Name: Tori Nielson
Grade: Junior
Years of Experience: 10 years
The Charge: How long have you been doing art?
Nielson: “I have been taking art classes for four years, but I officially started drawing when I was 7. So, it’s been about a decade since I entered the art world.”
The Charge: What triggered your interest in art in the first place?
Nielson: “My older sister was a major inspiration to me. She currently majors in art in college, and I’m always hoping to follow in her footsteps. The scale of creativity my sister possessed was the biggest factor as she was able to think outside of the box extensively and put it down on paper in a way that always amazed me. So, I began to practice on my own to express my own creativity.”
The Charge: How would you describe your art style? What specific art type and genre do you pursue?
Nielson: “I primarily pursue a cartoon style with a bold expression. Although I practice and try realistic drawings, I prefer creating cartoons with facial expressions and different shapes and aim to create 2D animation eventually.”
The Charge: How did you develop your art skills? – what platform, practice, etc.
Nielson: “I generally used YouTube and Pinterest to take foundational tutorials. Especially, when I went to Disney Park a few years ago, I took several live drawing classes where you can get face-to-face guidance from real Disney animators. All the techniques I’ve learned from them helped me develop my fundamental skills for drawing. This experience was especially meaningful as it sparked my interest and love for 2D animation.”
The Charge: What theme do you center on when creating your art and why?
Nielson: “I typically like to draw fantasy-related objects, such as elves, fairies, and centaurs, and things that people usually don’t think of. Because when you’re doing art, you have to show people new things that will pique their interest. So, when I do my cartoon style, I like to explore something people have never seen before.”
The Charge: What do you hope to convey to your viewers through art and why?
Nielson: “I’d like to convey that you can figure out your own way of doing things, because not everyone’s art is going to look like Da Vinci’s. When I was a little kid, I tried to exactly trace the paintings from famous artists and the Internet. This was when I realized that my style looking different from other people’s could be an advantage since it means that I have an art style that is individual to me.”
The Charge: What is your favorite piece you worked on so far and why?
Nielson: “I have a piece I’m working on for VASE this year called “Out of Focus,” and it’s based on a picture of me after I stabbed myself with mascara. The image of mascara flowing down my face like black tears was the inspiration to model a woman who had long black curls and multiple eyes on her face. I wanted this to represent being in focus but also out of focus at the same time with your surroundings.”
The Charge: Do you plan to pursue an art-related career in the future? If so, what specific job are you thinking of?
Nielson: “I always wanted to be a part of a movie production team, whether I end up being either an animator or a concept artist because they are paid for coming up with new ideas for new concepts. I was really interested in how to make a character movement look fluid in my art, and I was deeply inspired by Disney and Ghibli studio movies for how they were able to take a diverse movement and create a life for the character in a single frame.”
The Charge: If you could offer one piece of advice to a person wanting to pursue art, what would it be?
Nielson: “Things may look off sometimes with your art, and you’re not always going to get what you want. However, as long as you keep on trying and pursuing what you want with your art style, you will be able to bring your creativity to the world. The more you practice, the better you will get. I especially recommend reading art books to practice sketching and building upon your fundamental art skills.”
