❦ Sunmi ❧
✳✴✻✲❇✺✳Author • Illustrator • Cartoonist
Books
A selection of graphic novels and comics anthologies featuring original art, writing, and color design work.
Firebird by Sunmi. 2023.
Becoming Who We Are: Real Stories of Growing Up Trans edited by Sammy Liesel and Hazel Newlevant. The story "Robin Aguilar" is illustrated by Sunmi. 2024.
Unhappy Camper by Lily LaMotte and Ann Xu. Color design work by Sunmi. 2023.
Measuring Up by Lily LaMotte and Ann Xu. Color design work by Sunmi. 2020.
Song Of The Court by Katy Farina. Flatting assistant to colorist Ashanti Fortson. 2020.
Heartwood: Non-Binary Tales Of Sylvan Fantasy edited by Joamette Gil. Features "The Lungs of Jeju" by Sunmi. 2019.
Illustration
Commissioned piece for Disabled And Here: Possible Futures, a digital illustration collection in tribute to Alice Wong. 2026.
Commissioned illustration for Strange Horizons "The Chicken House" by Jenny Fried. 2021.
One of four illustrations for Vox Media "The Sexfluencers" written by Rebecca Jennings. 2021.
"Paper Dolls" for "Remembering LB City Vol.2: "Practice Practice Practice" published by Hyperlink Press. Featured at an accompanying gallery exhibit "연습연습연습 // PracticePracticePractice" at SPACE 1&2 in Seoul, Korea. 2021.
Commissioned illustration for "Series Made Simple" a supplemental magazine by the School Library Journal. One of three illustrations. 2018.
A selection of risograph prints illustrated and printed by Sunmi between 2018-2025.
About
Sunmi is an author-illustrator and cartoonist based in Baltimore, MD. Their debut young adult graphic novel Firebird was published with HarperAlley in 2023, and they continue to work on their second book alongside an independent zine-making and risograph printing practice that they've sustained since 2015.They received their BFA in Illustration from the Maryland Institute College of Art in 2017 and have worked for clients such as HarperCollins, Hachette, The School Library Journal, CollegeHumor, Vox Media, and The Nib. They have exhibited at galleries and comics trade shows across the U.S. and Canada, as well as have been a visiting guest author for Lambda Literary's LGBTQ Writers in Schools program since 2023. They are always available to request for school visits, teaching workshops, comics and illustration work. Please reach out at [email protected].
Photographed by April Malig.
Press & ContentAffect The Verb | Disabled And Here Illustrator: Interview with Sunmi
Beyond Video | Cartoonist Sunmi Sketches Out Movie Recs
Sequential Artists Workshop | Mixtape Comics with Sunmi
Drawing A Dialogue | DAD Presents, Episode 5: SunmiFirebird
The Young Adult Library Services Association | Great Graphic Novels (#GGN2024) Featured Review: Firebird by Sunmi
Books and Bounty | Firebird by Sunmi: (De/Re)constructing the mother-daughter bond at the crossroads of queerness
LGBTQ Reads | Pride Month Spotlight: Graphic Novels
Figure Art
I have been figure drawing and painting since high school, and worked as a supervisor for Friday night sessions in college as a student. I returned to my passion for the practice in 2023 by hosting a session at Heavy Manners Library in Los Angeles, then continued to host and instruct sessions at Silver Sprocket Bookstore in San Francisco, the Baltimore Museum of Art at Lexington Market, and currently organize monthly sessions at the Baltimore Free School in Red Emma's Bookstore (learn more here). I've taught workshops at The Figure Room and am always available to teach, model, and otherwise get involved in community workshops or classes around life drawing and other skills in traditional mediums and illustration.
March 2026. The Figure Room in Baltimore, MD.
March 2026. Lapin's Workshop in New Orleans, LA.
December 2023. Silver Sprocket Bookstore in San Francisco, CA.
February through July 2026. Baltimore Free School in Baltimore, MD.
More from Baltimore Free School "Multimodal Figure Drawing" sessions.
Flyers for "Multimodal Figure Drawing."
June through August 2026. Portrait nights at the 100 Heads Society in Baltimore, MD.