Nicole Zaridze, a Toronto-based illustrator and comic artist is celebrated for her vibrant and relatable artwork. Her pieces explore themes like self-image, mental health loneliness, and personal struggles blending humor with honesty to make these important topics both accessible and engaging. Zaridze describes her art as a form of visual journaling, allowing her to create connections with others on a deeply personal level. Notable works from Zaridze include her insightful critiques of self-care culture as well as her comic Until Then, Take Care, which combines impactful storytelling with bold visuals. Audiences are drawn to her work for its unique ability to infuse emotional depth and humor into serious subjects. Explore Nicole Zaridze’s distinctive illustrations and dive into our full interview below.
More info: Instagram | nicolezaridze.com | inprnt.com | ko-fi.com
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Nicole Zaridze’s artwork blends humor vulnerability and emotional depth. To gain insight into her creative process, we asked her to share how she approached a new piece or comic. I walk around my apartment, either listening to music or talking to myself which helps me come up with my best ideas. I think it works because I’m most relaxed in that state, and I can visualize the piece from start to finish the way she explained.
Other times, I journal in my sketchbook. Half of my sketchbooks are just writing. Then, I take parts of my journal entries and turn them into comics if anything stands out to me. I ask myself questions like:
- Would this be something I’d want people to read and see visually?
- Can I illustrate this idea effectively?
- Would I enjoy drawing this?
- Is this too personal or specific, or should it be more general to reach a wider audience?
It’s a process of thinking and feeling things out, deciding what to share, and figuring out how to tweak and edit things so they work visually, especially when adding text. Then I sketch everything out and spend hours on my iPad.
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Nicole’s art often delves into themes like self-image loneliness and mental health. These subjects are central to her work, so what drives her to explore them? I like drawing and writing about what I know and have experienced, and I also love creating work that others can relate to she shared. As much as we think, ‘Oh my god, I’m the only one who feels this way, and no one gets it. it’s just not true. We all have our own unique experiences and perspectives, but we’re not alone. One of the things that motivates me is seeing how people engage with my work in their ways especially since it’s something I created in my way.
For Zaridze, her art also serves as an outlet. As I mentioned in my process, it’s a way of picking and choosing what I share with an audience and what stays with me. The act of editing and revising ideas adds a whole level of planning that motivates me to keep sharing. She also enjoys creating characters who face these challenges. It takes me out of myself a little bit and helps me see things from an outside perspective. Sometimes, that shift brings in humor and wit which I love using when tackling these kinds of topics.
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Nicole shared that much of her work is drawn from personal experiences. My art isn’t always strictly biographical, but it’s often a response to things happening around me or in my life she explained. She also mentioned that artists like Aya Takano and Niptong have had a major influence on her creative process shaping the way she approaches her work.
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