Illustrator Spotlight: Duc Ngo (Wanda Ngo)

 

© Dug Ngo (Wanda Ngo)

Oct. 1, 2025

We are pleased to feature illustrator Duc Ngo (Wanda Ngo) and her banner design for Kidlit411 for the month of October. Welcome!

© Wanda Ngo

Tell us about yourself and how you came to illustrate for children. 

 I'm a self-taught illustrator based in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. Drawing has always been a part of mine since childhood, but for some incidents, I lost all inspirations for a while and followed another study/career path. Until a few recent years when I joined some local art classes and somehow the colors, the papers, the models, the magical feeling of your eyes observing and your hands creating, they all spoke to me. So I started drawing (and dreaming to be an illustrator) again. Illustration, to me, is not just for children, but also for adults with children's hearts, who, like me, once in a while, need to escape from the harsh life into my own world.  

© Wanda Ngo

2. Congrats on your banner design! How did you approach this project? 

Thank you very much. For Kidlit411 banner, I couldn't decide between the joy in sunlight when we read and share good books, or the peaceful, quiet night time when our imagination "fly away" with the books our parents read to us. So I submitted 2 entries accordingly. 

© Wanda Ngo

3. What is your preferred medium and style? 

For work, specifically children's books, I mostly use Procreate since I can "update" my drawings to add new ideas that pop up in my mind at the last minute while ensuring throughout consistency and of course, meeting the deadline. For daily practice, I love using water-based media and adding final colored-pencil texture. But basically, I use anything that calls out to me at that moment.

© Wanda Ngo

4. What projects are you working on now? 

I recently finished illustrating a poem book and a story book for children that, if there's no change (fingers crossed), will be published within this year. Now I'm taking my precious break to attend classes and improve my skills. 

© Wanda Ngo

5. What is one thing most people don't know about you? 

My mind is a mess (LOL). I have an ocean of weird thoughts in my head that I find it so hard to express to most people (better to a cat Lol). I'm very lucky to have few friends who I trust with all my heart to share some silly bits. But most of the thoughts, I keep to myself. Sometimes, when the time is right and my mind is working properly, I can make it into an illustration.

© Wanda Ngo

6. Where can people find you online?

You can find me at  Instagram profile at @wandas_dreamworld  'though I have to warn you, I don't post much, and please don't expect fancy stuff. Most of my posts on Instagram are random pages from lots of different sketchbooks which I'm working on at the same time, so most are rough sketches.

© Wanda Ngo

Duc Ngo (Wanda Ngo) is a self-taught illustrator from Vietnam. Having twin daughters, she's a kid at heart who loves animals (especially cats) and plants. Besides drawing, she also likes making small crafts, crocheting amigurumis and playing video games.