Meet The Malaysian Artist Who Was Selected By Netflix To Create Art For 'Stranger Things'
Her work was featured alongside 17 other artists from all over the world!
By Samantha Khor — 28 Jun 2019, 09:04 AM
It was a dream come true for Penang-based illustrator Ong Lyn-hui when Netflix contacted her out of the blue to commission a poster based on an episode of Stranger Things
'Trick or Treat, Freak': Lyn's 'Stranger Things' poster, inspired by Episode 2 of Season 2.
Image via Ong Lyn-hui / Stranger Things Facebook"I received an email from Netflix (in February) and apparently, they noticed the Stranger Things fan art I’ve been creating over the past two years on my Instagram and Behance portfolio," Lyn - a die hard fan of the hit TV show - told SAYS in an interview.
"I still can't believe it's real. Having the chance to work with Netflix is a dream come true. I literally watch Netflix every single day and now I'm working with them, it's insane!"
As part of Netflix's #StrangerRewind project, which involved 18 artists from all over the world putting their own spin on an episode of the hit TV show, Lyn's artwork was shared with Stranger Things fans worldwide
Lyn's poster - based on the Trick or Treat, Freak episode of Season Two - was shared on the hit TV show's official Facebook and Instagram pages alongside artwork from established artists like Chilling Adventures of Sabrina co-creator Robert Hack, French graphic designer Jean Jullien, South Korean sketch artist Kim Jung Gi, as well as renowned Brazilian cartoonist Mauricio de Sousa.
Totally tubular.
Most recently, Lyn gave Eleven a Malaysian makeover - complete with flying durian and roti canai - in an interview with Netflix's local team. SO CUTE!
Before catching Netflix's attention, Lyn has already amassed quite a following from Malaysia and abroad with her collection of Stranger Things fan art over the past two years
"To be able to share my love for Stranger Things with fans from different countries who speak different languages from different cultural backgrounds is the coolest feeling ever," Lyn tells SAYS.
"But the most satisfying feeling is, of course, to receive love and support from fellow illustrators and fans from Malaysia and abroad."
In fact, Finn Wolfhard - who plays Mike in Stranger Things - is a fan of Lyn's work!
Lyn - who said she started drawing "even before I learnt how to speak" - is also pretty fond of sharing fan art of her favourite movies as well as short comics and cute illustrations of cats
When she's not creating fan art and doodling in her sketchbook, Lyn is actually one-half of ForReal Studio, an indie illustration and graphic design company based in Penang
Co-founded with her business and creative partner Jin Xin, the studio has worked with clients such as children's books publisher Hinkler Books, George Town World Heritage Incorporated, and China House. Check out the rest of their portfolio here.
For fans of Stranger Things, Season 3 is set to premiere exclusively on Netflix on 4 July. Watch the trailer here:
In the meantime, catch up on (or recap) the first two seasons of Stranger Things here.