Nicole Zaridze is a Toronto-based illustrator and comic artist known for her colorful and relatable style. Her artwork addresses important themes like self-image mental health loneliness and personal challenges, using a mix of humor and raw honesty to make these topics feel more accessible. Zaridze views her art as a form of visual journaling creating pieces that resonate on a personal level with her audience.
Some of her most notable works include critiques of self-care culture and her comic Until Then, Take Care, both of which feature powerful narratives paired with bold visuals. Fans of her work appreciate the emotional depth and humor she brings to even the toughest subjects. Discover Nicole Zaridze’s unique illustrations and check out our full interview below.
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Nicole Zaridze’s work combines humor vulnerability and emotional depth. To give us a glimpse into her creative process, she shared how she approaches creating a new piece or comic. “I usually walk around my apartment either listening to music or talking to myself. That’s when I come up with my best ideas. I think it works because I’m the most relaxed in that state, and I can imagine the entire piece from beginning to end she said.
Sometimes, I’ll journal in my sketchbook half of it is just writing. If something stands out to me, I’ll turn those journal entries into comics. I ask myself questions like:
- Is this something I would want people to read and look at visually?
- Can I effectively illustrate this idea?
- Would I enjoy drawing this?
- Is this too personal, or should it be more general to resonate with a wider audience?
It’s a lot of thinking and feeling things out deciding what to share and what to keep to myself and figuring out how to adjust the piece so it works visually, especially when there’s text involved. After that, I sketch it out and spend hours working on my iPad.
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Nicole’s artwork often explores themes like self-image, loneliness and mental health. These topics are deeply woven into her work, so what inspires her to focus on them? I enjoy drawing and writing about what I know and have experienced and I love creating things that others can relate to she said. We all have moments where we think I’m the only one who feels this way, and no one understands me. But that’s not true. Sure, we have our own unique experiences, but we’re not alone in feeling how we feel. One of my biggest motivations is seeing how people connect with my work in their own personal ways, even though I created it in my own unique style.
For Nicole, her art also provides an emotional outlet. As I mentioned in my creative process, it’s about deciding what to share with my audience and what stays private. The editing process is a big part of my motivation it pushes me to keep sharing with others. She also enjoys creating characters that navigate these challenges. It helps me step outside of myself allowing me to see things from a different perspective. That shift often leads to moments of humor and wit which I love incorporating when addressing these kinds of sensitive topics.
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Nicole explained that much of her work is inspired by her own personal experiences. While my art isn’t always directly biographical, it’s often a reaction to things happening around me or in my life she said. She also noted that artists like Aya Takano and Niptong have had a significant impact on her creative process, influencing how she approaches her art.
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