“What’s up Next?” is a series of articles and interviews meant to better showcase the trajectories of our Next Talents.
We are meeting the 2025-2026 generation in two key moments: at the start of their trajectory – focussing on finding out more about the artists and what they expect from the program, and at the end of their course, discussing the things they picked up on the way.
With this first interview we are introducing you to animator and illustrator Afan Zeng.
Afan Zeng is an illustrator and animator from China. She graduated with a Master degree in Animation at the MIVC St. Joost School of Art and Design in 2023. Afan has been currently growing her freelance practice beside developing her personal projects.
We asked Afan to tell us a bit more about herself. “I create illustrations for advertising campaigns, packaging and editorial projects. I also collaborate with animation studios, working on animation, background art and character design for animated projects. I like to combine my illustration with short animation GIFs to tell the story better and effectively. I love creating fantasy worlds inspired by my emotions and senses, where I conjure characters that do not exist in reality. They have the freedom to create their own stories, unique experiences and adventures in this world. I hope to light up people’s hearts by the worlds I make, even if it is just a little bit.”
Afan also shared with us some insights about creating one of her projects close to her heart: “One of my favourite projects was illustrating packaging for the Tiger theme Chinese New Year. They stood out because I had creative freedom to merge my love for fantasy with a commercial project. The art was playful and vibrant, full of cute tiger characters celebrating with a playground and fireworks. It also captures my artistic approach. I like to use humour and playful scenes to explore real-life themes in a way that feels fresh and engaging. Feel free to check out here.”
We asked Afan what she thinks that distinguish her from other artists and her reply was her humorous and playful style. “I don’t take seriousness too seriously. Even heavy themes feel approachable in my style. I would like to work on the projects that can tell the story in a memorable way but short amount of time, like editorial illustrations or animation Gifs. Having spent years in the advertising industry, I also love commercial projects where art meets audience impact.”
We wanted to know more about how Afan learnt about Next Talent Program and what she would like to achieve through the trajectory. “I heard about Next Talent from St. Joost alumni who participated previous year. Seeing their transformation from start to finish was remarkable. The Next program gave them both clarity and confidence in their career path, which really inspired me.
I want to be more confident in storytelling with my art. I hope to improve my balance between humor and seriousness in storytelling. My aim is to present these topics in a “funny” way, without taking away their importance. The audience should be able to engage with the message in an entertaining yet respectful way. I hope to step into the role of the director. I want to be able to approach storytelling and storyboarding with the perspective of a filmmaker rather than an illustrator. Last but not least, I want to strengthen the business side of my practice and learn how to keep my business sustainable as a freelance illustrator and animator.”
We also asked Afan about other artists inspiring her. “I love how Nana Metlukh uses a really interesting and funny way to create animated GIFs. She taught me how a few seconds of animation can elevate an illustration from pretty to unforgettable.”
In terms of her dream mentor, Afan chose another artist she is greatly inspired by. “I would love to talk with Shaun Tan, he is one of my favourite illustrators. I love how he turns ordinary objects into poetic, unique creatures. I like his visual style and how he created the fantasy worlds. I’d be thrilled to discuss his creative process with him. How does he develop such cool characters? Where does his imagination come from? I’d love to peek inside his sketchbooks, learn about his daily practice, and understand how he builds those imaginary worlds. As an artist who admires his vision, I’d find his guidance invaluable.”
As fellow fans of Shaun Tan, we could not help but relate to Afan. But we also fell incredibly privileged to be able to witness Afan’s own growth through the Next trajectory and get to peek into her process. We can’t wait to enjoy all the wonderful things she is bound to do!