One of the most salient descriptors of Airi Pan‘s work is dynamic. From her color choices to her compositions, her illustrations and concept designs sparkle with life: with movement, emotion, and energy. Even a somewhat subdued moment, like “Porcelain” below, wherein two characters expertly paint designs onto pottery, is brought to life with its composition, its usage of light, and the emotions that play on both characters faces and in their poses.
Airi is currently a Senior Concept Artist at Riot Games, but she has worked in a variety of fields for a variety of companies from Riot to Netflix, Pixar, Activision, Warner Brothers Animation, and more. But she also makes time for drawing fanart and sometimes sketching in public places, which she thoroughly recommends. With that in mind, we wanted to see what she thought of the Wacom MovinkPad Pro 14, Wacom’s latest Android-based portable drawing pad, the perfect digital sketchbook for staying creative while you’re out and about. That video is embedded below.
We also interviewed her about her background and inspiration, her thoughts on art school, why she teaches a Schoolism class, and advice she has for young artists. That interview is below. Note: the following interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
How did you discover your passion for art? Were you a creative kid?
I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember. When my parents watched TV when I was around three or four, I’d draw alongside them. I’m not sure if I was a creative kid, though. I think a creative kid is someone who does abstract pottery, and paper maché, and makes portraits out of shoelace aglets. I just have always had an overactive imagination and my one emotional outlet is drawing!
You’ve said that your influences include anime, cartoons, and video games, and that these were your interests growing up – why do they continue to inspire you today?
As a kid, I liked these things because they were fun, beautiful, and had wonderful stories and characters that I could relate with. But now, as an adult I actually admire it so much more! Now that I know how they are made, I know that anime and games are miracles of an entire team working together. It’s a mixture of money, talent, logistics, production, and communication to create one of the biggest art forms. It feels like the biggest team sport ever, except the game can be a lifelong pursuit, absolutely amazing, and it just keeps getting prettier and prettier every year.
What has inspired your art on a technical, stylistic level? The color palettes you use and how you wield contrasting colors, the dynamism of your poses and the action and movement you capture, and the painterly, traditional feel of your illustrations are very unique.
Why, thank you! I grew up being trained classically as an oil painter and watercolor painter, so those foundations have never left me. In high school, I idolized famous painters like Zorn and Sargent, and did endless master studies. But at the same time, I love anime and super modern interpretations. I think I naturally found a way to merge these two loves. The same with my culture: I was born overseas in China, and then brought to America, and I think my art style naturally has an East meets West flavor.
You teach a Schoolism class, and have mentioned that you learned a lot from Schoolism early on, but you also went to art school. How do you feel about art school in 2026, especially compared to self-teaching? Would you recommend art school to a young person today?
I think self-teaching is amazing, especially when you don’t have the resources to actually meet someone in person from the industry, which is why I took Schoolism in high school. It was the only way for me to see that concept art was a genuine field. However, art school gives something that self-teaching cannot, which is community and like-minded individuals.
It’s kind of like an incubator, where your skill is multiplied because everyone around you is also grinding away. It’s honestly a magical experience. I know many people hate art school, but I loved going to art school, and if it wasn’t so expensive – and full of endless amounts of assignments – I’d want to go back. My suggestion for anyone is to try it, and you can always quit after a year if you despise it or if it does not make financial sense.
Speaking of Schoolism, you often teach others – both with your Schoolism class and your YouTube channel, on which you publish extremely high-quality art advice videos. Why is this an interest of yours?
Part of it is because I can’t shut up! But another part of it is because I sometimes feel angry about the advice/teachings I’ve seen, that are outdated, no longer helpful, or have an awful mindset. It’s honestly a lot of work to put out these videos, especially on top of a full-time job. But it’s fueled by this feeling of ,“If no one else will do it, I will.” I always publish these with myself in mind: what would I want to see in the world? How would I want to be taught? I am not a savant or a genius. They definitely exist, but I know I got everything through sheer hard work. So I want to teach in a way anyone can understand, no talent needed!
In one video, you encourage artists to “go sketch in public.” How has the Wacom MovinkPad Pro 14 affected your sketching habits?
Well, one thing that’s for sure is that I can finally sketch in low-light areas now! It used to be impossible to draw outside at night, and the MovinkPad Pro 14 helps alleviate that. I took it with me to Taiwan, and I would doodle on long taxi rides. It also helps alleviate desk space so I don’t need to grab my entire giant bag of tools.
You’ve been a Wacom user for a long time. Why do you choose Wacom products?
I genuinely think they have the smoothest interface, and also, the most chic appearance – that matters a lot to me, actually! The pen-to-screen experience is never hindered by anything and feels so natural. I still remember my first Intuos tablet when I was in middle school, I used it so much I wore all the nibs into little knives!
In a recent video, you discuss your love of fanart and defend it as a worthwhile pursuit. Do you ever struggle to find time to work on personal projects?
Oh, absolutely. That is exactly the struggle I am going through right now! Because I love my job, and I put in extra heart into anything I love, I find my heart going “Help, I’m dying!” When I try to work more outside of work. So, I’m trying to find balance. This is an active pursuit for me right now!
Because I grew up with the IP that I am currently working on, it actually feels like I am drawing fanart for my job, which is a great feeling. I actually had a lot more time for personal work at previous companies when I was less invested in the IP. The heart is sadly a finite resource… or maybe it’s time, not the heart?
What advice do you have for a young artist who’s thinking about pursuing a creative career?
Like all careers, this is a job, not a hobby. A job means having adequate skills for the trade, exposing yourself to a competitive market, having to do things you will dislike. And like any job, there’s a lot of administrative work attached to it that has nothing to do with the creative work! Things like emails, making presentation slide decks, having meetings, tech issues, insurance, contracts, etc. Everything has a bright side, and a dark side. For art, the dark side is instability, high competition over jobs, and years of studying your craft. You have to love the bright side enough to not let the dark side affect you. If you’re able to do this, there is nothing better in the world – and nothing else I would ever rather do!
About the artist
Airi Pan is a concept designer, illustrator, and creative director for games, animation, film, and more. Currently, she is a Senior Concept Artist at Riot Games, but previous clients include Netflix, Pixar, Activision, Warner Brothers Animation, and many others. To her, concept design and illustration aren’t merely about creating artwork; they are about understanding the final product, and how artwork helps serve something bigger than the design itself.
Follow her work on Instagram.
