Qian-Hui Yu
Or call me Chiya
Animation/ Editorial Illustration/ Ceramics
Hi! I am an Animation Director and an Illustration artist living in London, U.K., born in Guilin, China.
I specialise in 2D frame-by-frame animation, crafting vibrant, imaginative worlds through expressive character design, rich colour palettes, and hand-painted textures.
My work often draws inspiration from nature, dreams, and surreal moments of daily life, resulting in whimsical visual narratives. I work across a range of outputs, from editorial to branding and music, and have collaborated with many global clients, including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, Bloomberg Businessweek, Penguin Random House, Faber Children, Adult Swim, Coldplay, Hyundai, Revolut, and more.
I just finished my animated short film 'Statue in the Garden', which was supported by the BFI Network and awarded funding from the National Lottery. Produced by Animate Project.
To get in touch for projects or collaborations, send an email to Qianhui.art@gmail.com
Represented By:
POCKO in the US/EU/KR/JP, Advertising and Marketing jobs in the U.K.. Please contact info@pocko.com
Scale Model Studio For commercial animation project in the U.K.. Please contact info@scalemodelstudios.co.uk
Qualifications:
Royal College of Art (MA, Animation) 2020
China Academy of Art (BFA, New Media Art) 2017
Selected Clients
Newspaper/Magazine: The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, Bloomberg Businessweek, WIRED, It's Nice That, Bon Appetit, Barron's, Berliner Zeitung, Republik Magazine, W
Publisher: Penguin Random House, Faber Children, Little, Brown
Brand: HYUNDAI, TIC TAC, Zimmermann, GCDS, Revolut, Huawei, Kiltane, Blue Q
Group/Company: GIPHY, Adult Swim, Warner Music Sweden, Universal Music Group, Girls In Film
International Band/Musician: ColdPlay, Khruangbin, Steve Aoki, Corinne Bailey Rae, Chinese American Bear, Drug Store Romeos, Birdlord
Public Talk
Seminar at London College Of Communication, UAL, 2026
Let's Talk Design #31, Gent, Belgium, 2025
Motion North, Manchester, 2025
Attendee Stage at PICTOPLASMA, Berlin, 2024
Press Review
London International Animation Festival
What to watch at the BFI Future Film Festival 2021 – the programmers’ picks
Artist Residency
ACAVA Spode, 7 April - 14 May 2025
Award & Nomination
Arthur Berry Centenary Prize, 2025
Merit Awards, 3x3 International Illustration Awards, 2025
ACAVA Studio Awards- Three Counties Exhibition 2024
Jury Selection- Illustrator 65 (Society of Illustrators)
Second Place Illustration Winner - Faber Prize 2022, London, U.K
Gold Medal Prize - Illustrators 63（represented by The Museum of American Illustration）: Uncommissioned
Best Student Animation Awards Nominee - Brighton International Animation Festival 2022
Long list - World Illustration Awards 2021
Best International Film nominee - BFI Future Film Festival 2021
Screen Talk
BFI Short FIlm Club+Q&A, Flatpack Festival, 2025
Screen Talk at London International Animation Festival 2023
Animators in Conversation: Fiction versus RealityHow To Keep Working In A Pandemic: The Royal College Of Art’s MA Animation Graduates Share Their Tips
Exhibition
'The Delightful Unnamed', Solo exhibition, POCKO, London, 2025
'Closer' Solo exhibition, ACAVA Spode, 2025
IF Illustration Festival, Lyon, 2024
IF Illustration Festival, Lyon, 2023
llustrators 65, represented by The Museum of American Illustration, 2022
llustrators 63, represented by The Museum of American Illustration, 2021
I-D AND ARTSTHREAD GLOBAL DESIGN GRADUATE SHOW 2020
Empathy And Connection, Beijing Times Art Museum, 2020
The 6th Intermedia Art Festival｜International Youth Video Art Exhibition, Hangzhou
Royal College of Art Grad Show, 2020
Screening
Flatpack Festival 2025, Birmingham
Brighton International Animation Festival 2025, UK
Kaboom International Animation Festival, Amsterdam, 2025
PICTOPLASMA 2024
Cardiff Animation Festival 2024
British Shorts 2024
London International Animation Festival, 2023
Birmingham Festival 2023
Brighton International Animation Festival 2022, UK
BFI Future Film Festival 2021, UK
British Short Film Festival 2021, UK
British Shorts Film Festival, Official Selection, Berlin, 2021
'LIFT-OFF Global Network' 2021 Official Selection, 2021
CINANIMA Animation Festival, 2020, Portugal
NKB Presents // CREATIVE CODE VISUAL ART SHOWCASE // Virtual Video Art Exhibit
