Art by Nycao

Nhat Cao

About

So I was going to get AI to fill this in for me but it did a terrible job, it did however give me great questions for to answer.So why Art? For me, its because Art is everywhere. Art is the way the sun shines on the trees in the morning, Art are the emotions that come when you see something that "my toddler could make" hung up in the National Art Gallery of whatever, art is like breathing after having held your breath for so long.I'd always say that I live and breathe art, and for the most part, I do, for the other part, its a silly sense of humor.I've spend most of my life creating; sewing my first functioning project at the age of 8 and continuing to challenge myself into learning something new just because I could. I collect creative hobbies like some people collect regrets.And because I have dabbled in a lot of creative mediums, my medium of choice ranges from sewing, graphite, acrylics, digital illustrations, collage, with photography and watercolour taking main stage.What inspires me? Honestly, inspiration sometimes comes crashing into me like a waterfall and sometimes it feels like a drought. But I do love listening to peoples stories, whatever the belief system, the colour of their skin, even their age, everyone has a story, and I love to learn more about life through others.Anyways, that's me, take a look around my portfolio, the art explains itself better than I can.

Art & Illustrations

Let's face it, AI can create art with the touch of a button and a lot of prompts. But let's go back to a time where art was more than just generic images pushed out by what an algorithm thinks you want to see.There's something AI can't do, and that's give you insight into what a human artist can see; the lived experiences, the hundreds of hours of practice to hone in on a skill, the sacrifices and effort spent on one piece.Have you ever just stared at a piece of man-made art and thought, "wow, how did they do that?"; looking at all the details that went into it, the fine brush strokes, the choice of colours and how well they blend in. That is what real art is all about.Anyone can generate AI art, but not many people will pay hundreds of dollars for custom art - that's love, man.So stay for the art, and if you're interested, order a custom creation.

Excuse the watermark overload, just trying to make it a tiny bit harder for anyone else to claim it as their own art.

Watercolour Blobs
I've heard many times that watercolour is a hard medium to grasp, and I took that as a challenge, because I love a beautiful challenge.In order to stop myself from falling into the traps of doomscrolling, I started bringing my paints out instead. Friends have watched a blank page turn into a finished piece before we've even finished our coffees.I love taking progression photos when it comes to watercolour because there is always the ugly "trust the process" stage when working layer by layer, from light to dark, and then adding the finishing touches turns it from a swamp witch to a queen.What I'm currently using: Mossery watercolour books, Polina Bright brushes (plus a few from a Thailand trip, you don't need the most expensive items to create art), Arches paper for ones I care about, and Winsor & Newton paint while I keep testing others out.Approximately 2–10 hours per piece

Acrylic
I only started painting acrylics properly again in late 2026; it's genuinely working backwards from watercolour, with completely different rules.I've been enjoyed painting amongst people that are at different stages in their painting journey, and love to teach people all that I've learnt throughout the years.Acrylic has been a much messier medium, but that's part of the appeal; you get to actually play with texture, and the focus shifts more toward structure than it does with pencil or watercolour.I've painted with cheap dollar-store paints before, and it really does show that you don't need anything expensive to create art.Estimate time depends on size of canvas and subject.

Pencil SketchGraphite was my first medium, picking up coloured pencil and biro after as challenges to myself. I love that graphite has a handmade touch to the piece.Traditional mediums is where I've seen my biggest leaps in progression (and yes, I'm still reminding myself to draw from left to right so I don't absolutely smudge the whole thing). With digital, a mistake can just disappear; undo, gone without a trace. But with pencil, you either rub it out or draw over it, and the mistake stays part of the process.When I'm using colours, I'm not just picking up one "skin colour" pencil ~ I'm blending reds, yellows and blues together to get the skin tone as accurate to the image as possible.With biro, it started with the idea of making art with whatever's on hand. I had a pile of free pens lying around, so I put them to use.Graphite — 2–8 hours
Colour — 4–15 hours
Biro — 30 mins to 1 hour

Digital EscapeDigital art is where things go from "nice portrait" to "what if they had glowing eyes and lived in a under the ocean?"It looks easier than it is; there's the holy ''undo'' button, non-destructive layers, all the safety nets traditional art doesn't have. But that's exactly why it's harder to make look amazing: the range between amateur and holy-shit-wtf is so wide, and unlike traditional art, loose gestural work doesn't get away with looking finished here.

I've been in and out of digital art since my first PC and drawing tablet in the 90s. Photoshop, MS Paint, Manga Studio back in the day and currently living on Procreate on the iPad.I'll be honest, I am picky about what I take on when it comes to digital work; It has to be fun, or the idea has to be too good to pass up, especially since I'm trying to spend less time on screens in general. One of my favourite projects was turning people's original characters into full concepts. (some of these are previous work from the "Draw this in your style" challenge)Approximately 4–24 hours

Drawing the Line
This one started with a friend asking me to design her a line tattoo, and once I saw it on her, I was hooked and wanted to keep making more.I've enjoyed turning memories into a minimalist image that could be used for anything; I've framed some for people, seen them used as tattoos, and even used for wedding invitations.
So where should we draw the line?Approximately 30 mins – 1 hour

Price List

I’ve priced my work at $50 an hour, which means the price guide below reflects how long things typically take me.
For larger or more detailed pieces, there’s the option to:
Pay a $100 deposit up front, and pay the balance after the artwork is complete, based on actual time taken.This keeps things fair — especially if the piece takes less time than expected.Or, if you prefer to just go by the guide below and pay the listed price, that’s totally fine too. If I go over or under my hours, I wear the difference. No stress.

But wait! There's more

By now, you must be thinking, "Wow... is there anything this girl can't do?" Well let me continue to impress you as well as giving you some more options for amazing gift ideas.

Personal books
In 2023 I was able to write, illustrate and create a book for a beloved friends kids full of memory for their late father.It was absolutely a gift to be able to work on this, and I would be honoured to create more.

From sketch to end result, The lighting doesn't do it justice though.
Wall Mural
In 2024 I finished off a large wall mural for my children. This was my first time working on such a large scale, and I did it all free hand in-between the regular mum life.I would love to do more, but while the kids are young, my time is quite limited and restricted. If you are interested, please enquire anyways, I am always open to a challenge. I am also better at working on indoor murals than outdoors.

Costume MakingAs a former Cosplayer, and a daughter of seamtress and tailor, I can create costumes. I usually dont take complex designs anymore because of my time limitations, but if there are small costume ideas you want to bring to life, I may be able to make it happen.

Christmas Baubles
Have I painted them before? nope.
Can I paint portraits on them? I'm sure I canWould I be offering these services? well.. I do have baubles ready to go, I just haven't painted any yet.

Cake
Sometimes I make cake pops,
Sometimes I make cake.

Before you purchase

Image Quality:To create the best possible illustration, we require high-quality reference images. Please send your photos as soon as possible before making a deposit. The more reference images you provide, the better the final piece will be.Proofs & Approvals:
Each commission includes up to 3 proofs — these may be digital mock-ups or pencil sketches to explore ideas.
Note: For straightforward realistic portraits or repaints of photographs, I may start work without proofs or approval to avoid unnecessary delays.Payments:
Deposits must be paid via bank transfer before work starts.For commissions up to $200, a 50% deposit is required.For commissions over $200, a flat $100 deposit applies.
Work will not begin until the deposit is received.
Deposits are non-refundable once artwork has started.Changes After Starting:
Any changes to the reference image or major revisions requested after the artwork has started will incur an additional fee.Extra Subjects:
Additional people, babies, or pets beyond the original scope of the commission will incur an extra fee.Framed Prints & Digital Copies:
Framed prints do not include a digital copy.
Digital copies of digital artwork can be purchased separately.Turnaround Time:
Typical turnaround is 2–4 weeks, not including shipping time. If my schedule changes or delays are expected, I will inform you promptly.Shipping & Postage:
Shipping is via Australia Post or Sendle. Clients are responsible for all postage and handling costs.Client Responsibilities:
Clients must provide timely feedback and required reference images to avoid delays. If responses are delayed, the turnaround time may be extended accordingly.Usage Rights:
All artwork is for personal use only unless a commercial license is purchased separately. Clients may not reproduce, sell, or distribute the artwork without permission.Intellectual Property & Usage:
All artwork created by ArtbyNycao remains the intellectual property of ArtbyNycao. I reserve the right to share progress, process images, and final artwork on my Instagram, website, and portfolio unless otherwise agreed in writing.By purchasing an illustration from us and paying, you agree to our terms and conditions. So If there is any issues with this, please contact us first and we can work something out.

Photography

We came, We saw, We captured!

I'm a Sydney-based photographer who believes in creating art and beauty with a positive message.Every client has their own vision, and my job is to help bring it to life.I believe everybody is beautiful; you don't need to look a certain way, be a certain race, age, weight, height, or gender. Making someone look beautiful is easy. My actual purpose is to make people feel beautiful.As Kahlil Gibran put it: "Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart." Beauty isn't about aesthetics; it's inner, and that's what I hope to capture and show the world.

Price List

Terms and Conditions

1. IntroductionThese terms and conditions govern your use of our services. By booking a session or using our website, you agree to these terms.2. Booking and PaymentA non-refundable deposit of $100 is required to secure your booking. Full payment is due 3 days before the session.
Payments can be made via Bank Transfer.3. Cancellation and ReschedulingCancellations must be made 5 days in advance to avoid losing your deposit.
Rescheduling is allowed once, provided it is done 2 weeks in advance.4. Client ResponsibilitiesClients are responsible for ensuring that all necessary permissions are obtained for locations and subjects.
Clients should arrive on time for scheduled sessions.5. Copyright and Usage RightsArtbyNycao retains copyright of all images taken.
Clients receive a license to use images for personal use. Commercial use requires a separate agreement.6. Delivery of ImagesEdited images will be delivered within 2 weeks to 1 month via USB drive and/or online Gallery.
Gallery will be available for a limited time only — please ensure photos are saved.
Additional edits or retouching may incur extra charges.7. Model ReleaseClients grant ArtbyNycao permission to use images for promotional purposes unless otherwise stated in writing.8. LiabilityArtbyNycao is not liable for any injuries or damages that occur during the photography session.9. Governing LawThese terms are governed by the laws of New South Wales, Australia.10. Changes to TermsWe reserve the right to modify these terms at any time. Clients will be notified of any changes.

Contact

If you'd like to contact me, please leave your name and email along with a lovely message. No hate mail, my inbox has enough main character energy as it is.