Digital Art with a
Cause
Digital
art comes in many forms. It is unique because there are such a variety of methods
which this art can be made. Graphic design, 3D modeling, and virtual
environments are some of the many forms of digital art. The artists I chose use
the techniques of digital painting and 3D photomanipulation in their works.
Though both aim for the same cause, each of the techniques have remarkably
distinct auras when studied closely.
Wenqing
Yan, also known as “Yuumei” on her web page, is a digital artist who is
well-known for her activist digital paintings. She was born and raised in China
where she first learned the basics of art. “I grew up in China where parents
compete and show off their child like some sort of hobby, so drawing class was
one of the many things I had to learn. All my Chinese art classes focused on
realism and drawing from life. That gave me the foundations to draw everything
else but drawing is not a magical process where you take a class, and BAM you're
an artist. It's all about hard work and practice like everything else in life.”
Yan is
currently a Practice of Art major at UC Berkley with a focus on
environmentalism and cyber activism. “I specialize in digital art but I also
enjoy traditional watercolor, sculpting, and origami.” She participates in
conventions around the world spreading the word about environmental activism as
well as cyber activism with her digital paintings and books. Most of her works clearly
portray the problem she is trying to address. “Countdown,” for example,
portrays the literal countdown of environmental destruction in the polar ice
caps with global warming—humans being the root of the problem. “Legacy,” a
moving picture of a young girl kneeling next to a deceased albatross with a
plastic-filled stomach, is another powerful piece that urges that something is
to be done to prevent such devastation. Inspired by the film, Midway, a documentary which uncovers the
plastic-littered Midway Island—home to over 1.5 million albatross, “Legacy”
shows the need for human intervention in such seemingly unnoticed issues. With
over 20 tons of plastic covering the island, the albatross and many other
species are dying of ingestion and entanglement. Yan proposes solutions such as
participation in recycling and investing in eco-friendly products. “Art can be
more than just pretty pictures, but also a powerful mechanism of change… You
can easily take action with nothing but the will of your imagination.”
Unlike
traditional painting, digital painting is all done on a computer (usually with
the help of a graphic tablet). Digital painting, like Yan’s, requires the use
of a specialized software such as Adobe Photoshop. Digital painting programs
mimic the use of physical media through numerous brushes and paint effects. The
brushes are designed to serve as representations of the textures of oils,
pastels, charcoals, acrylics, and just about any medium out there. This allows
the artist to give an extra edge of realistic effects to their works. Yan uses
a Wacom Intuos 4 tablet, Paint Tool SAI, and Photoshop to create each of her
digital paintings.
The piece
that had the most impact was Yan’s “Guilty” painting. This compelling and
detailed image sums up the very core of marine destruction. Yan boldly displays
the image of endangered life through the bodies of marine animals wrapped
around a central figure. This central figure is female. She has a pale gray
complexion and appears very frail, as though she was suffering with the
animals. Her face is blank, however, showing no real emotion. She could be seen
as Mother Nature enduring the fate of her ecosystem or as mankind caught up in
the center of the problem. Her hair is made up of a slick, dark colored liquid
representing oil. Oil spills happen daily yet they are rarely reported on the
news. About 20,000 oil spills occur annually in the US alone. These spills not
only harm wildlife, but they also pollute the water and food chain. This means
the fish we eat could be contaminated with toxins from the oil spills. An
albatross is tangled in fishing line tied to her back in such a way that it
seems to portray a fallen angel—an innocent life taken by the hands of careless
people. Bycatch are unwanted animals that accidentally get caught in the
fishing nets and lines. An estimated 300,000 marine mammals and 100,000
albatross are killed by long line fisheries, and because of this, many are now
facing extinction. A shark is tied up in fishing nets because they are not only
victims of bycatch, but also as an unfortunate delicacy. More than 100 million
sharks are killed each year for their fins. This has endangered countless
species, some of which suffering a population decline of 90% and upwards. “To
put that in perspective, imagine 9 out of every 10 people you know are dead. In
comparison, only a few people are killed each year by sharks.” Lastly, a young
sea turtle trapped in a plastic bag is cradled above the hands of the central
figure who gazes upon it. Globally, 100,000 marine animals and 1 million sea birds
die each year due to plastic waste found in the ocean. All of this destruction
can be reversed, however.
Yan, in
each of her works, offers a helpful solution to each problem. First, she
motivates the idea of picking up trash and recycling. By preventing littering
and reusing or repurposing products, many lives could be saved. Next Yun states
that being conscious of what you buy could help save the environment. By going
green one could save money and improve the condition of the world around.
Lastly, by spreading the word and getting more people to follow these steps, the
problem can be cured. “Education is the best cure…Many people are simply
unaware of the environmental damage humans are causing. People need to
understand that helping the environment is simply helping themselves.”
The other
artist I chose, Irina Tikhomirova (aka “GreenVoice”), is also a digital artist
who is passionate about preserving the environment. She is a Russian digital
art hobbyist with a Master’s Degree in Engineering Ecology and Environmental Protection.
“I'm in love with our beautiful Planet. Day by day, I'm trying to find the
perfect balance between human, nature and the universe. Yes, I believe it's all
about balance. I admire the magnificence of our planet, but is it possible do
not admire this the most beautiful body of our solar system? And life... life
on our planet is so majestic in all its varied forms!”
Like Yan, Tikhomirova expresses her
environmental activism through digital art. Tikhomirova uses a few different
styles and techniques in her work. Photomanipulation, concept art, and 3D art
are some of the few types of digital art she works with along with its
promotion through social media. “I love using social media to focus the world’s
attention on the environment and the damage that we as humans are causing.
Believe in people's power, I believe that even small acts can change the world.”
The piece I chose from Tikhomirova
is called “Let’s Give Nature a Hand.” It is unique in a sense that it is
divided into three parts—a separate image for each. Unlike Yan, Tikhomirova
presents the solution to the problem rather than the problem alone in her work.
In each part, she expresses her fervor for the environment fittingly with the
statement, “Let's Give Nature a Hand. We need to restore natural balance before
things get out of control. Earth is the only home we have!” In part one of the
series, she displays a large hand in the center holding a tree with
deforestation behind it. The background is made up of hundreds of cut down
trees. The grass surrounding them is dull in color and the horizon line seems
to fade into the sky as though it is never ending. In contrast, the hand is a bright green with
mossy detail all around it. The tree is strong and bursting with life. Her
detailed 3D image suggests the renewing of deforestation with a simple act of
replacing the fallen trees with new ones. Part two uncovers hidden figures of
nature. The same hand holds a tiger emerging from the brush as birds flutter
around it. The hand is stone-like in texture and color with small patches of
grass and bushels growing on it, contrasting with the sky blue background. This
image urges the protection of endangered species. By doing so, we can keep the
ecosystem balanced and allow for more biodiversity. Lastly, Part three of the
series simply illustrates the beauty of nature. Two dolphins playfully swim up
towards the illuminated surface of the ocean while a hand of stone rests below
them with many sea plants and coral growing in the center of the palm. This
serene portrayal of nature inspires the preservation and restoration of the
natural balance so every living creature can enjoy fresh air, clean water, and
healthy ecosystems.
In conclusion, both Yan and
Tikhomirova have distinctly unique ways of presenting the environmentalist view
through digital art. Both are very successful with their presentation of these
ideas within their works in contrasting techniques. Yan, with her digital
painting, uses smooth blending lines and shades to give her work an airy,
almost dreamlike feel to it. Tikhomirova takes advantage the 3D art to give her
work a more light-hearted feel. Her work seems to capture the image in a moment
as though it were a frame in a 3D animation. Both provide great detail in their
works and overall successfully send the messages they put in their art. Each is
a great example of the many ways in which digital art can be utilized to spread
the word and bring to light these urgent problems while, at the same time, inspiring
everyone to work towards a solution.
Works Cited
"Faces of
Berkeley: Wenqing Yan, Activist Artist - The Daily Californian." The Daily
Californian. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Apr. 2014.
"GreenVoice
(Irina Tikhomirova) on DeviantART." GreenVoice (Irina Tikhomirova) on
DeviantART. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Apr. 2014.
"Yuumei
(Wenqing Yan) on DeviantART." Yuumei (Wenqing Yan) on DeviantART. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 28 Apr. 2014.
"Why Protect
Biodiversity and save Endangered Species?" Endangered Species
International. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2014.
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