Rui Pu
Illustrator
In their own words
It's funny how an ordinary photo can become something completely different with a caption or a change of context.
Political and economic topics can take quite a while just to get my head around.
Finding the right photos takes ages! I often try lots of similar photos before choosing just one. A small change in an expression or gesture can make the whole image feel like a different vibe.
I let go of my usual concerns about grids, typography and colour, and just had fun.
I enjoy turning an article's ideas into something direct and a bit absurd, something that makes people smile while getting the point across.
Articles & interviews3
- Rui Pu brings meme-inspired absurdity to editorial illustration
China-based illustrator and graphic designer Rui Pu creates colourful, textured digital collages that draw on memes, internet culture, travel and everyday visual observations. The feature covers his process for editorial commissions, including Bloomberg Businessweek's Extra Salt column, and his 2026 personal book 100 Horses, which transforms collected horse imagery into surreal, humorous compositions.
- "Discover Your Creative Archetype with Our New Quiz"
It's Nice That partnered with creative operations platform Air to launch a quiz identifying four creative archetypes, helping creatives understand and optimize their workflows. Illustrated by Rui Pu, the feature draws on insights from Air’s 'Air It Out Hotline' survey, highlighting common challenges like file chaos, collaboration overload, and perfectionism. The partnership promotes Air’s tools for creative asset management and workflow automation.
- "Hotline Launches to Solve Creative Workflow Issues"