Ruth Chan's Artistic Collaboration on Twrl's Ube Milk Tea Can Inspired by the Year of the Rabbit - Behind the Design
Ruth Chan, a Canadian illustrator, is the mastermind behind Twrl Milk Tea’s Special Edition Ube Milk Tea can design. Chan began her illustration journey when life seemingly threw a bunch of curveballs her way, leading to her reassessing what she really wanted to pursue. Although she majored in studio art in college, Chan initially did not have enough confidence in herself to start in the professional world. “In my lowest of low moments, I found myself only having energy to draw, and from there, I gained enough confidence to take a few classes, and eventually put a portfolio together.” However, Chan was able to sign with an agent, making books ever since. She is now, and has been, a skilled maker of picture books, graphic novels, and does commission work in addition to her illustrative work for Twrl.
When asked about her process for making Twrl’s Special Edition Ube Milk Tea artwork, Chan said she originally drew inspiration from the Year of the Rabbit. She skillfully integrated the cute rabbit mascot with the can’s visual-cued elements such as the classic ube-purple color and the Twrl logo. The composition started from a few rough sketches on her iPad, refined, and finally illustrated on Procreate to create the finished product. For this piece, Chan highlighted main objectives for the art to be eye-catching and fun, while maintaining a clean and clear design.
Going forward, Chan said she hopes to keep doing exactly what she is doing now, whether it is illustrating books or making comics. Chan adds that she wishes to continue working on Twrl illustration projects in collaboration with Twrl co-founders Olivia Chen and Pauline Ang, who share a similar vision to herself. “I always hope that any viewer feels seen and heard and a little less lonely when looking at my work. There are so many ways we can connect to and honor each other, whether through shared culture, experience, life phase, even trauma.
This special edition of Twrl’s Ube Milk Tea can design can only be found during September, available in celebration of this year’s 2024 Moon Festival. The Moon Festival, also known as the Mid-Autumn Festival, is a celebration of harvest, family, and ancestors under a full moon.
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