ART & S OUL
FACES FLORA AND FAUNA THE TWELVE TOTEMS FANTASY AND FRACTALS THE DARK SIDE
PREMIER EDITION 1
e d i t o r ’s letter
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was an artist by heart at a very young age and all my life I have loved art. I am fascinated by the many forms and ways it presents itself to the world. My art provides me with the freedom of expression, and an inner vision into my world of mystical people, creatures and things. I hope that my collection of work featured in this edition of Art & Soul Magazine brings much joy to others, because I have received much joy in creating every piece. Love and Light, Kristie Caskey
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CONTENTS 4
faces
44 flora and fauna 68 the twelve totems 72 fantasy and fractals 100 the dark side
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FA C E S “A glimpse into the world of the magical, mystical and unusual.�
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TRIBAL Digital Illustration 5
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was created to create. My spark is created by the ideas I process all the time in my mind and what I see around me in a visual and mindful process. It starts in my heart and runs through my veins and burst forward from my eyes. Keep your eyes open and your mind will follow. Create and drop all emotions and energy used for that piece of art. Then start from the beginning, with new energy and new visual impact. I think we need to renew ourselves from everything we choose to let fall away. In order to truly embrace the deepest depths of our creativity. Rising like a Phoenix from everything we’ve been to evolve into everything we could ever be. Each piece of art you make moves you just little bit forward. Art has no rules and that is the beauty of it.
HY P NOTIC BL UE Dig it al Illust ra t io n
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THE FORBIDDEN FLOWER Digital Illustration 8
F IS H B OW L LIFE Digi tal Il l u s trati on 9
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he beauty of the evolution of art is that is that you never make the same mistake twice. Mistakes are guide posts on the way to evolving our art to its highest potential and expression. Using mistakes to further refine our technique and our understanding of our creative process allows us to become useful. We use these tools to remind us how far we have come, and what not to repeat. Sometime artistic mistakes are even a necessary part of the finished masterpiece. Remember that your art is not about how many people like your work. Your art is about if your heart likes your work. It’s about how honest you are with yourself. You must never trade honesty for reputability. A true creative artist dips a brush into their souls and never questions it.
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M IS S M AR IE D i g i tal Il l u s trati o n
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ejection hurts, but you can use it to your advantage. So propel your creative superpower to the next level. Remember that you were art long before he came to admire you, and you will continue to be art even when he’s gone. A masterpiece is still a masterpiece even when the lights are off and the room is empty. Get back to the heart of what you love. Tap into that child-like feeling of joy and curiosity. If you never taken a step towards the calling of your heart, promise yourself to plan a little time everyday to simply start. Don’t let your cares burn you out. If you are pursuing your passion remember, always take time to do work simply for yourself. No pressure, just play. Remember, having limitations forces you to think in new ways, embrace the challenge.
DAWN Dig it al Illust ra t io n
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e each have our own way to communicate our art. Not one artist is the same so we all each have something to contribute. Whether you are an artist or not, everybody can benefit from it. It’s everywhere. It’s such an integral part of everyone’s everyday life, from the images in our home, the music we hear, everyday media, even in the nature we enjoy. Some may say that art isn’t necessary and it’s just fluff, but the feelings that art evoke are absolutely real and have power to inspire and make changes in the world. Creating is a part of life and our eternal nature. It’s perfect that God is referenced to as our Creator, and that Christ under direction of the Father created this world. In the grand scheme of everything, creating is a central part of the plan. I truly believe that the spirit can inspire someone to create something wonderful. G UAR D IAN AN GE L
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D i g i tal Il l u s trati o n
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t is not possible to think negative and achieve positive outcomes at the same time. We have got everything needed inside of us to do whatever we desire. There has never been a better time to be alive, today is right. Trust yourself, study hard, know what it is you want and give everything it takes. You can attract positivity, positive energy results in positive outcomes. Always stay true to yourself. It isn’t all about find yourself because once you finding yourself you are non completion. Your greatness lives in the pieces of you that you break open and transform your journey that got you there. It you are looking for a sign here it is. Keep going dear artist. Your voice, your perspective, and your work matter. Catch a big glimpse of something good today. Listen to your art, it is speaking to you.
HEAVE N Dig it al Illust ra t io n
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AT T IC W IND OW Digi tal Il l u s trati on 18
H EAD G AM ES Digi tal Il l u s trati on 19
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o me, art is as natural as breathing. Its a huge part of my life; whether consuming it in galleries or on websites, discussing it with others, experiencing it through the power of media, or creating it for myself. It’s part of the very nature of my who being as a person. From the moment I started drawing as a child, it helped me express how I was feeling, or ideas I couldn’t quite articulate. I understand that not everyone feels this way, that they don’t consider themselves creative people. However, art is a fundamental part of our everyday life, whether we realize it or not, through advertising, TV, film, photography, product branding and so much more. It moves us, calls us to action, makes us question, doubt and feel things we wouldn’t have otherwise. It connects us across the world, and is a language everyone can spread.
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R AD IO S TAR D i g i tal Il l u s trati o n
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rt is an outlet, an expression of emotions, ideas, and desires. It is a motivator, it is a channel, and a funnel for all to see. It is an exercise of mind, body, and soul. It is a jewel for the senses and riches for the heart. Art should ask more questions than it answers, and it should never take itself too seriously because we will loose the love of it. Art is everything to one that is not to another and nothing to those whom it cannot reach. Art is beautiful in all its intentions without regard of the execution or skill, the only eye that can judge it is the one looking at it. One cannot tell another to like or dislike it, only why one does or does not like it. All artwork can be improved; there is nothing such as perfection in the art world.
M A DA M P E A C OC K Dig it al Illust ra t io n
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rt is anything that shows us something we had not seen before, something that makes us see things in a different light, a different perspective, it opens our mind to something new. When a work is beautifully made it moves something inside of you, it can impact your entire life. When something is created that you are truly proud of, it stays with you. The emotions one feels when making it. The moments when things clicked and the piece felt complete. The sense of accomplishment when people felt moved or impressed by your work. Enjoying art when you are fully present and appreciative is an emotional high. When you get that moment, even if it only happens rarely, is all worth it. So encourage others to at least pursue or appreciate one art form of their choice.
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AU T U M N D i g i tal Il l u s trati o n
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S OUL O F A B U T T ER FLY Digi tal Il l u s trati on
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T H E CLAIR VOYA N T D i g i tal Il l u s trati o n
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ach piece of art means something different for everyone one of us. Just because we don’t understand a particular piece does not mean that it’s considered art in society. We can all appreciate a nice photograph or painting, but we may disagree on whatever or not it is art. Just because something is considered art, does not necessarily mean that we as an individual consider it art for ourselves. We may not find beauty in certain pieces of art that everyone one else may like. It must invoke some sort of emotion within others and hold meaning to us. While each of us has our own idea of what is considered to be good art, and what is bad art, a lot of times monetary value plays a big part in determining quality. We as a society determine good and bad art for ourselves, not for the entire population.
HEATHE R Dig it al Illust ra t io n
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veryone pulls inspiration from others. That’s how we find out true style. So when you start feeling down just remember, it’s good to get inspiration from others to create your own work of art. Art making always seems to reward you with something substantial even if you arrive exactly where you began. It even sometimes gives the unexpected that tantalizingly hints at the possibility of things that are coming but can’t be seen. It is clear that above everything else you are continuing to improve and learn. You understand a little bit more. And now your work will never be quite the same again. It is becoming stronger. Your art has changed, just when you thought it never could, and not surprisingly, you have too.
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Q U EEN O F H EARTS D i g i tal Il l u s trati o n
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rt is an escapade for me, when it comes to my understanding of Art it is what gives me peace, a feeling of contentment of what I do, where I have the complete freedom to picture my life the way I want it to be, the way I wish to see the world. The ideas I wish to put on paper with colors where my mind fails to express itself through words. This is a part of me, the part which arms at understanding myself better, through moments and experiments that has shaped me, as the person I am at the present and the part of me which tries to escape reality. Art gives you hope that gives you a reason to express yourself. Art lets you live freely. Art is beautiful for in it lies the essence of life. Art moves and inspires you on so many levels. Art is what makes life interesting. Art is the language of being human.
DREA M WE AV E R Dig it al Illust ra t io n
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rt can be pretty much any form, but that doesn’t mean that just any form is art. Art has to try to fulfill its purpose and communicate something else it is, or it is simply just a picture. This can make judging whether something is artistic difficult, since we may not know what some piece of art is trying to communicate, and even when we think someones trying to communicate one thing, they may really be attempting to say something else entirely. However, if you engage yourself fully in looking at enough art, you can form your own sense of what is meaningful and make those judgments yourself, and compare them with what other people think to form a better opinion. The best place is through the mouth of the artist, they can usually say what their intention is behind it.
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D R AG O N LADY D i g i tal Il l u s trati o n
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rt is language that goes beyond words. It tells our stories, it involves a relationship between artist, artwork and audience. It is interactive. Art has its own language and is usually focused on what it means to be human. Art is the story of mankind. It speaks our hopes, our dreams, our fears, our struggles, our joys. Art affects and changes people more often than we realize. Many artist use their art as social commentary. They present the world...to us in a way which we may have never considered before that challenges our thinking. We may walk away with a new awareness or perspective on something. We use art for our entertainment, cultural appreciation, aesthetics, personal improvement, and even social change. We use art in order to thrive in this world.
THE WE B Dig it al Illust ra t io n
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N E V E R END ING NY M PH S Digi tal Il l u s trati on
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FLOW ER CH ILD D i g i tal Il l u s trati on
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rt can speak to us and resonate deep within our own experiences. Whatever it is your are feeling, someone will have created a piece of work based on this. Art is humanity’s way of showing you that you are not alone. Art spreads messages of beauty, pain, hope, and understanding within moments. Immersing yourself in art, is immersing yourself in life. And through the practice of art, we understand ourselves better. Throughout history, people would travel miles just to view the most famous of art and see what the artist wanted them to see. People would spread the messages conveyed in artworks through letters, describing their power to others. Artist would hide secrets within their work for fear being silenced or punished. They persisted to spread the ideas that had worth and meaning to them.
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H EART B EAT D i g i tal Il l u s trat i o n
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rt bridges the delicate boundary between the commonplace and individuality. The finished work is not the product you create but the joint work of the creator and the recipient. A piece becomes a real creation when it has meaning for the recipient. When the recipient can add to the piece their own feelings and thoughts from the depths of their being, the work has fulfilled its purpose. You can create beautiful moments everyday. Look for the magic and you’ll see it’s there. Its the light that shines through the tree branches, the gust of wind that swirls the snow, and the hug from a friend that makes you fill loved. Good design and beautiful art are powerful things..but remember, it only has value if you can share it with others.
K AT RINA W ITH S UN F L OWE RS Acr ylic Pa int ing
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FLORA AND FA U N A “In nature. light creates the color. In the picture, color creates the light.” - Hans Hofmann
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AT H EN A’ S OW L Digi tal Il l u s trati on 45
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ll art derives its inspiration from nature, the external world, the reality which can be perceived through the senses. A flaming sunset, a lovely rose, a winning smile, the innocent laughter of children, the grief of a broken-hearted lover, the pathos of a premature death, all these and many more are subjects which awaken an artist, a poet, a painter or musician into activity. When we see a fine painting representing beautiful animals or read a poem about the charms of a maiden, we experience a certain thrill of pleasure. Why? Neither the animals nor the pretty maiden is before us, and yet we experience the same emotions as we will if they were. Thus art is a reflection of reality, which in a wider sense, is known as nature.
THE RAVEN Digital Illustration
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THE NIGHT HORSE Digital Illustration 48
DRINKING TIGER Digital Illustration 49
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ature provided the world its first form of fine art. The beauty of nature, with its glowing colors, magnificent sunsets and magical sounds, is what triggered the creative, artistic side of man. Everything we do is a mere reflection of the life around us. Each song and melody we perform is an extension of the songs birds gift us with each morning. Every color that the flowers and leaves provide is an inspiration for us to build on and replicate in our hand made things. It’s important that we take the time to observe things. Ask yourself, are you really seeing the things around you? Are you absorbing the colors and shapes of the world around you? Are you hearing the sounds of nature, or the music all around us? Remember as you go through the day how important art is. Art is what makes us human beings special. It’s what brings us joy.
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THE ELEPHANT EFFECT Digital Illustration
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TWO BUTTERFLIES Digital Illustration
SEA TURTLE Digital Illustration
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hey say that art imitates life. The truth is that life and art are one and the same thing. They are both the fruit of our creativity and unique set of gifts, talents, preferences, and tastes being focused and applied to make something. In life and in art, we must be willing to take risks to expand and grow. In life and in art, we have the opportunity to be authentic and to express both our Divinity and our human nature. In life and in art, it is our willingness to claim our gifts and use them fearlessly that will determine the extent of our fulfillment. In the same way that we are here to create and live our lives in a way that honors our authentic nature and our highest potential, we are also here to play, to express and to make art that will embody the mysteries of life, the truth of who we are and the simple joy of creating.
THE OWL Digital Illustration
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OCTOBER SKY Digital Illustration 56
MOON LIGHT FLIGHT Digital Illustration 57
WISE EYES Digital Illustration
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EASTER LILLY Digital Illustration
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he sun, the moon, the stars, and the hundreds of other lovely as well terrible objects or nature as also the various human emotions, love and hatred joy and sorrow, jealousy and fear, have existed from time immemorial and inspired artists in every age and clime. There are countless paintings immortalizing the beauty of the female form as also numerous poem in honor of love, the strongest emotion of the human heart. And yet no two such paintings or two such poems are identical. Even if two poets and two painters see the same object, say a red rose, and glorify it in color and verse, their productions, though inspired by the same subject, would be very different from each other. One poet may go into raptures over the loveliness of the flower, while the other may shed tears over its transitory beauty.
THE WORLD OF A DRAGON FLY Digital Illustration
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BLEEDING ROSE Digital Illustration 62
HORSE OF A DIFFERENT COLOR Digital Illustration 63
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s humans, we have a natural tendency to respond to things that move us, forcing us to create. Seeing nature and how it interacts with not only us but the universe around it has inspired countless paintings, drawings, songs, sculptures, symphonies, etc‌all different, based on how the individual person responds to nature uniquely. No song or artwork has ever been the exact same nor will they ever be. And this fact is one example of why we should continue to make an effort to not only preserve the nature around us, but leave it better than the way we found it. Because not only would the world be purely a much richer place, but our musical and artistic influences would continue to grow, inspiring generations in new ways for years to come.
CAMOUFLAGE Digital Illustration
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COZY CAT Digital Illustration 66
LUNA MOTH Digital Illustration 67
THE T W E LV E TOTEMS “Spiritual souls recognize that all animals are spiritual beings”
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have always been fascinated with legends and folklore. Particular the Native American legends of animal spirits. An animal spirit is believed to be a supernatural power that embodies, attaches, or conveys influence empowering a person with the trait of the animal. The animal spirit is thought of as a guide who might appear in dreams in the form of an animal. An animal spirit walks through life with a person teaching, guiding and protecting them. Each totem animal is believed to aid in self discovery and to help capture our inner imagination. With this one animal, a connection is shared, either through interest in the animal, dreams, or other interaction. In this series of digital illustrations I created the Twelve Totems. Each one of the spirit animals has a special meaning and significance. 69
FA N TA S Y AND F R A C TA L S “Art is an adventure that never seems to end. “
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KEEPER OF THE GARDEN Digital Illustration
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ictorial art in science fiction and fantasy means different things to many people. Consider illustration to be a high art form. It has the capacity to enlighten and to project feelings of emotion. It can do more than illustrate an incident in a story. We have the imagery of science fiction all around us in our own world—and it has always been so. You must live to create visual images. It should be a great passion in your life. Creativity as an artist comes first, than science fiction or fantasy illustration comes after that. Fantasy would technically encompass any art that is “fantastical” or “imaginary” in nature. Think of it this way, most surreal art can be considered a form of fantasy art, but most fantasy art is not surreal. The term “fantasy art” can encompass many different styles and movements. Within the fantasy genre,you can find many styles.
BLUE NEPTUNE Digital Illustration
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AQUARIUS Digital Illustration 76
GALAXY Digital Illustration 77
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nderstanding contemporary fantasy art involves more than appreciating illustrations for movies, books, magazines, and video games of the fantasy genre. Fantasy art concerns mythological, magical, and supernatural themes. The history of fantasy art can be traced back to antiquity when artists treated mythological characters in their stories, poems, and images. By the Italian Renaissance, artists concerned with Greek and Roman mythological characters were actually creating fantasy art. As a genre, fantasy art does not receive formal recognition and legitimacy like other art movements. In the 21st century, in part due to the global popularity of fantasy fiction, anime, and other fantasy media, fantasy art can claim a broad appeal as a form of creative expression.
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WING MAN Digital Illustration
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SIREN Digital Illustration 80
MERMAID TAILS Digital Illustration 81
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feel that abstract art has value, as a lot of it tends to focus on the concepts of form, composition, and color. I these concepts are essentially the foundations of art and anything else visually-creative, such as graphic design and photography. I feel that even a seemingly simple abstract piece can evoke a positive response and portray a sense of beauty, and that a piece of art doesn’t necessarily have to be immediately understood in terms of meaning. Abstract art is open to interpretation, and that is one of the beautiful things about it. Abstract art doesn’t jump out and declare “THIS is what I’m all about.” Instead, abstract art requires you to have an open, inquiring mind; you must enter the painting and see where it takes you. Abstract art gives you the freedom to explore the artwork and assign your own meaning to the piece.
ZEBRA SEA Digital Illustration
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he most important thing to understand about abstract art is that it does NOT have to have a meaning, narrative or even a singular explanation. The main purpose of abstraction is not to tell a story, but to encourage involvement and imagination. This art form is mostly about providing its viewers with an intangible and emotional experience – more often than not, the experience is completely different for every individual depending on their personality and state of mind. Therefore, it is really up to the viewer to decide whether the painting in front of them has any meaning or provokes any emotion. As we mentioned, abstract art is all about freedom. Abstract paintings can also be appreciated in terms of the individual elements of art: color, shape, line, texture, space, value, etc. An abstract artist’s skills lie in his or her ability to use colors and textures to their best visual strength. PASSAGE WAY
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Digital Illustration
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LOST Digital Illustration 86
PURPLE PEOPLE EATER Digital Illustration 87
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bstract art gives freedom to grow imagination and thoughts to the artists. It allows them to create compositions in their own distinct way. They take small references from the real world and illustrate them in their own style. It is a revolutionary style which allows us to perceive art which is more complex, deep and intriguing. Most of the abstracts are paintings with hidden meanings and this makes them exciting. Abstract art utilizes a visual language of shape, form, shading and line to make an arrangement which may exist with a level of freedom. Abstract artwork is a “legitimate” work of art, and that judgment was settled well over a century prior. We also see abstraction expanding to include a greater human element. It’s becoming more interesting, appropriate as the reflection of a complex culture.
VORTEX Digital Illustration 89
SPHERISM Digital Illustration 90
CUBISM Digital Illustration 91
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f you want to fully appreciate an artwork, it’s important to understand the artist’s reasoning behind it. On the one hand, a large part of the beauty of art is that we, the viewers, can bring our own meaning and assign our own context to an artwork based upon our memories, personalities and life experiences. We don’t need to know exactly what the artwork is supposed to be about in order to feel a deep appreciation for it. On the other hand, knowing the artist’s thought process for creating a certain work of art adds a further layer of meaning and value to each of our individual interpretations of a piece. It might take a bit of extra legwork, but in the end it’s definitely worth the effort to read a bit about the artist’s intention behind a piece of art. This will further deepen your quest on how to understand abstract art.
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FRAC FLOWERS Digital Illustration
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THE RABBIT HOLE Digital Illustration 94
PRISM Digital Illustration 95
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he truth is, abstract art is not “about nothing”. At its basis, it is about form, color, line, texture, pattern, composition and process. These are the formal qualities of artwork, because they describe what the art looks like and how it is created. Abstract art is an exploration of these formal qualities. Meaning is derived from how these formal qualities are used to create a visual (and/or visceral, cerebral, emotional,) experience. Art can’t be explained adequately in words, because it’s influence on people is so personal and speaks to the nonverbal parts of our existence. Therefore, art is an experience. You must let go of your need to put things into words, and let the artwork take you somewhere... even lift you into higher spheres. You have to understand abstract art with a different part of you, one that you may not normally use or be familiar with.
CANDY LAND Digital Illustration
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CHROME KISS Digital Illustration
MAGIC TRICK Digital Illustration
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THE DARK SIDE “Stars cannot shine without darkness.”
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GENTIAN SKULLS Digital Illustration 101
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rt is an escape from the constant chaos and pressure of everyday. When it comes to art, you can be anyone you want to be and express anything you want to. Art doesn’t always have to make sense to you. You don’t have to solve problems or explain theories in art like you have to in other things like mathematics and science. Art itself is the solution and a remedy. Art is therapeutic. Art has played a very important role in helping against intolerance of different cultures, racism and other forms of unjust activities. Art has a power unlike other human endeavors – it has the power to produce a variety of human emotions that no other enterprise can. It has the power to make you laugh, to bring you to tears, to provoke you to anger, to leave you exhausted . It either makes you feel safe and comfortable or makes you face reality.
GHOST FLOWER Digital Illustration
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orror and gothic art won’t lose its appeal as long as society maintains its fascination with death. For some artists, the macabre provides a release from internalized fear. For others, it’s a playful way to seek a reaction from their viewers. Whatever the motive, managing to capture a truly frightening scene, and present the viewer with a disturbing yet beautiful image, is a real skill. If the macabre is viewed with such trepidation, why is its artistic representation a popular source of entertainment? Why seek out in the arts what are otherwise terrifying, real-world occurrences, and how can we explain such pleasurable fear? This phenomenon most clearly manifests in our interaction with works of horror. A genre designed around provoking fear, horror nonetheless enjoys a sizable audience, and notable success.
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BLOOD MOON Digital Illustration
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SKELEFISH Digital Illustration 106
OUT OF TIME Digital Illustration 107
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urrealism is an art form that will bring you to a very different world that no other person could have thought of besides the artist that created it. Surrealism allows us to see art in it’s purest form because it stems from imagination rather than rational thought. Because of this, artists are able to better express their emotions and thoughts through this art form. Dictation of thought in the absence of all control exercised by reason, outside of all aesthetic and moral preoccupation. The desire to escape this web of reason is where Surrealism is most significant. Through its art, it seeks to trigger one’s imagination and move beyond what is accepted. Artists continue to introduce new ideas, materials and are using cutting edge technology in a conscious effort to record their version of what they see.
MR. SKETCHY Digital Illustration
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HAUNTING Digital Illustration
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ZOMBIE QUEEN Digital Illustration
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TATTOO Digital Illustration