Meet Stephanie Han | Graphic Designer & Illustrator

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

Hi Stephanie, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
My parents had a lot to do with choosing a creative career. My mom loved doing still-life drawings in chalk pastels and my dad was a huge comic book nerd. That started a love for art that only blossomed once I discovered a little show called Sailor Moon. From then on, it was full steam ahead with trying to draw my favorite characters from anime and games. It blossomed once my dad introduced me to Photoshop and I just knew that digital art was something I wanted to pursue.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I love comics, anime, video games and nerd culture. I’ve spent a lifetime drawing my favorite characters and in turn, be inspired by them. I’ve been going to fan conventions for a long time now and I always admired the artists in artist alley. I wanted to be just like them! I never thought I was good enough to do it, but I eventually plucked up the courage to just go for it. It was easy to get started, at first, because I was just really excited to finally be doing something I’ve admired for so long, but it was definitely more challenging than I thought it would be. It’s difficult trying to find the balance between my full-time job, drawing new art and attending events. It’s even more difficult to do all the work of creating and finding that no one wants to buy your wares. I haven’t quite learned how to quickly get over that hurt, but every time I’ve come close to quitting this stuff, I remember how excited I am to create a new product. There’s a rush to being able to bring your art to life in a physical product.

The most important thing I’ve learned is how to draw for myself. If I make myself laugh, it probably makes someone else out there smile, too.

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?
Since I’m a Southern California native, Disneyland is always one of the first suggestions! For more low-key hangouts, any of the bevy of museums here. I recently visited the Natural History Museum again for the first time in a decade, and it was a wonderful blast from the past. In terms of food, most everywhere I’ve eaten in Sawtelle Japantown has been amazing. If it’s the right time of the year, I would definitely drag them out to a convention! Anime Expo was a longtime favorite destination, but I love San Diego Comic Con just as much!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My parents absolutely deserve credit for letting me be free in exploring the career I wanted, even if it wasn’t always considered the most lucrative by them. My husband has always been a solid rock in letting me doodle cute things and helping me sell them at conventions. Jane is a wonderful, longtime friend of mine and she is an absolute inspiration to always follow your passions (the proof is in how incredible her store, Pink Moon Atelier, is). I’m incredibly grateful to all my art friends who have been there to critique me and support me (Jordan, Kelly, Jen, Diane!) and my dear friend Bao, who has seen my embarrassing drawings from high school until now.

Website: https://www.lunistia.com

Instagram: @LittleInky