About Me

About the Artist

Hi, I’m Hanu. I am the artist and designer behind Color Strokes by Hanu. From my home studio in Los Angeles, I create fluid, painterly watercolor illustrations and cohesive surface pattern collections inspired by the organic beauty of nature. My path to surface design beautifully blends a lifelong love for creativity with a unique technical twist.

My Journey

Where technology meets painterly design. While I have been a creative soul since childhood, my professional path initially began in business and tech. I earned a degree in Computer Information Systems—an achievement that included an induction into the Beta Gamma Sigma business honor society.

While code and business strategy might seem a world away from painting, this background heavily shapes my design standards today. It instilled a deep sense of discipline, analytical problem-solving, and a tech-savvy approach to asset creation. This ensures that every file I deliver to clients is high-quality, cleanly organized, and technically ready for production.

My Creative Process

Transitioning from paper to pixels. When my first son was born, I rediscovered my love for creativity during his quiet nap times. It became a vital, healing outlet for me. However, setting up physical watercolor supplies in a limited space with a newborn quickly became a challenge. To adapt, I picked up an iPad and an Apple Pencil.

Wanting to recreate the depth and tactile feel of traditional paper and paint on my iPad, I used my tech background to solve the problem. I sampled real, physical paint strokes and textures from my own watercolor practice to develop my own custom brushes. Today, these proprietary tools allow me to preserve a soft, fluid, hand-painted look entirely within my modern workflow.

After sharing glimpses of my creative process online, I discovered the world of Surface Pattern Design. I taught myself how to build cohesive pattern collections and standalone illustrations specifically tailored for commercial use, seamlessly merging my artistic side with my love for digital systems.

Licensing & Shop

Bringing art to everyday lifestyle products. Today, Color Strokes by Hanu serves two passions. For fellow creators, I offer my custom hand-crafted brushes on Etsy to help others explore digital painting. For brands and art directors, I offer a commercial catalog of illustrations and pattern collections ready for licensing.

As a busy mother of two, I am always growing my skills in the quiet moments of the day. My ultimate dream is to see this vibrant, nature-inspired artwork bring life to everyday products like apparel, fabric, stationery, and home décor.

Let’s Collaborate

I am currently open to art licensing opportunities and creative collaborations. I would love to discuss how my artwork can complement your upcoming product lines! Let's connect to discuss working together.