For Maggie Chiang, drawing has never been separate from daily life—it has simply always been there.
From childhood scribbles to years working professionally as a designer and illustrator, sketching has remained both a creative practice and a way to unwind, offering space for spontaneity, observation, and quiet exploration.
In this interview, Maggie reflects on the role drawing plays in her everyday routine, how design shaped her perspective, and why sketching continues to feel both intuitive and personal.
A Practice That Stays
How did drawing become a consistent part of your life?
I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember, ever since I could hold a crayon and scribble across a page. I suppose I just never stopped, and drawing has remained a part of my everyday life ever since.
Did your approach to drawing change after working as a designer and illustrator?
When I draw for myself, the process is usually very intuitive. I tend to follow whatever feels interesting in the moment without too much direction. Working as a designer taught me to approach drawing more intentionally, where the goal is often to solve a visual problem or communicate an idea clearly.
What role does sketching play in your everyday routine?
Sketching is part of my everyday routine. Whenever an idea comes to mind, I like to quickly jot it down before it disappears. Most of my sketches are very rough little thumbnails, almost like chicken scratch, but they hold enough information for me to return to later.
Do your drawings begin with intention, or more as a way to unwind?
For me, drawing for myself usually leans toward unwinding. I tend to draw whatever I am interested in at the moment, without too much planning, and I let the process feel quite free.
Could you share your favorite piece of work at this stage and introduce it briefly?
I am currently really enjoying working on 3D pieces. I have been experimenting with air dry
clay and then painting on top of them. It has been exciting to translate my drawings and ideas off the page and into a physical three dimensional form.
How would you describe your work to someone encountering it for the first time?
My work is rooted in drawing, often starting with quick and loose sketches that capture small, passing ideas. It moves between a personal, open ended practice and a more structured design mindset, but is always guided by curiosity and experimentation rather than fixed concepts. Lately, I have been translating these drawings into three dimensional forms using air dry clay and paint, extending that same sense of openness into physical space.
Soft Layers & Everyday Materials
How do you combine colored pencil, markers, and paint in your work? How do you decide which medium to use in a piece?
These experiments usually happen in my sketchbook. I do not use colored pencil too often, but I enjoy the contrast between the transparency of markers and the opacity of paint. I like how each material behaves differently on the page.
When choosing materials, it is mostly intuitive. I tend to use whatever I feel interested in at the time, or whatever best supports the idea I am trying to explore. It is less of a fixed decision and more about what feels right in the moment.
Do different materials bring out different moods for you?
It is actually the other way around for me. I like to work with different materials and adapt them in different ways to convey what I want to express. For me, it is less about the material itself and more about how I can use it to support the feeling or idea behind the work.
How do you approach layering without overworking the page?
In my sketchbook, I like to keep things simple. If a page starts to feel overworked, I usually just start over rather than trying to fix it too much. It is just part of the process.
How have Artify tools fit into your everyday drawing process, if at all?
I paint almost every day, and Artify tools fit naturally into my process. I especially enjoy the detail brushes, which I use for the more delicate areas of my work. They help me build up the finer elements and bring more precision to the smaller details in my pieces.
What do you look for in tools when working across multiple mediums?
I keep it simple. If a tool looks fun to use, that is usually enough for me.
Keeping It Close
How do you see your personal work evolving over time?
My work has evolved with me. Early on, my focus was on improving my drawing and honing my skills. Over time, that shifted toward figuring out what I enjoy making and what feels fun to draw and create. More recently, my work has also moved beyond 2D, as I begin exploring 3D pieces alongside my drawing practice.
Do you hope to keep your practice as intimate as it is now?
I think that feels quite natural to me, and I do not really see that changing.
Are there new materials or formats you’re curious to explore?
As I mentioned, I have been exploring 3D work recently, so I am definitely curious to continue developing that and try different ways of expressing it.
How would you like people to engage with your work in the future?
My goal is simple. I hope people enjoy seeing what I make, and that it brings a sense of fun or joy, in the same way I feel when I am creating it.
What feels most important to hold onto in your work?
I think what feels most important to hold onto in my work is joy.
For Maggie Chiang, sketching is less about perfection and more about presence.
Whether capturing fleeting ideas or drawing simply to relax, her work reflects the quiet rhythm of a practice woven naturally into everyday life.
And through that process, even the smallest sketches become part of an ongoing creative conversation.
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