Riya Singh is an illustrator and visual storyteller. She has earned distinctions in BFA (Sculpture) from Government College of Art Chandigarh and MA (Illustrations) from Falmouth University. We interviewed her to get an insight into her creative process.

Title of the Bare Bones project you worked on.

COMBAT SKIRTS (coming soon).

How did you approach this project? 

My ideation process always begins with analysing the content and understanding the author’s intent for their narrative. Once I grasp the core themes and emotions, I brainstorm how best to visually interpret them. This involves deciding on the right visual language, style, and composition to enhance the storytelling. I also keep in mind the target audience while I’m at this stage as it helps me to refine my approach. 

For COMBAT SKIRTS, for instance, I intentionally kept the protagonists’ faces hidden throughout the illustrations. This choice allows readers to project their own interpretations onto the characters, making the reading experience more immersive and personal.

What is your favourite type of design work?

I absolutely love working with comic frames because of their versatility in visual storytelling. The way panels control pacing, emotion, and movement fascinates me. I also enjoy experimenting with different artistic styles and mediums—especially ones that bridge illustration and animation. Since I’ve always been drawn to 2D animation, I naturally gravitate toward comic formats that allow me to blend elements of both art forms.

What is your favourite design tech?

Procreate is my go-to for illustrating and animating, thanks to its intuitive interface and flexibility. When working with typography or refining layouts, I opt for Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. That said, no matter how advanced digital tools get, a pen and paper is all I need to get started. Sketching by hand is still the purest way for me to bring ideas to life.

How do you adapt to new styles or techniques? 

I think one of the greatest joys of being an artist is the constant opportunity to evolve. My approach to new styles or techniques is rooted in curiosity and experimentation—something I learnt from my mentors back in college. They always emphasised the importance of trying out new styles and techniques, so I always try to push myself and try new things. If I had to describe my art style, I’d call it ‘versatile’ because I enjoy adapting to different visual languages depending on the story I’m telling.

A design book you would like to recommend.

UNDERSTANDING COMICS: THE INVISIBLE ART by Scott McCloud is an absolute must-read for anyone fascinated by how comics work. Another favourite of mine is DISNEY ANIMATION: THE ILLUSION OF LIFE by Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston. It’s a treasure trove of animation principles and storytelling wisdom. Apart from books, I also find inspiration in the works of Impressionist artists like Claude Monet and Henri Matisse whose use of colour and movement continue to influence my artistic approach.

What is your greatest career accomplishment?

I feel like I’m still in the early stages of my career, but one of my biggest achievements so far was creating a fully hand-drawn, frame-by-frame 2D animated short as part of my final major project during my master’s program. It was an incredibly challenging and rewarding experience, and it reinforced my love for storytelling through motion and illustration.