2D Design

I think to be a Christian artist means to create artwork for the glory of God intentionally. I think to be a successful Christian artist means that your work not only reflects incredible talent and skill but also the immense love you have for the Lord. I think as active Christian artists this can happen unintentionally as we are created in his image and his immense impact will show itself in the art we create.

What makes an artwork good to me is the artist's ability to be conceptually rich with skillful execution. This is seen all the time in works of art that the world views as important but this can also be seen in children’s drawings. Granted, children’s drawings might not seem skillfully executed but conceptually they can be rich. Oftentimes kids can be the harshest critics of their work because they know the execution could be better, we should take notes. What makes an artwork bad to me is simply inverse of both conceptual and skillful. I know that in haste I have created bad art that seemed good on the surface but were lacking both in concept and skill so they ended up falling flat.

I think that artists would choose to collaborate because it is an incredible opportunity to create new unique art. This combination of ideas between two creatives, in my experience, has led to incredible outcomes that simply couldn’t be completed without collaboration. With collaboration you are also able to conquer obstacles that might be simply unrealistic to achieve as a single artist. Some drawbacks of collaboration come within communication as I know it can often be difficult to properly communicate my ideas. As well collaboration can also create barriers that in fact make it harder to create the art you want to make such as being dictated by someone else’s creativity.

I don’t believe that an artist must have an identifiable style but I think most artists end up with a style through discovery in the creative process. Having a style gives you certain advantages because you know what you like and you can rely on this to create art that you know will be satisfactory. Style can be helpful in this way as you can follow the stylistic guides you have created. Not having a style on the other hand also has benefits because you are not contained to simply create art that is similar to your style and instead you have the freedom to experiment with new ideas.

In today’s world I see artists touch on all sorts of themes from political to comedic. I see contemporary artists that I follow focusing on adversity, politics, freedom, the human condition, the environment, faith, love, identity, invention, progression, the future, the past, discovery, loss, and emotion.

Some scans of the comfort food zine I made with Sofiya! Absolutely loved collaborating with Sofiya and i’m super happy with how it turned out! :)

Watercolor guides we made in class. :)

2 pieces I made when experimenting with watercolor!

What art has changed my thinking? How and why did it change my thinking? What are techniques in design that I can use to promote transformation through my art?

Zine 1/2 Research

My first thought when approaching this question is how it reminds me of the question “what comes first the chicken or the egg?” because I think it’s impossible to do one without the other but obviously they do have differences. When learning you are actively trying to absorb information in order to complete a goal or to better yourself. Where as when inventing you are applying the knowledge you have learned in order to create something new. Of course inventing can also happen on accident but most of the time invention happens when experimenting or applying learned information.

I think that artists have the unique opportunity to provide their audience with joy, thoughtful interactions, introspection, and inspiration through a physical medium. Art also has the ability to bring thoughtful critique to political and social issues getting others to engage in tangible ways. I don’t think that an artist inherently has a role but I do believe that artists should seek to find a role that not only fulfills them but also a greater purpose. As artist’s we have a unique role and ability in society to use our creative nature not only for our own personal gain but also to make a difference in the world.

More info about Zach Thompson: https://playgrounddetroit.com/exhibition/zach-thompson-solo-exhibition/