A little about myself…

Hi! I’m Ruilin Mao, or you can call me Raelynn. I’m an illustrator from China, now living in New York. I work in both digital and traditional media, but I’ve always had a thing for black-and-white art. I really love drawing with ink and fine point pens—it probably comes from my love for traditional Chinese baimiao style. Clean lines, textures, and the simplicity of black and white just speak to me.

I mostly do book illustrations, commercial work, and sometimes small animated GIFs when I want to play around with movement. Back in 2019, I got a Grade 9 certificate in pencil sketching from the China Academy of Art, and in 2024 I won a Silver Award from the H.C. Andersen Art Awards, which was a big surprise and really encouraging.

My art is a mix of what I grew up with and what I’m exploring now. I like creating pieces that feel calm, a little poetic, and full of quiet details. Nothing too loud—just something that makes people pause for a second.