Q: As a teacher, you’ve been part of many creators’ learning and growth journeys. If you were to give one piece of advice to all the creators, what would it be? What do you think is the most important aspect of learning art?
The most important thing is to maintain constant passion and effort to try and innovate. Also, an artist’s literary knowledge is crucial. Illustration is not just about technique. You must understand the text well to bring your creativity to life properly. An artist’s personality, vision, and rich experiences in reading and life greatly influence their art.
The most appealing aspect of illustration is the freedom it offers for exploration. It’s like a small experimental field where artists can constantly try out new ideas. Over time, this naturally becomes your treasure. Stay positive, persevere, and always remember to give yourself a bit of encouragement. Stay in good health, keep a strong desire to learn, and keep moving onward and upward. We have a long journey ahead, so try to enjoy the scenery along the way.
Q: What are the key factors you use to judge whether a work is excellent? How do you view and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of a work?
A distinctive artistic style is the first thing that makes a work stand out from a pile of others. A good piece of art can move people at first glance. The colours, shapes, and composition are what catch the judges’ eyes in the first place. Then, they consider whether the work is interesting, its originality, artistic style, and narrative quality. International competitions often require five pieces of work, and these five pieces should ideally be cohesive, together expressing a complete theme. The core task of illustration is to “illuminate the text.” Even without the text, the illustration should effectively and accurately convey information and tell a story. Illustrators who can tell a good story with no more than five pictures are masters.
Some artworks’ excellence is self-evident, while others are less obvious and require experience and insight to interpret. The judging process is dynamic and comprehensive, with standards sometimes varying from person to person. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, and often a person’s strengths are also their weaknesses. A creator should just play to their strengths. No one is perfect, and the same goes for artwork.
