A slight breeze brushing across his body during a morning run or observing a butterfly’s winding flight pattern are likely sources of inspiration for artist Hoi Chan.  “I usually jot it all down in a notebook, filter it down into visual ideas,” the Hong Kong-born New Orleans-based illustrator shares. Chan translates these fleeting feelings and moments into radiant scenes, their candy-colored palettes drawn from photos he takes of his surroundings.

Each piece originates with a primary subject,  and then Chan turns “to the lines. I spend quite some time on this stage because my illustration is often related to the authentic emotion of a human, so I try to make every line look a bit different to show the organic quality of our nature,” he says.

Perspective and scale also play a pivotal role, and many pieces, like “Bioluminescence,” look up at a translucent figure that, despite its towering proportions, appears delicate and lightweight, as if dreamily floating in space. Conversely, “Climate Change Emotions” and “Dry January” shrink their subjects to a minuscule scale, positioning them among daunting, otherworldly settings. Textured gradients add an element of intrigue, too, and offer “a certain type of intimate feeling that no other graphic elements can convey,” he says.

Chan collaborates with myriad brands and editorial clients including The New York Times, The New Yorker, and REI. He’s currently incorporating animated elements in his works, so keep an eye on his Instagram for updates.