By Vaishnavi Varma
Nara Yi plans to create realistic looking dinosaurs for Jurassic Park. An IB art student at American Community School, her artwork is displayed in the school’s hallways. She spoke to Tempo about the future…
Tempo: How did you get into art?
Nara: Well, I didn’t want to do art at all; it was something I never had in mind. But one day, after a couple of art classes, I realised that I was getting pretty good grades easily. Yeah, it was from then on that I recognized that I have potential in this area.
Tempo: What was your first art like?
Nara: My very first art began with Pokémon and manga. Then after a long time, I got hooked on fashion. I thought that I’d do fashion but that never happened. I then found interest in Pacific Rim monsters, visual effects and concept design more than anything now and so currently I’m focusing on animations and working on illustrations.
Tempo: Do you have a project you’re proud of?
Nara: Proud? Pfft. How funny. Most times I am never proud of anything. (Laughs) I wouldn’t call my small sketches ‘projects’. To me they are nothing more than doodles and scraps. As you can see, they’re mostly guys. I tend to draw guys more than girls. Honestly, other than the fact that it’s 80% guys and 19% creatures, which are two of my favourite things (to draw), every drawing is just a drawing – nothing more nothing less… just a scribble on a paper.
Tempo: What do you want to do in the future?
Nara: I’m into visual effects and animations. I’d like to make Jurassic Park movies with realistic looking dinosaurs.
I have made two Rotoscope videos and they’ve been pretty successful. I’m now working on another small animation piece.
[Brian Puspos || All of Me – John Legend \\ Rotoscope animation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jO6f7h8C4dw&feature=youtu.be
and
Studio 13 – Super Moon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXbRVzF_QG4&feature=youtu.be ]
Tempo: Who inspires you?
Nara: They would have to be: Simon Lee, Toolkit04, Guillermo del Toro and Steven Spielberg.
Tempo: What are you currently working on?
Nara: I actually have a lot of requests waiting in line to be drawn. I started a little ‘free-portrait’ thing and now I have about 11 to12 people waiting for their pictures to be drawn.
Tempo: What are your goals?
Nara: Get into university. Work my butt off. Grab any opportunity I’m given and work some more.
Tempo: How would you describe your artistic style?
Nara: Haha, that’s a difficult question. I just know that it’s far from any existing ‘classical’ styles.
Tempo: What motivates you?
Nara: I’m not sure. I think it’s the fact that I want to get into an art university and in order to do that I need to practice, practice and practice.
Tempo: How did your parents react when you decided to go for IB art?
Nara: They didn’t really have any reaction at all. We didn’t know what we were getting ourselves into. Halfway through after noticing me struggling with the work load and stress, they wanted me to drop IB art – and truthfully so did I. Their reaction towards IB art became worse as time passed. At one point it was so bad that they were offering me to change schools to an art focused school. So, I guess that was their form of supporting me.
Tempo: How has art helped you define your identity?
Nara: Well, it definitely changed my schedule as I spend all my weekends, holidays doing art so I’m well known among my friends as the stay-at-home one. In school, I’m the artsy-kid and heck; I’m even going to go to an art school to find a career in the art area.
Tempo: What medium do you work with?
Nara: Photoshop, pencils, water colours, clay and good looking models.
Tempo: What is your creative process?
Nara: I get inspired by… boredom and the guilt of wasting time doing nothing. My creative process is:
1. I have an idea.
2. I look for references.
3. I look for pictures of models.
4. I save a bunch of those pictures.
5. I drool over the models.
6. I pick up a pencil and a paper.
7. I turn on Dr. Phil.
8. I draw.
9. I finish.
10. I Instagram it.
Tempo: How can we connect with you?
Nara: Instagram: https://instagram.com/nararoar/
society6: http://society6.com/narayi
