Desert Snow by Ping Zhu

Ping Zhu

Photograph by Daniel Cochran

Enquire about Ping

USA / Helen Cowley helen@dutchuncle.co.uk

EUROPE / Joel Minter joel@dutchuncle.co.uk

ASIA / Mikiharu Yabe miki@dutchuncle.co.uk

Ping Zhu is a Brooklyn-based illustrator and painter whose work is frequently seen in The New York Times and other reputable—and occasionally questionable—publications. A graduate of ArtCenter College of Design, where she once gave campus tours as a work-study student, Zhu has built a reputation for her expressive brushwork, vibrant color, and wry sense of humour.

In 2013, she received the ADC Young Guns award for being simultaneously young and talented, and while she’s no longer eligible for “30 Under 30” lists, her goal is to create work that ages gracefully—like a fine wine, or even an okay one.

Her children’s book debut, The Strange Birds of Flannery O’Connor: A Life (2020), was selected by The New York Times as one of the Best Children’s Books of the year, confirming her place among today’s most distinctive contemporary illustrators.

Instagram / Website

Latest News

The Journal
The Art Book Every Child Should Own: Katy Hessel and Ping Zhu's The Illustrated Story of Art Without Men
The Art Book Every Child Should Own: Katy Hessel and Ping Zhu's The Illustrated Story of Art Without Men

The Illustrated Story of Art Without Men," is a new children's book by Katy Hessel with vibrant illustrations by Ping Zhu. Re-examining art history to spotlight overlooked female artists, challenging centuries of male-dominated narratives.

A Cabin Turned Into a Touring Art Show at 35,000 Feet
A Cabin Turned Into a Touring Art Show at 35,000 Feet

Delta Air Lines and Coca-Cola collaborated with Wieden+Kennedy to transform airplane tray tables into a global illustration project. Featuring artists including Ping Zhu and Noma Bar, the campaign turned in-flight surfaces into a travelling gallery, later exhibited publicly, blending art, travel, and everyday design.

Ping Zhu's debut New Yorker Fiction Illustration: 'The Wind'
Ping Zhu's debut New Yorker Fiction Illustration: 'The Wind'

Animations / View all on Vimeo

Selected Work

iIlustration by Ping Zhu of a woman with long, flowing hair and red lips, set against a green background with orange dots. She is wearing a patterned garment featuring pink flowers on a yellow backdrop. The style is abstract and painterly.
iIlustration by Ping Zhu of winding road through green hills with a small house and cloudy sky.
Abstract iIlustration by Ping Zhu of two dancers in a dramatic pose, with one figure in vibrant orange lifting the other in light colors against a dark background.
Abstract iIlustration by Ping Zhu of a person with arms raised, surrounded by swirling red and brown brushstrokes.
iIlustration by Ping Zhu of a person walking through a green field with yellow flowers and tall grass, carrying a bag.
iIlustration by Ping Zhu of a black cat walking indoors, plants around, and a person sitting on a blue couch reading a book. Bright colors and modern interior elements.
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Collection of colorful books and notebooks with painted abstract covers and visible spine labels. Illustrated by Ping Zhu
Illustrated book cover for 'The Wind' by Lauren Groff, depicting a night scene with a car driving on a road through hilly terrain, with an orange sunset on the horizon. Illustrated by Ping Zhu
Abstract illustration of a person holding a baby with colorful, wavy background Illustrated by Ping Zhu
Cartoon cat lying down, smiling with tongue out, sketched in black and white. Illustrated by Ping Zhu
Abstract landscape painting with colorful layers representing sky and hills at sunset, featuring warm tones of orange, purple, blue, and green. Illustrated by Ping Zhu
Illustration of a cheerful orange flower with a smiling face, surrounded by blue raindrops. Illustrated by Ping Zhu
Abstract illustration featuring various plant-like shapes in vibrant colors on a green background iIlustration by Ping Zhu
ExpressVPN promotional banner with slogan "The VPN that just works." Includes "Get ExpressVPN" button and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Features abstract figures on a colored landscape iIlustration by Ping Zhu
iIlustration by Ping Zhu of a man with glasses holding shrimp against a purple and yellow background.
iIlustration by Ping Zhu of a person running around the Earth with planets and stars in the background.
iIlustration by Ping Zhu for a Warby Parker mural with various cartoon animals engaging in activities like reading, cycling, and listening to music. The setting includes a "Reference" desk with a marble countertop.
Illustrated book cover featuring a colorful snail. Title: The Snail with the Right Heart: A True Story by Maria Popova and iIlustrated by Ping Zhu. Background is abstract with green, orange, and pink shades.
Abstract iIlustration by Ping Zhu of a bull on a red background with colorful dots and lines
Colorful iIlustration by Ping Zhu for movie poster of "Tampopo" by Juzo Itami. Depicts various characters amidst swirling noodles, featuring a central figure holding a bowl of ramen. Includes other characters and a horse in the background.
iIlustration by Ping Zhu of people walking, including a person with a dog, a person looking at a phone, an adult with a child, and colorful abstract backgrounds.
iIlustration by Ping Zhu of a face-to-face encounter between a person and a human skull, set against a colorful outdoor background with mountains, abstract plants, and bright colors.
iIlustration by Ping Zhu of a couple walking arm-in-arm on a leafy path near an autumn-themed bookstore display with vibrant fall colors.
iIlustration by Ping Zhu of people walking on a snowy sidewalk, with colorful coats and a small brown dog on a red leash. Background displays shoe advertisements in orange and yellow.
iIlustration by Ping Zhu of a white fox running through a snowy landscape with bare trees against a blue and pink sky.
Abstract watercolor iIlustration by Ping Zhu of a pensive face in profile with dark background.
Illustration of people carrying a large book, with the title 'A Velocity of Being: Letters to a Young Reader' edited by Maria Popova and Claudia Bedrick.
Colorful abstract iIlustration by Ping Zhu depicting snowy terrain with stylized trees and a vibrant sunset.
Interior of an eyeglass store with glasses displayed on wooden shelves, colorful books, and a vibrant mural on a rear wall.
Abstract iIlustration by Ping Zhu of a couple standing hand in hand, overlooking vibrant, colorful canyon landscape, with shades of purple, orange, and red.
Book cover iIlustration by Ping Zhu for 'Life of a Counterfeiter' by Yasushi Inoue, published by Pushkin Press, featuring an illustration of a hand holding a brush.
iIlustration by Ping Zhu of a safari scene with a group of people in an open vehicle observing wildlife, including a lion and a panther on a grassy landscape under a pink sky.
iIlustration by Ping Zhu of various colorful birds wearing glasses surrounding a person reading a red book titled "A Pupillary Tale".