism – Designed for podcast thumbnails, social media banners, and app covers – Emphasizes personality, identity, and cultural context photo logo branding webdesigner…
    uniE621 Portrait Works: Realism to Caricature
    A curated selection of illustrated portraiture showcasing the artist’s versatility across multiple styles: – Realistic graphite-style renderings for journalistic and editorial use – Vibrant color caricatures for expressive storytelling and social commentary – Line-based exaggerations for political satire and public figures Clients include media organizations, NGOs, and private collectors. Subjects range from dissidents and activists to politicians and journalists. photo logo branding webdesigner…
    uniE621 Storyboard Series (2018–2024)
    A series of narrative illustrations created for Radio Free Asia to visually support investigative journalism and audio storytelling in countries where press photography is restricted or impossible. Blending journalistic storytelling and cinematic sketchboarding to evoke emotional and political depth in news reporting. photo logo branding webdesigner…
    uniE621 Storyboard Series (2018–2024)
    A series of narrative illustrations created for Radio Free Asia to visually support investigative journalism and audio storytelling in countries where press photography is restricted or impossible. Blending journalistic storytelling and cinematic sketchboarding to evoke emotional and political depth in news reporting. photo logo branding webdesigner…
    uniE621 Chinese Supernatural – Multi-panel Narrative Comic Series
    A serialized comic format blending satire, urban absurdity, and visual pacing to explore the surreal side of Chinese everyday life. – Entirely original: concept, script, layout, and art by the artist. – Emphasizes sequential logic, comedic rhythm, and expressive character design. – Balances subtle political undertones with universally relatable visual humor. – This sample episode features a satirical depiction of China’s overbuilt infrastructure and traffic chaos, morphing into supernatural exaggeration. photo logo branding webdesigner…
    uniE621 China’s AI Leviathan (2025)
    A political cartoon visualizing China’s AI ambitions as a monstrous leviathan threatening Western tech giants. – Created as an allegorical critique of Beijing’s expanding influence in global AI, surveillance, and technology ecosystems. – Featuring logos of DeepSeek, Microsoft, OpenAI, NVIDIA, Google, and Amazon, the cartoon questions the entanglement of global tech infrastructure with China’s authoritarian ambitions. photo logo branding webdesigner…
    uniE621 North Korea Fashion Bans – Illustrated Infographic (2024)
    This visual infographic highlights North Korea’s 2024 crackdown on Western-influenced fashion and hairstyles. Each illustrated character element is paired with real dress code restrictions sourced from state media and defector accounts. By combining stylized character design with editorial commentary, this piece uses clarity and satire to expose how authoritarian regimes extend control into the everyday — down to jeans, handbags, and ponytails. Originally created for digital editorial publication and human rights communication campaigns. photo logo branding webdesigner…
    uniE621 Geopolitical Caricature – U.S.–China Power Transition (2021)
    A political cartoon capturing the symbolic power transition between the U.S. and China in 2021. Joe Biden and Xi Jinping face off in a boxing ring, while Donald Trump is reluctantly pulled away — flanked by nervous global leaders. This illustration blends character caricature with editorial commentary, emphasizing visual metaphor and global political tension. Originally created for media syndication and online editorial use. photo logo branding webdesigner…
    uniE621 TikTok & Xiaohongshu Escape Fantasy (2025)
    A satirical editorial cartoon responding to the rumored TikTok ban in the U.S., portraying American users fleeing to Xiaohongshu — only to remain under CCP surveillance. The illustration conceptually critiques platform illusion, surveillance continuity, and censorship, using strong visual metaphor and symbolic narrative. Created as a standalone cartoon for digital media distribution. photo logo graphicdesigner branding webdesigner designer illustrator…
    uniE621 Illustration Series – North Korean Immigrants in the UK (2023)
    A commissioned illustration series for Radio Free Asia’s multimedia feature on North Korean immigrants rebuilding their lives in the UK. This character-based visual narrative blends realism and symbolism to portray identity, trauma, and resilience through three unique personal stories. photo logo branding webdesigner…