Kathleen Fu
Biography ▼
Kathleen Fu is a Canadian illustrator based in Toronto with a background in fine art, architecture, and urban design. She is a graduate of the University of Waterloo School of Architecture and her current work is heavily inspired by her time studying architecture, city life, and storytelling. She enjoys creating intricate illustrations with a Where’s Waldo-esque style, injecting each piece with as many unique characters and different shapes as possible. Her work has been published in The New York Times, Reader’s Digest, The Globe and Mail, The Walrus, as well as many other publications.
Recent Projects
Kathleen Fu
Pink Lady: Find Your Fizz Campaign
Illustrator Kathleen Fu was commissioned by McCann to create illustrations for Pink Lady Apples’ Find Your Fizz campaign in the UK. Kathleen’s series of Where’s Wally-style illustrations feature the eponymous pink lady “finding her fizz and owning the moment”. The illustrations will be featured in social media and billboards throughout...
Read More
Kathleen Fu
Amazon Ads: Passions, Not Personas
Kathleen Fu‘s illustrations were featured in a recent Paid Post on The New York Times site with Amazon Ads. Passions, Not Personas outlines modern advertising tools and strategies fueled by consumer passions, values and communities.
Read More
Kathleen Fu
University of Waterloo Visitors Centre Mural
Kathleen Fu illustrated a highly detailed campus map for the University of Waterloo. Full of symbols, characters and other Easter eggs, the illustration was reproduced at a large scale on the wall of the University’s Visitors Centre in South Campus Hall.
Read More
Kathleen Fu
Lifestyle Medicine
Kathleen Fu illustrated a recent article in Helix Magazine from Rosalind Franklin University. The article defines Lifestyle Medicine, which can be incorporated into medical practice to give patients real power to treat and prevent chronic disease.
Read More
Kathleen Fu
Pegasus Magazine
Kathleen Fu illustrated the Spring 2025 cover story for Pegasus Magazine from the University of Central Florida. More Than Machines discusses how UCF is preparing talent for the rapidly growing robotics industry, with the goal of ensuring that machines enhance life rather than disrupt it.
Read More
Kathleen Fu
NY Times: Dining Alone
Kathleen Fu illustrated a recent story in the New York Times Food Section about the difficulties of dining alone. With solo reservations on the rise but many restaurants still restricting tables to two or more, solitary Americans often feel left out or stigmatized.
Read More
Kathleen Fu
SHEIN Canada Holiday Campaign
Toronto-based illustrator Kathleen Fu collaborated with e-commerce platform SHEIN Canada on a series of festive scenes for their holiday campaign. Her illustrations, featuring characters inspired by Canadian wildlife, have been transformed into 10 holiday murals in Toronto’s Distillery District. The artwork also appears on a new collection of Shein merchandise...
Read More
Kathleen Fu
Qubio Content Stacks
Kathleen Fu worked with Qubio, a company offering customizable QR code tools, on an interactive promo illustration. Demonstrating how their QR Content Stacks can be used, Kathleen’s illustration incorporates a QR code which can be scanned to see the artwork come to life. The art has been used in social...
Read More
Kathleen Fu
One in 100 Storybook
Kathleen Fu collaborated with charitable organization Safehaven on their new search-and-find storybook, “One in 100“. Safehaven provides services and resources for those with disabilities and medical complexities, and the book raises awareness around the number of children living with these differences. In each of the nine scenes of the composition,...
Read More
Kathleen Fu
Education Week: AI in Schools
Kathleen Fu created a series of animated illustrations for a special report in Education Week, discussing potential issues surrounding the use of AI in K-12 education and providing a roadmap for the future.
Read More
Kathleen Fu
Medical Post Covers
Kathleen Fu illustrated 6 eye-catching covers for The Medical Post throughout 2023, reporting on healthcare topics and medical news of importance to Canada’s physicians. Thank you to Nancy Peterman at EnsembleIQ for the creative direction!
Read More
Kathleen Fu
2023 Top Workplaces
Kathleen Fu illustrated a fun cover for the Philadelphia Inquirer, centered around their annual ranking of the Top Workplaces in the Philadelphia region, while also incorporating other stories from the issue into the illustration.
Read More
Kathleen Fu
Molson Merch
Kathleen Fu collaborated with Molson Coors Beverage Company on a limited edition, vintage-inspired t-shirt design. The t-shirt is one of four designs created by local Canadian artists, and the details of Kathleen’s illustration represent elements of Canadian culture and pastimes.
Read More
Kathleen Fu
The Legacy of Zelda
Kathleen Fu illustrated the Kingdom of Hyrule for the Sunday New York Times cover story, “The Legacy of Zelda”. The story describes how the Legend of Zelda franchise evolved from a pixelated game in 1986 to what is now an elaborate world of mythology and exploration, and became “the standard...
Read More
Kathleen Fu
Formula One Miami
Ahead of this weekend’s Formula One Miami Grand Prix, Kathleen Fu illustrated a circuit map for Visit Miami Tourism, highlighting fun things to do in the area leading up to the race. We’ve included a window into Kathleen’s creative process by posting some of her development work. Scroll down to...
Read More
Kathleen Fu
Waterloo Magazine: The Builders
Kathleen Fu worked with Art Director Christine Goucher to illustrate Waterloo Magazine’s Fall 2022 issue, “The Builders”. The issue describes the many forms of builders that make up Waterloo’s student body and alumni. Kathleen is a graduate of the University of Waterloo School of Architecture, and her illustration is inspired...
Read More
Kathleen Fu
The Washington Post: Fed Rate Hikes
Kathleen Fu illustrated a story in the Washington Post economy section, “How the Fed’s rate hikes slow the economy — and impact you”. As you scroll to read, the image pans to relevant sections of the illustration.
Read More
Kathleen Fu
Harvard Business School Alumni
Kathleen Fu was commissioned to create a cover and several interior illustrations for Harvard Business School Alumni Bulletin. The feature delves into the “New Urban Order,” what the sustainable eco cities of our near future will bring.
Read More
Kathleen Fu
New York Times
Kathleen Fu was commissioned by The New York Times for the article, “How To Get Published: A Book’s Journey From ‘Very Messy’ Draft To Best Seller,” which examines how new authors can get their start in the publishing world.
Read More
Kathleen Fu
USC Dornsife
Kathleen Fu was commissioned to create two images for USC Dornsife Magazine to accompany the article, “Dirty Water.” The feature details the shady deals that had to be struck in order to bring water to the LA region of California.
Read More
Kathleen Fu
texas highway magazine
Kathleen Fu was commissioned by Texas Highway Magazine to provide illustrations for an article highlighting the hidden gems of the city of Lampasas. Click here to see a peek of the article.
Read More