The Artist
Meet Riya
A 13-year-old anime artist from the UAE, drawing worlds one pencil stroke at a time.
Her story
Riya has been drawing anime characters for as long as she can remember. What started with simple sketches in the margins of notebooks has grown into sketchbook after sketchbook of original characters, fan art, and detailed scenes that pull you into another world.
Born and raised in the UAE, Riya draws inspiration from the anime she loves — the emotions, the detail, the storytelling through art. She works exclusively with traditional media: pencil, ink, and markers on paper. No digital shortcuts. Every line is hand-drawn.
Riya's Art World is her first professional platform — a place to share her work, take commissions, and connect with people who love her art as much as she loves creating it.
The journey so far
Early
First drawings
Started sketching anime characters in notebooks and any piece of paper she could find.
Growing
Sketchbooks fill up
The drawings got more detailed, the characters more expressive. Sketchbooks started piling up.
School
Word spreads
Friends began requesting custom drawings. Riya discovered she had something special to share.
2026
Riya's Art World launches
A real platform. A real artist. Taking commissions, sharing her world, made in UAE. 🇦🇪
How Riya creates
Pencil sketch
Every piece starts with pencil — light strokes, building the composition gradually.
Ink linework
Clean ink lines bring the character to life, adding depth and definition.
Final touches
Shading, detail work, and sometimes colour markers complete the piece.
Want to own a piece of Riya's world?