I am an Illustrator, Visual Designer, and Art Director with 6+ years of international experience across illustration, branding, and cross-media projects. I have been recognised by Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia (Art & Style) for achievements in illustration and creative direction. I am skilled at leading creative direction, project management, and social media marketing for global brands and cultural institutions. I co-founded Caper Illustration to connect Asian artists with international markets, blending artistic depth with business strategy. I am seeking opportunities to contribute to creative teams in London, from mid-level design positions to art direction roles. In my current venture, I direct projects across graphic design, illustration, animation, installation art, and event design, while managing client relations and artist coordination. My work combines storytelling, brand identity, and cross-cultural collaboration to create cohesive visuals for diverse audiences, from advertising campaigns to cultural institutions.…

YULONG LLI

I am an Illustrator, Visual Designer, and Art Director with 6+ years of international experience across illustration, branding, and cross-media projects. I have been recognised by Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia (Art & Style) for achievements in illustration and creative direction. I am skilled at leading creative direction, project management, and social media marketing for global brands and cultural institutions. I co-founded Caper Illustration to connect Asian artists with international markets, blending artistic depth with business strategy. I am seeking opportunities to contribute to creative teams in London, from mid-level design positions to art direction roles. In my current venture, I direct projects across graphic design, illustration, animation, installation art, and event design, while managing client relations and artist coordination. My work combines storytelling, brand identity, and cross-cultural collaboration to create cohesive visuals for diverse audiences, from advertising campaigns to cultural institutions.…

Available to hire

I am an Illustrator, Visual Designer, and Art Director with 6+ years of international experience across illustration, branding, and cross-media projects. I have been recognised by Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia (Art & Style) for achievements in illustration and creative direction. I am skilled at leading creative direction, project management, and social media marketing for global brands and cultural institutions. I co-founded Caper Illustration to connect Asian artists with international markets, blending artistic depth with business strategy. I am seeking opportunities to contribute to creative teams in London, from mid-level design positions to art direction roles. In my current venture, I direct projects across graphic design, illustration, animation, installation art, and event design, while managing client relations and artist coordination.

My work combines storytelling, brand identity, and cross-cultural collaboration to create cohesive visuals for diverse audiences, from advertising campaigns to cultural institutions.

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Language

English
Intermediate
Chinese
Fluent

Work Experience

Illustrator at Closer&Closer
January 1, 2025 - Present
Represented by a leading artist agency; created illustrations for advertising and digital campaigns targeting global audiences.
Co-founder at Caper Illustration
January 1, 2021 - Present
Founded and managed an artist agency enabling collaborations between Asian illustrators and international clients; directed projects across graphic design, illustration, animation, installation art, and event design; oversaw client relations, scheduling, and artist coordination; designed PR and marketing campaigns across Website, Xiaohongshu(RED), Newsletter, Instagram; produced and edited short-form videos; expanded network for long-term collaborations and overseas opportunities.
Artist-in-Residence / Public Education Workshops at Residencies & Museum Engagements
January 1, 2019 - Present
Participated in international art residencies, contributing to cross-cultural dialogue and experimentation; led public education workshops and community events in collaboration with museums, enhancing audience engagement.
Illustrator at Richard Solomon Artists Rep
January 1, 2018 - January 1, 2025
Delivered illustration projects for Apple, Gucci, Lululemon, Google, and Coach; worked across branding, packaging, editorial, advertising, and digital media; collaborated with creative directors and marketing teams to align visuals with brand identity.
Freelance Illustrator at Self-employed
January 1, 2018 - Present
As a freelance illustrator, I create artwork that explores storytelling through color and composition, producing a visual style that fuses Eastern and Western cultures. My collaborations include notable publications such as The New York Times, Vogue, Bloomberg Businessweek, and clients like Apple, Google, Gucci, and Starbucks. Since 2018, I have been represented by Richard Solomon Artists Representative, a New York-based agency, through which I continue to collaborate on diverse illustration projects.
Illustrator at Richard Solomon Artists Representative
January 1, 2018 - Present
Joined the New York-based illustration agency representing me professionally. Through this collaboration, I have expanded my client base and engaged in commissioned illustration projects worldwide, maintaining this relationship since 2018.
Freelance Illustrator at Self-employed
January 1, 2018 - Present
As a freelance illustrator, I create original illustrations with a style that integrates Eastern and Western cultural elements, influenced by vintage posters and modernist design. I have produced work for major publications including The New York Times, Vogue, Bloomberg Businessweek, Culture Trip, Penguin Books, and Quarto. My commercial client portfolio includes Apple, Google, Airbnb, Columbia University, Gucci, Blancpain, Harrods, Issey Miyake, Lululemon, Starbucks, Costa, The Whoo, and Incheon Airport, demonstrating both editorial and commercial versatility. I continue to develop my storytelling approach through color and composition techniques.

Education

BA Animation at China Academy of Art
January 1, 2014 - January 1, 2017
MA Visual Arts (Illustration) at China Academy of Art
January 1, 2017 - January 1, 2020
Exchange Program at Nottingham Trent University
January 1, 2019 - December 31, 2019
BA, Animation at China Academy of Art, Shanghai, China
January 1, 2014 - January 1, 2017
MA, Visual Arts (Illustration) at China Academy of Art, Shanghai, China
January 1, 2017 - January 1, 2020
Exchange Project at Nottingham Trent University, UK
January 1, 2019 - December 31, 2019
BA Animation at China Academy of Art, Shanghai, China
January 1, 2013 - January 1, 2017
MA Visual Arts (Illustration) at China Academy of Art, Shanghai, China
January 1, 2017 - January 1, 2020
Graphic Design (Exchange Project) at Nottingham Trent University, UK
January 1, 2019 - January 1, 2019

Qualifications

Creativepool Award, Shortlist
August 9, 2024 - April 8, 2025
ADC Award
August 8, 2025 - August 8, 2025
ADC Young Guns, Shortlist
June 1, 2022 - June 1, 2023
American Illustration, Chosen Winner &Selected Winner
July 24, 2024 - July 7, 2025
Forbes Under 30 Artist
August 8, 2025 - August 8, 2025

Industry Experience

Media & Entertainment, Professional Services, Retail, Travel & Hospitality, Education, Computers & Electronics, Software & Internet, Consumer Goods, Non-Profit Organization
    Commercial Illustration | Summer in the North for UNIQLO

    The main visual illustration I created for UNIQLO’s “Summer in the North” is now available in the leading shops.

    Since I grew up in the Northwest of China, I had memories and familiar flavors in mind when I drew this theme, such as “watermelon plucked from the water,” “skewering at a beer stall at night,” and “apricot skin water to relieve the heat,” among others. "Of course, with economic development and the flattening of information, many popular ways of escaping the heat have made the gap between the stereotypical North and South lifestyles smaller and smaller.

    Northern folk crafts, such as peasant painting, patchwork, lotus bags, noodle figures, and the patterns of Majiayao pottery, have provided me with a great deal of creative inspiration. This information is dispersed into the stylistic approach and details of the images. I want to use this visual language to respond to the exploration of the heritage and innovation of local culture, and to leave some traces for the audience who understand and tolerate different voices to continue.

    Commercial Illustration | Step into Chinese New Year

    ECCO commissioned me with this AD work to promote new shoes for the Dragon New Year. They wanted me to tell an exciting and engaging story, incorporating traditional Chinese culture while highlighting the shoes’ design inspired by dragon scales.

    Commercial Illustration | lululemon CNY Shopper and KV

    Yulong, the first Chinese illustrator to collaborate with Lululemon, designed the main visual for their New Year campaign. Starting from his cultural memory, he sought symbolic elements that quietly convey blessings, preferring subtle, inclusive expressions over direct greetings.

    Inspired by traditional weaving techniques, he created a design that allows all elements to be freely combined and reinterpreted. Incorporating Lululemon’s cultural context, he contrasts connected groups with Chinese knots, reflecting yoga poses and well-being through soft body language and dynamic movements.

    Commercial Illustration | Airbnb Europe City guide

    Airbnb commissioned me to create a series of illustrations for Europe’s city guide. They want me to focus on vividly presenting citizens’ diversity and daily lives, rather than conveying an image full of stereotypical landmarks. Meanwhile, it also needs to fit the core values of the brand.