An artist of significant influence to me has been Alice X. Zhang. She is a designer and illustrator with a unique style that I adore. She creates beautiful and intricate digital illustrations as well as traditional works of pop culture subjects. She uses a unique color palette and decorative elements which add a sense of sophistication to her work. I was first inspired by her watercolor artwork and after applying some of her style to a couple of my works I decided I wanted to study more of her artwork. While I researched her work more I discovered her digital work and I was taken away with her technical skill and ability to capture emotions through non-traditional art media. Her digital work bridged the gap between my interest in traditional arts and the digital side of arts.
Her unique use of color has encouraged me to think more about the different ways color can be used. She uses a double complimentary relationship in the majority of her works. Her rich blues and subtle greens contrast the vibrant reds and oranges. I personally try and use lots of straightforward colors, however I have learned what is possible with a simple color palette. While I do not create realistic portrait illustrations, I have learned from what Zhang does with color to be more adventurous and to stray from colors that are expected.
Her technical skill and attention to detail continually inspire me to work harder. I have spent many hours practicing my drawing skills which have aided me in designing. I usually design on paper first to work out my designs before I work digitally.
