Artist Spotlight: Chaya Weerasinghe
“I was born and raised in Sri Lanka; a tiny island, where pursuing art as a full-time career wasn’t widely encouraged at the time. Growing up, it was something you were expected to keep as a hobby, not something you built a life around.”
But Chaya Weerasinghe has always had a vision for what she creates, and has fought to make the vision real. Choosing art meant pushing against cultural expectations. It meant being a rebel when conforming was the safer option.
At 14, she found Sketchbook on her father’s old touchscreen laptop. She used her finger as a stylus. The app made the process feel easy and not intimidating. That sense of comfort became fuel for her drive.
Finding Community Beyond Borders
“The internet became my first real creative ecosystem.”
Long before she felt fully understood in her own town, Chaya was drawn to online spaces where she felt like a part of her first creative community.
She discovered online art communities early on and built friendships with artists around the world. They shared work, exchanged tips, talked about brushes and tools, and learned from each other's processes. Over the years, she's introduced Sketchbook to many artists who felt intimidated by digital art tools, passing along the same sense of accessibility that first drew her in.
Those connections became as important as the art itself, and proof that creativity goes well beyond geography.
Building a Career
Chaya finished school early to pursue a degree in Motion Graphics and Animation, and was determined to build a career, even when that meant juggling 2-3 art jobs while attending university lectures. This meant she was gaining hands-on experience even before she graduated.
Her determination paid off. She’s now a Senior Illustrator and Animator where she combines 2D/3D illustration, animation, and game design to address educational and global issues through visual storytelling.
Freedom to Transform
Chaya has never had one fixed personal style and has gone through many phases like doodles, experimental, semi-realistic, illustrative and everything in between.
“Sketchbook has handled that evolution without ever forcing me into a specific way of working,” she says. The brush library gives her options for any style she needs, and the tools guide her when she’s figuring things out. “It gave me a sense that anything I imagined was possible.”
But what’s most meaningful goes beyond the finished drawings. “Sketchbook hasn’t just supported me with only drawing,” Chaya explains. “It’s been present in the in-between moments as well, like thinking, brainstorming, testing, making mood boards, writing down random ideas, etc.” It's become part of her entire creative process, not just the final output.
Sketchbook Feels Like Home
"I've been using Sketchbook for over 8 years now, and it genuinely feels like home."
From a 14-year-old using her finger on a touchscreen laptop to a professional illustrator and animator, Chaya has come a long way. She’s built the career that she was told was impossible. She found her community, refined her craft, and stayed true to her vision.
We’re thankful to have been along for the ride and can’t wait to see what she creates next! See her art on Instagram @its.chaiii.
