“I’d like to be a bridge between art and technology, as well as a cultural bridge between East and West, to inspire more people to create.” — Yiying Lu
Yiying Lu is an award-winning artist, entrepreneur, educator, and bilingual speaker who creates iconic designs and brands that transcend linguistic barriers, unite people and enchant audiences worldwide. Lu has worked for brands from Disney to Microsoft and built brands for hundreds of companies as a creative director at 500 Startups and the first global creative collaborator at IDEO Shanghai.
Lu speaks to our global community with a universal language rooted in creativity through iconic illustration and design. Rich symbolism and visual storytelling are key elements of her artwork, deeply inspired by her experiences as a global citizen of the world.
Focusing on universal themes like food and nature, Lu highlights our human experience, prompting the realization that we are more alike than we may think; integrating art and technology as a bridge to connect global audiences, inspire togetherness and cultivate community.
You’ve likely seen Lu’s work, whether you realized it or not. Her artwork “Lifting a Dreamer” caught the team’s attention at Twitter, who decided to use the design for the new site’s error page – thus prompting the name “Fail Whale.”
To experience another notable project of Lu’s, look no further than your mobile phone: Lu is the artist behind some of the most iconic emoji designs we all know and love — from dumplings 🥟 and boba🧋 to other staple Asian foods 🥡🥠🥢. Check out this BBC interview with Lu: “How Designing Emojis Became My Calling” to learn more!
Lu was named a “Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business,” Microsoft’s “Top 10 Emerging Leader in Innovation“, and a “Shorty Awards” winner in Design. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, Forbes, Bloomberg, Fast Company, The Atlantic, NBC News, TIME, Wired Magazine, The Verge, CNN, and BBC.
In the Press
- BBC: “How Designing Emojis Became My Calling“
- Forbes: “Yiying Lu’s Journey Across the World to Empower Tech Startups Through Art“
- Fast Company: “How The Dumpling Democratized Emoji“
- New York Times: “A Successful Failure“
- Los Angeles Times: “A Boba Emoji Is Coming. Meet the Woman Who Designed It“
- BBC: “The Little-Known Human Stories Behind Emoji Designs“
For more press, visit Yiying Lu’s website.
Check out our Interview with Yiying Lu: Cultivating Community Through Creativity to learn more about Lu’s background and what inspires her work!
2022 The Year of Tiger
In “2022 The Year of Tiger,” Yiying Lu depicts the 2022 Chinese Zodiac, the Tiger, through the presentation of four artworks symbolizing strength, power, courage, and ambition. The animal is a symbolic release of fears, standing for truth, justice, and integrity. Lu incorporates the colors blue and green, as they​ are said to bring some additional luck this year. Check out the video below to learn more!
2022 The Year of Tiger [Golden Edition]
Editions: One
Pricing: Accepting Offers Only
*A 24 hour auction will be triggered once reserve price is met.
Limited Editions
2022 The Year of Tiger [Blue Edition]
Editions: 3
Pricing: $2,888 USD / Edition
*Limited Editions offered at a flat rate; first come, first buy.
2022 The Year of Tiger [Red Edition]
Editions: 7
Pricing: $1,188 USD / Edition
*Limited Editions offered at a flat rate; first come, first buy.
$1 Collector Raffle
2022 The Year of Tiger [Pink Edition]
Editions: One
Pricing: $1 USD / Edition
*Raffle entry is open for 24 hours immediately after the collection goes live (2/23 at 3:30 PM PST) and is open to current owners of Yiying Lu’s artworks on MakersPlace only. One entry per account.
Get in Touch
If you’re a digital creator, you can learn more about MakersPlace here.
Ready to start your rare digital art collection? Join here.
Follow us on Discord, Twitter, Medium, Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.
