A Little Introduction
For as long as I can possibly remember, I've always been someone that's had somewhat of a huge imagination and an even bigger appreciation for art. Drawing has absolutely been one of the most important parts of my whole life, whether I'm putting together a thoughtfully-detailed, complex design of some sort, or I'm making a funny little doodle on MS Paint literally just because I feel like it haha. I love the idea that something as simple as a sketch can gradually become something a little bit more personal, expressive, and completely unique in its very own way.
My Journey as a Graphic Design Student
As of writing this, I'm currently studying my major in 'Graphic Design & Technology' at Dakota County Technical College. One of the things I sincerely appreciate the most about this program is getting the amazing opportunity to explore just how creativity works in so many different forms—from illustration and typography, to logos and now website design (huge big thanks to this class)! Every single project, regardless of its level of ambitiousness, teaches me something different, and even when a design doesn't turn out quite the way I imagined, I genuinely enjoy learning how to improve it. My goal is to keep growing as much as I can as an artist and eventually work professionally in graphic design.
The Interests That Shaped Me
A lot of my artistic inspiration, as obvious as it is, comes from the things I grew up loving throughout my childhood. Marvel is without a doubt a particularly huge part of that. Its comics, animated shows, movies, and video games introduced me to so many memorable characters and visual styles. Artists and storytellers like Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, Stan Lee, and the many creators who followed them helped me realize just how powerful imagination can be. I also have a deep love for dinosaurs, video games, and animation, all of which continue to influence the kinds of things I enjoy drawing today.
Here are some of the things that have inspired me over the years:
- Marvel comics, movies, and animated series
- Drawing characters and creating original artwork
- Dinosaurs, prehistoric life, and birds
- Video games and their distinctive art styles
- Animation and expressive character designs
- Japanese language and various aspects of popular culture
- Logos, typography, and graphic design in its entirety
How I Like to Create
Something I really value in my artwork is being able to keep my own personality in it regardless of the many changes it comes with it. I enjoy bold shapes, playful character designs, and expressive linework, and I'm always experimenting with how to make my ideas look more polished without losing what made them fun in the first place. Sometimes that means working on a serious class project, and other times it means doodling a goofy dinosaur in MS Paint. To me, both are meaningful ways to practice being creative.
When I'm working on something new, I usually follow a process that's something that looks a little bit like this:
- Find an idea that genuinely interests me.
- Look for inspiration in the art and media I personally enjoy.
- Sketch out a few different possibilities.
- Choose the direction that feels the most distinctive.
- Refine the shapes, composition, and smaller details.
- Make adjustments until the design feels balanced.
- Learn from the finished piece and carry those lessons forward.
Above everything else, I honestly hope to keep approaching art with the same amount of excitement and curiosity I've had since my childhood. Whether I'm studying a completely brand new design technique, revisiting something that inspired me years and years ago, or even coming up with an entirely new character, I always want to greatly keep improving and trying new things all the while still having personal fun with the process. That's a pretty big part of who I truly am, and I'm seriously excited to see where it takes me from here going forward! ✨