Hello there, I am Somewan or
Tengwan Quek
About Somewan
Tengwan Quek, also known as Somewan, is a Freelance Illustrator/Designer based in Singapore. She engages in a variety of projects, including commercial editorial, publishing and mural. With a keen interest in technology and travel, she is passionate about finding effective ways to fuse ideas, imagination, and emotions on a canvas. When she is not drawing, she spends time keeping fit, traveling, hiking and photography.
Clients
Temasek Trust • GovTech, Singapore • MCCY • National Heritage Board • Expo 2020 Dubai • Andaz Hotel • PSB Academy • Creative Debut • Fine Acts • TEDcountdown • Cogenerate • Nanyang Technological University
Any ideas to collaborate? Let's do this.
Recognitions
Illoboom! Illustration Summit Challenge 2024
Merit & Judge's Awards, Pack Smartly
Top 50, Olympic Sports, SG landmarks
The Northern Illustration Prize, 2023
Shortlisted, Emerging Illustrator Category, The big blue engine
3x3 mag Professional Show No.19, 2022
Merit and Honorable Mention, Emotional Baggage/Being Outside
Communication Arts 2022
Shortlist, Illustration
Artists for climate 2021
Selected Artists, Open license illustration
Crowbar Award 2012, 2013
Bronze. Editorial Publication, ADM Show 2012
Finalist. Below the line collaterals
Finalist. Editorial Publication, Rebirth
Featured
Creative Boom – 10 Illustrators under 10k on Instagram
Pictoplasma – Character Matters Open Call, Pictoplasma Berlin 2025
Procreate.art – Featured illustration
Procreate Instagram – Featured illustration
Expo 2020 Dubai – Closing declaration illustration
The AOI – Excellent Editorial Illustration Part 2
Inprnt – Curated Picks
JaamZIN Creative – Featured artist
Designers of Colour – Listed
ElloHype – New illustrator
Minty – Featured illustration
Exhibitions/Events
Illustration Arts Festival 2023 – Pop-up booth
Pameran Poskad Dec 2022 – Singapore landmarks
Mythology RElooked Aug 2022 – Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre
Art Attack Illustration Exhibition Apr 2022 – Creative Debut x Adidas London
TED Countdown, Artists for Climate Oct 2021 – UN Climate Change Conference
Giffestsg – Gif Exhibition 2018, 2020
Publications
Illustrator for Jesvin Yeo's book – Forgotten Heritage, Uncovering Singapore's Traditional Chinese Puppets
Illustrator for Jesvin Yeo's book – Vanishing Crafts and Vanishing Materials
Jesvin Yeo & Quek Tengwan. (2012). Creative process: A comparative study between concentration. and distraction. International Journal of Arts and Commerce, 1(6), 280-287.
Jesvin Yeo & Quek Tengwan. (2012). A comparative study between concentration and distraction. Proceedings of the Asian Conference on Media and Mass Communication 2012, Osaka, Japan, pp. 380 - 388
Experiences
Independent Freelance Illustrator/Designer • Self-employed
2018 – PresentTransited to focus on illustration in 2020. Open to illustration projects ranging from tech, commercial, editorial, merchandise, events and more.
Design Lead • Gomu.co
2022 – 2023Design for better Web3 experience at Gomu. Ranging from product design to brand design.
Senior Product Designer • Zendesk
2012 – 2018Worked closely with product managers, engineers, UX researcher and the global creative team to grow design through iterations, ideation and user validation.
Illustrator/Art Director (Freelance)
2009 – 2015Notably, illustrated, researched and compiled a bilingual book on preserving "Vanishing Crafts" and "Vanishing Materials", led by Dr. Jesvin Yeo.
Education
Bachelor of Fine Arts, Visual Communication
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Diploma in Industrial Design
Nanyang Polytechnic, Singapore