Introducing the Artist: Oliwa

Oliwa (@oliwabiu) is an independent artist and illustrator based in Shenzhen. She creates original characters through hand-drawn illustrations, building a soft and playful visual world infused with subtle humor and curiosity.

Her artistic style draws inspiration from Japanese manga, the bold pictographic aesthetics of the Shōwa era, and elements of Gyaru fashion. These influences merge into a uniquely personal and intuitive approach, resulting in characters that are expressive, slightly whimsical, and distinctly her own.

Oliwa prefers working by hand and rarely draws digitally. She mainly uses markers, paying close attention to color relationships while carefully developing each character’s form and personality. The physical process of drawing is an essential part of her practice.

For Oliwa, making art is a shared exchange. She finds happiness in knowing her work can inspire others, just as discovering the work of fellow artists continues to fuel her own creative drive.

She currently shares her work and products through social media and independent art shops, gradually building a practice—and a small world—defined by a strong sense of individuality.