Meet the first "talent spotlight" feature! The beautiful artist Sky :)
Tell us about yourself.
Hello hi my name is Sky Yuen. I'm 20 years old majoring in Graphic Design at California State University of Sacramento. I love drawing, sketching, painting, crafts, Do It Yourself projects, designing, photography, cooking, baking...I need to be making something! I'm a full time student and a full time busy body. You'll always see me doodling in class instead of taking notes. My school notebooks usually turn into sketchbooks. All I need is a pencil, eraser and a fine tip Sharpie. I have a lot of ideas floating in my head and I need to get it down on paper ASAP. Thanks to boring classes, I have doodles to work with to eventually turn into paintings. It all works out.
When did you start painting? Did it come naturally or did it take some work?
I only starting painting about a year ago. It was something I wanted to try, only because I was just so used to pencil and paper. I went to Michaels one day and bought the cheapest canvas, cheap little acrylic paint bottles and a cheap pack of brushes (.59 cents!) I went home and copied one of my drawings onto the canvas. It definitely took some work, it didn't come naturally at all, haha. I've never taken a painting class in my life so everything I've done is self-taught. Sometimes I watch YouTube videos on different techniques or how to work with paint, because I have no idea. I don't mind taking the time out of my day to sit down and teach myself how to improve my work.
What/who inspires you artistically?
Audrey Kawasaki used to be (still is) my biggest inspiration. I used to study the way she drew her lines and the mediums she used. I even tried to paint/draw on a wood surface like her, and it didn't work...but I tried! She's been my favorite, until I found my ultimate favorite Kat Reeder! She's a Peruvian graphic designer living in Hawaii and her art is reflected on the beauty of Hawaiian women. It's gorgeous! She is definitely an inspiration to create my pieces today. Her ideas, colors and her focus on hair is amaaazing. The way she creates hair in her pieces made me addicted to her art. Tell me it's not gorgeous! I love it because her hair always, or most of the time, has a wood texture like Audrey Kawasaki. It's different. You can see my imitations of her work in my pieces. I'd love to meet her one day when i'm in Hawaii.
Which painting is your favorite? Why?
I have two favorites...I can't just pick one! Only because these two are such an improvement from when I first started painting a year ago. A year ago I didn't know how to paint (even draw) a face. Eyes, nose, mouth - too hard to create. These just look way better and more complex than my previous pieces. I don't even want to look at my old pieces anymore... These are not perfect, but they're an improvement!
Is there a specific type of environment you have to be in to paint?
I have no specific painting environment at all, haha. I'm usually sitting on the floor in front of my TV painting. I usually dedicate a whole day to painting, only because I need/WANT to finish it. My paintings will never take over more than one day. I can't have an unfinished piece staring at me, I want to finish it so I can see the final result. The only things I need around me are my brushes in a cup of water, a paper plate to put paint on and my laptop to look up ideas/inspiration. I can paint anywhere as long as I have those 3 things! Oh and natural lighting is also needed. I don't like painting with room lights on because the colors look off to me, so its rare for me to paint at night. I need the sunshine!
What advice would you give to aspiring artists?
For aspiring artists, I would tell them to keep going! Everyone has to start somewhere and you can only go up from there with improvement. There's absolutely no wrong way to do art - it's all personal preference. You don't need expensive items and tools to create expensive looking art. I started with $1 paint brush, .59 cent paint and a $5 canvas! Eventually you'll find your personal style and how you want things to look, it just takes some time! Don't give up.
How can you be contacted?
Email: sky.k.yuen@gmail.com
Instagram: @s_kehaunani
No comments:
Post a Comment