Phoebe Im began drawing by creating fan art inspired by various anime series. She started her Instagram account, @bobblejot, to work on a new art style with the goal to create cute art for the general public to enjoy, and it has quickly attracted a huge following. Phoebe currently lives in Singapore and has a background in digital animation. She works at a start-up company as a graphic designer and is the author of Cute Chibi Mythical Beasts and Magical Monsters and Cute Chibi Animals. We asked Phoebe a few questions about her artistic process.

Quarto Creates: How did you first become interested in art and drawing?

Phoebe Im: I first developed an interest in art when I saw my dad painting using oil on canvas - it was a very inspiring experience for me watching him create each piece with so much joy and passion. A part of the inspiration also came from my mum, who hand-drew an entire book just to teach me the alphabet as a kid. To this day I can still visualize the book in my head!

QC: Who was your most influential teacher?

PI: I would say there isn't one particular person, it would be more of a combination of the various lessons I've learned from many teachers over the years.

QC: What is your advice for those who want to try drawing but aren't sure where to start?

PI: Just start drawing anything that inspires you! If fan art inspires you, draw fan art. If drawing cats makes you happy, start with that. Personally, I started by drawing a lot of fan art, and it was through the many years of drawing fan art that I was able to develop my own art style.

QC: Where do you find inspiration for your art?

PI: Most of my inspiration comes from my husband as well as my own personal experiences with him. More often than not, the comics we create are in some way or another inspired by things that happen in our daily lives that we get a chuckle or two out of.

QC: What is the most important lesson you’ve learned from creating?

PI: I've realized how important a role drawing and creating has played in my life. I've discovered how cathartic drawing and creating can be, and I learn more about myself whenever I am drawing comics that are based on my past experiences, especially the difficult ones.

Learn more about Phoebe's work on Instagram @bobblejot and on YouTube.