Meet Sadia Bhuiyan | Illustrator & Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sadia Bhuiyan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sadia, what are you inspired by?
I get inspired by so many things around me. A funny moment in my day can spark my imagination, and I love drawing mini comics of those moments. Writing and journaling also fuel my creativity. It’s easier for me to draw when I’ve collected my thoughts in writing first. Writing and drawing go hand in hand, and it’s a technique I love using. Lately, I’ve been diving into 3D art. It’s really cool and has become a new source of inspiration for me!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I like finding ways to make my audience laugh. It makes me happy when the characters I draw bring smiles to people’s faces. A lot of my work revolves around my identity as a Bengali-American, and I feel the most proud when people from my community tell me they love my work. My favorite compliment is when I’m told that I look like my art. To have my art be an extension of myself, and being recognized through my drawings, there’s nothing better than that!

I’m incredibly happy with how far I’ve come and all of the work I’ve created so far. But finding my footing wasn’t easy. Discovering who I was in college was a bit of a challenge. I was so caught up in what my art should look like, worrying that I couldn’t change my style or experiment. I had to take a step back and look at this differently. My art is a reflection of who I am; if it changes, it means I did too, and that’s okay. I get to grow with my art. I can look at my past work and think, “I know exactly where I was in life when I drew this.” As silly as it sounds, I gave myself permission to experiment and change as much as I wanted. That reassurance made me draw more and, in turn, helped with developing the stories I wanted to create.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’d take my friend to all my favorite spots, starting with some adorable bookstores and cozy cafes. First stop: Kinokuniya, where we’d browse through books and cute collectible toys. After that, we’d stroll through Bryant Park, snapping pictures and soaking in the atmosphere. Then, we’d head to my favorite cafe, Qahwah House, for their amazing Yemeni Latte and Khaliat Alnahl to end our day.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have to thank my family first and foremost. Their support has been immensely helpful in my success. It wasn’t always easy to get my parents to understand that I wanted to pursue illustration as a career, but they recognized that this was something I enjoyed doing and cheered me on. Not only are they supportive, but so much of my art is inspired by them. My latest comic, “Delu,” is inspired by a story my dad shared from his childhood in Bangladesh, where his love for jackfruit leads to some trouble. This story is deeply meaningful to me because it captures the essence of who my dad is and mirrors some of my own traits.

Growing up with a family filled with funny and entertaining people, it’s hard not to be a creative person. I spent my childhood drawing silly characters based on my parents and siblings, and those drawings made me want to do this forever. I’m glad I chose that path because I can’t imagine being anything else. I have to give a shoutout to my parents for raising a creative kid. If my artwork makes you smile, you have them to thank!

Website: https://www.bhuibhu.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bhuibhu/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sadia-bhuiyan/

Other: Online shop: https://bhuibhu.bigcartel.com/