一張白紙，一支墨水筆，可以走到多遠？
對插畫家 Danlin Zhang 來說，答案是：從童年的中國，一路畫到紐約，再畫進《福布斯》30 Under 30 的榜單。沿途她為《紐約時報》畫過財經專欄，為騰訊設計過北京地鐵，也為《Deseret News Magazine》描繪過婚姻中的獨處時光。
A blank piece of paper and an ink pen – how far can they take you?
For illustrator Danlin Zhang, the answer is: from her childhood in China all the way to New York, and onto the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. Along the way, she created editorial illustrations for The New York Times, designed Beijing subway campaigns for Tencent QQ, and captured the quiet moments of marriage for Deseret News Magazine.
Danlin Zhang 在美國讀研究所時，創作了一個叫《情感》(Emotion) 的畢業作品—記錄她搬到美國後的兩個重要時刻。這兩件作品不僅是她創作生涯的重要轉折，更入選了 2019 年美國插畫協會（Society of Illustrators）學生獎學金競賽。對她來說，插畫從來不是憑空想像。必先感受，而後方能描繪。
When Danlin Zhang was in graduate school in the US, she created a thesis project titled “Emotion” – documenting two important moments after she moved to America. These two pieces not only marked a significant turning point in her creative journey, but were also selected for the 2019 Society of Illustrators Student Scholarship Competition. For her, illustration has never been about pure imagination. One must first feel, then depict.
《情感》鳥 “Emotion” Birds
2019
《情感》釣魚 “Emotion” Fishing
2019
Danlin Zhang 的編輯插畫也曾登上《紐約時報》。2017年，她為一篇關於夏洛茨維爾市長的文章創作了兩個版本的插畫，用墨水與數位技法傳達城市在創傷後如何繼續前行。她也與騰訊 QQ 合作「新國風」項目，在北京地鐵 4 號線、14 號線、16 號線及大興線推出地鐵廣告。她的插畫《獅情畫意》靈感來自中國舞獅與山水畫《千里江山圖》。
Danlin Zhang’s editorial illustration has also appeared in The New York Times. In 2017, she created two versions of an illustration for an article about the mayor of Charlottesville, using ink and digital techniques to convey how a city moves forward after trauma. She also collaborated with Tencent QQ on the “New Chinese Style” project – a subway campaign at Beijing Subway stations (Lines 4, 14, 16, and Daxing Line). Her illustration “The Grace and Vigor of the Lion” was inspired by Chinese lion dances and the classic landscape painting “Thousand Miles of Mountains and Rivers”.
夏洛茨維爾 (版本 一) Charlottesville (Version 1）
2017
墨水、數位 Ink, digital
6.8”W x 4.46”H
Danlin Zhang 曾為《紐約時報》兩篇重要財經專欄創作編輯插畫。第一篇是2021年7月，為經濟學家奧斯坦·古爾斯比（Austan Goolsbee）的文章〈The Battles to Come Over the Benefits of Working From Home〉創作插畫，探討遠距工作為員工帶來的時間與金錢紅利，以及雇主是否會在勞動市場趨緩後以更高工時要求奪走這些好處。
第二篇則為 Jeff Sommer 的文章〈Stock Buybacks and Dividends Become a $1.5 Trillion Political Target〉創作插畫，探討企業股票回購與配息成為政治目標的現象。她以細膩的墨水線條與層次豐富的構圖，將複雜的財經議題轉化為清晰而具衝擊力的視覺語言。
這兩件作品展現了她將艱澀的經濟與政治議題化為易懂圖像的卓越能力，也證明了她作為編輯插畫家的實力。
Danlin Zhang has created editorial illustrations for two major financial columns in The New York Times. The first, in July 2021, was for economist Austan Goolsbee’s article “The Battles to Come Over the Benefits of Working From Home,” exploring the windfall of time and money remote work gave employees – and whether employers would take those benefits back once the labor market cooled.
The second was for Jeff Sommer’s article “Stock Buybacks and Dividends Become a $1.5 Trillion Political Target,” exploring the political targeting of corporate stock buybacks and dividends. With her signature ink lines and layered compositions, she translated these dense financial topics into clear and impactful visual narratives.
Together, these pieces for The New York Times demonstrate her ability to transform complex economic and political issues into accessible imagery, proving her strength as an editorial illustrator.
《紐約時報》編輯插畫,〈在家工作的未來之戰〉
Editorial Illustration for The New York Times, “The Battles to Come Over the Benefits of Working From Home”
2021
《紐約時報》編輯插畫,〈股票回購與配息：1.5兆美元的政治目標〉
Editorial Illustration for The New York Times, “Stock Buybacks and Dividends Become a $1.5 Trillion Political Target”
2022
獅情畫意 “The Grace and Vigor of the Lion”
2019
Danlin Zhang 為《Deseret News Magazine》一篇由 Stephen Fried 撰寫的文章創作插畫。文章以一段夫妻對話開場：「你知道，你需要一個愛好——能讓你出門走走的那種。去……釣魚吧！」——這句看似玩笑的話，卻成為一場關於婚姻、獨處與成長的深刻探索。作者回憶，結婚頭幾年，他的生活重心就是「當一個丈夫」。妻子 Diane 鼓勵他去釣魚，不是為了擺脫他，而是希望他學會獨處——「她不只是想讓我離開她，好讓她寫作；她是想幫我離開我自己——這難得多。」
Dalin Zhang 以細膩的墨水線條，捕捉了丈夫獨自坐在河邊釣魚的畫面——一個人，一根釣竿，周圍是自然的聲音與光影。那既是逃離，也是回歸；既是孤獨，也是治癒。正如文章結尾所說：「學會獨處，是我們在一起的重要一步。」
Danlin Zhang created an illustration for Deseret News Magazine for the article by Stephen Fried. The piece opens with a conversation between a husband and wife: “You know, you need a hobby – something to get you out of the house. Go … fish!” – a seemingly joking remark that becomes a profound exploration of marriage, solitude, and growth. The author recalls that in the early years of his marriage, his “primary leisure activity was being married.” His wife Diane encouraged him to go fishing – not to get rid of him, but to help him learn to be alone. “She wasn’t just trying to get me away from her so she could write. She was trying to help me get away from myself – which is much harder.”
Danlin Zhang captures this quiet moment with her signature ink lines: a man sitting alone by the river, fishing rod in hand, surrounded by the sounds and lights of nature. It is both an escape and a return; both solitude and healing. As the article concludes: “Figuring out how to be alone was an important step forward in our being together.”
《Deseret News Magazine》編輯插畫〈幸福婚姻的祕密是學會獨處？〉
Editorial Illustration for Deseret News Magazine “Is the secret to a happy marriage learning to be alone?”
2023
Danlin Zhang 為 Eliza Chan 的奇幻小說《Fathomfolk》和《Tideborn》創作了 Illumicrate 獨家版的封面。她用細膩的線條與深沉的色調，描繪了一個充滿神話生物與海洋魔法的世界。書封本身就是一則等待被打開的故事。
Danlin Zhang created the exclusive Illumicrate edition covers for Eliza Chan’s fantasy novels “Fathomfolk” and “Tideborn”. Danlin used intricate lines and deep tones to depict a world filled with mythical creatures and ocean magic. The covers themselves are stories waiting to be opened.
《Fathomfolk》Illumicrate 獨家版封面 | “Fathomfolk” Illumicrate Exclusive Cover
2024
《Tideborn》Illumicrate 獨家版封面 “Tideborn” Illumicrate Exclusive Cover
2025
從中國到紐約，從墨水到數位，從東方到西方——Danlin Zhang用她的畫筆，證明了文化可以是流動的，記憶可以是具體的，而線條，可以說出千言萬語。
讓我們在她的畫作中學習，然後開始描繪屬於我們自己的故事。
From China to New York, from ink to digital, from East to West ——Danlin Zhang proves with her brush that culture can be fluid, memory can be tangible, and lines can speak a thousand words.
Let us learn from her art – and then begin illustrating our own stories.
烏托邦 Utopia
2021
圖片提供 Courtesy of Danlin Zhang Instagram: @danlinz_art , IllustrationZone