Creating bright and fierce illustrations of brown women was Shar Tuiasoa’s vision when launching Punky Aloha, her multi-disciplinary design and illustration studio. Shar’s representations of brown women has resonated with her growing online community, and she is establishing herself as an iconic visual storyteller of today’s Pacific generation.

What inspired you to become a digital illustrator?

Illustration was something I always wanted to do. When I was a little kid, I wanted to make comic strip illustrations and somewhat follow in the footsteps of my mom (also an illustrator). Throughout my childhood, the idea of becoming an illustrator became less serious, and it turned more into a hobby.

It wasn’t until high school that I decided to focus on illustration as a career. I picked a college major with an emphasis on visual development for animated feature films, and it’s a big reason why my work centers around stylized digital figures. 

Describe the evolution of your illustration style.

Before Punky Aloha, my style was completely different. It was more of a dark, Tim Burton inspired look. As much as I love that aesthetic, it didn’t connect with other people. 

I eventually transitioned to a bright and happy look which is a strong identifier of the Punky Aloha brand. When designing my illustrations, I treat them like characters. I enjoy the challenge of using flat shapes to tell a textured story. 

Tell us about your creative process.

I’m lucky to work with many small businesses, and these projects bring me so much joy. I usually get an assignment, sit with it for a while, and then come up with some preliminary sketches. The most important and time-consuming part is thinking about the message you are trying to convey through shape language.

Depending on the complexity of a project, it can take me anywhere from a few hours to a few days to complete an illustration. After working with a few magazines that need illustrations within a few days, I’ve gotten used to putting out content quickly and working on tight deadlines.

Why is Punky Aloha so meaningful to brown girls and women?

At first, I was creating these illustrations for myself, because I felt like brown women like me weren’t represented in mainstream media. It was empowering for me to draw dark women. 

When I first posted my illustrations, the overall reaction was overwhelmingly positive and incredible. I realized: I’m not the only one craving more bold and brown women in the media. It’s wonderful to see a push in more artwork from brown creatives, and I’m happy to be part of that movement.

Tips for aspiring illustrators.

Draw every single day. If you find that drawing every day is painful, then this may not be the right job for you. I find myself constantly drawing — for work and as a pastime.

Get feedback from a brutally honest non-art person. I show my work to my partner who has absolutely no art background. If it doesn’t make sense to him, then I usually redo my work.

But most importantly, if you are curious about illustrating or are ready to become a freelance illustrator, jump right in and do it. The illustration field is a dynamic and exciting field to work in. There are many stable jobs out there for creatives, so make drawing a priority and get your work out there.

Follow Shar on Instagram @punkyaloha