Ykha Amelz: From Architecture to Babbot & Friends

Indonesian illustrator Ykha Amelz built her 2D illustration practice on an architecture degree, turning to drawing full-time in 2008. Her best-known creation is Babbot & Friends, a family of cartoon characters. Comics and a playful inner-child sensibility feed into the work, which addresses both the nostalgia and the disorder of contemporary adult life. A selection of her recent output was presented in a Booooooom artist spotlight published on 21 October 2026. The same post carried the site's open call for the 2026 Booooooom Illustration Awards, which is accepting entries. Booooooom also used the occasion to announce that submissions for website and social media features now carry no fee, and to promote its Secret Email Club, a weekly newsletter of links, open call notices and material not published on the site. Amelz maintains an Instagram account where her work can be seen.