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Sonia Lai

@pochipop

2.7K

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1174

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📍Bay area, CA
🔅Nurse Practitioner & Illustrator ( ´ ∀ `)ノ
🖌️Represented by Kowal Stannus Agency @angharadks for publishing

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Steve Buccellato, Principal Art Commissioning Lead at Riot Games / Riftbound, has chosen the winners of this year's art prize, and first we're sharing all the work Steve felt deserved a special acknowledgement.

Our next shout out goes to Sonia Lai @pochipop , congrats Sonia! Steve says, "Sonia Lai’s adaptation of Ishiguro’s novel “Never Let Me Go” is simply lovely, and one of my favorites."

#artprize #illustration #narrativeart #figurativeart #fantasyart #bookillustration

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Thank you @micaelaalcainodesign for your generosity in supporting emerging illustrators and book cover designers 🫶 Your support has allowed my work to reach so many more people. Thank you for being generous with your social media space and giving back to the community 😘🫶. A shout out to everyone one else sharing the carousel with me 🥰. @jasonchuangart @katiecreates_studio @illustrated.by.rosie @pochipop @lele_saa @lilittwang @rachelmcewandesigns @cris.designs.books @paojuart @carmen.dmdesign @lauraleighpiggott @gracezhuart @imcaijiazhen @rociorodrigue @bronwyn.psd
@creativelyornella @selkkiedesigns @bronwyn.psd @rociorodrigue

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Anyone else infuriated by seeing hardworking authors being scammed by Ai losers? I am, so I decided to try and do something about it.

I have put together a list of artists that seem legit to me. Artists who make covers, character art, landscapes, items, designs for pr mail, and even maps! I tried to include a range of prices as well, as we all seem to be on a budget these days.

🎨Please shoutout other artists who do commission work and never lie about using ai. Artists, shout yourselves out!
Are you an artist who want to improve their skill and start taking commissions? Shout yourself out in the comments!

📍📍I will have a comment pinned with the rest of the artist tags as it caps how many tags we can have. 📌

It is becoming increasingly harder to avoid these ai scammers. Especially when they use fake progress photos and ai generated time-lapses in order to trick the untrained eye into paying them for ai slop.

How else can we stop this from happening to more authors? I've seen it across genres. Nonspicy and spicy authors being screwed over by these lazy cons. And I'm not okay with not doing anything about it. So, this is the first step. Maybe we need a data base website where safe from ai artists can list themselves?

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I get a lot of compliments on the Deathly Fates cover, and it's all thanks to the talented designer @kerriresnick and artist @pochipop. As a debut author, I was nervous (and excited) about my first ever cover, but their vision and execution quickly put those nerves to bed. I'm forever grateful to be working with such gifted humans! And if you've ever wondered how the final cover came to be, swipe to see more! 😊

#debutauthor #bookcover #deathlyfates

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Three more entries for our annual art prize! Today is the last day to submit your work, please send it in by midnight eastern time. The judge this round is Steve Buccellato, Art Commissioning Lead at Riot Games / Riftbound. Submission guidelines can be found on our website.

In this post:
Sonia Lai @pochipop
Mark Sarmel @marksarmel
Josh Hicks @josh.hicks.art

#narrativeart #illustration #figurativeart #smarterartschool #artprize #fantasyart #ImaginativeRealism #bookillustration #fineart #contemporaryart #SciFiArt

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I have no deep or profound story for how I came to acquire “The Rainshadow Orphans” by Naomi Ishiguro (@naomiishiguro), outside of it haunting me off-and-on at the bookstore since it came out in May. The cover art and edges are simply stunning, and the comps are equally interesting: Samantha Sotto Yambao, Samantha Shannon, Shannon Chakraborty, James Islington, Mai Corland, and T.J. Klune. I love a good comp, but the best ones always also make me ask—how?? Why? What do these all have in common? COLOR ME INTRIGUED.

The one-sentence sales pitch is: “The first novel in a dazzling fantasy trilogy inspired by Japanese folklore and Studio Ghibli films like ‘Spirited Away,’ set within a mythical archipelago brimming with dragons and Sun Spirits, high-tech hackers and bubble tea.” Friends of mine know I’m an easy sale whenever boba is on the menu, but I’m also a cyberpunk fan, and this sounds a bit like a mythic cyberpunk adventure if the comps and sales pitch are accurate—so ... I’ll be reporting back once I’ve actually had a chance to dig into it!

The Artists:
- Ella Laytham (@ellaytham): jacket design
- Kiuyan Ran (@krusierweasley): jacket art
- Sonia Lai (@pochipop): edges

#specialeditionbook #sprayededges #readghibli #newfantasy @sagapressbooks

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Just here to prove that I still dress up and do fun things between the real estate that has consumed my life.

Congrats to @jackrlong and @keranhuang22 ! I had such a wonderful time at your wedding and I wish you a long and happy marriage. Thank you for including me on your special day ❤️👰‍♀️🤵‍♂️

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Sonia (@pochipop)‘s work from Katherine Lam (@katherinelams)’s Watermedia Illustrations (Nov 2025).

Last spot left in Katherine’s class starting this Sunday (3/29)! Learn more and sign up now via our website! 😘

#warriorartcamp #warriorpainters #traditionalpainting #traditionalillustration

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Here is some more of my haul from The Post-it Note Show @giantrobotstore.

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💫 Thrilled to announce our nominations for the 2026 BEST OF THE NET! Our nominations come from the fabulous contributors to Club Chicxulub Vol.3: Harvest…

POETRY
✮ Jen Hu: “Revenge Milkshake” featuring score by Matt Scott Carney / N!

FICTION
✮ Kristina Ten: “Heavier Versions” featuring score by Dev Bhat / Shipwreck Detective & Matt Scott Carney / N!
✮ DC Diamondopolous: “The Haunting of Piedras Blancas”

ART
✮ Sonia Lai / Pochipop: “Hamlet” & “Exaltation”
✮ Jill Feenstra / Jillerbees: “Brutus”

Honored to nominate these fantastic creators 🌙🩸 Revisit their work in Club Chicxulub Vol.3: Harvest

#writersofinstagram #writingcommunity #readingseries #reading #scifi #fantasystories #speculativefiction #fabulism #horror #slipstream #storytime #bayareawriters #sanfrancisco #sciencefictionwriters #darkwave #ambient #clubchicxulub #audiobook #literaryjournal

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🖤 SUBMISSION SUNDAY 🖤

Illustration by Sonia Lai @pochipop

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Tag or hashtag your work with #beautifulbizarre to be considered for inclusion in the ‘Our Community’ editorial in each issue Beautiful Bizarre Magazine + each Sunday we choose our favourites and share them with our 2+ million social media followers! No AI ❎

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#beautifulbizarre #submissionsunday #artinspiration #artcommunity #supportart #newcontemporary #contemporaryart #artinspo #art

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Happy Mid-autumn Festival to those who celebrate! I was absolutely delighted to be gifted this artwork from @pochipop, the incredible artist behind the Deathly Fates cover. And of course I couldn't NOT share it! Look at how cute Siying and Ren are. 😍 Thank you again, Sonia, for this sweet surprise! Hope everyone is able to enjoy time with family and yummy food (and mooncakes!) this mid-autumn season! 🥮🌝🐇
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#midautumnfestival #asianfantasy #characterart #yafantasy #debutauthor #deathlyfates

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