We have another student feature to help wrap up the month! This is sophomore Lauren Koluch!
1. Tell us about yourself! What’s your name; where are you from?
My name is Lauren Nicole Koluch: a combination of two common mid-west names and a last name that no one can pronounce. I moved around a lot as a kid, but I was born in Kansas City, Kansas. Right now my older brother and I share an apartment in Kansas city, but our home is back in Liberty with our mom, younger brother, and Tuffy, the most bipolar bichon frise in the world.
2. Why illustration? What brought you to KCAI?
I was interested in KCAI because of my exposure to the school. I have taken pre-college art classes here and I have followed the work of several artists that graduated from the illustration program. For me this college was a dream choice because I got to stay close to my family and I'm in a major that I know will help me refine the work I am passionate about.
3. What medium do you prefer?
I've always considered myself a digital artist ever since I got my first tablet in middle schoo. I don't hate traditional mediums, but there's a very streamlined and efficient translation from idea to finalized image within digital art that I adore. Even if I'm working on a traditional piece, I start with several digital sketches to get a clearer concept of the final image. I prefer Photoshop as a digital painting medium.
4. What’s been your favorite project thus far and why?
My favorite project thus far has been the Ouija board for Hector Casanova's Graphic Form class. The focus on hand lettering is helping me break from my usual style and have a little fun!
5. Who and or what is an inspiration for you in terms of your art making?
The concept art behind video games and films are always the most inspirational for me. I have several art-books for different movies that feature illustrations of objects, characters, and locations that were sifted through for the final aesthetic of the movie. For me, I love to see the exploration of multiple illustrators invested in one concept, even if their design wasn't chosen in the end.
6. What’s your go to tool for sketching and idea making?
For concept sketching I always use Photoshop, but when working in a sketchbook I try to keep it fun by incorporating multiple mediums. My favorite materials to throw in are cut paper and glitter. It gets messy
7. What is your favorite go to meal?
My go to meal will always be a gigantic fruit smoothie because it's sweet, creamy, and pink. A bonus is that you can sneak a broccoli or two in there and you can't even tell.
8. If you were not doing art, what do you think you would be studying or doing instead?
If I wasn't pursuing art I would focus my studies on the sciences. I have a knack for chemistry, but I'm also interested in biology and psychology.
9. What other types of work interest you?
Sculpture and 3D modeling work has always fascinated me. Especially when it contains a narrative or sense of action in that space. I'm always interested in art that has an intriguing narrative woven finely into it, no matter what medium.
