A brilliant illustrator with a hugely expansive imagination, Paloma Valenzuela’s passion and creativity have taken her on an incredible journey in the world of digital art. From her childhood love for drawing and fascination with illustrations to her exploration of various digital tools, Paloma’s story is one of determination and growth. Let’s dive into her experiences, inspirations, and the evolving landscape of digital art.
As a child, Paloma found solace and joy in picture books and illustrations. These early encounters with art fueled her passion to create. She vividly recalls her fondness for MS Paint and Kid Pix, old computer drawing software that allowed her to unleash her imagination. Drawing directly on a screen became her dream, motivating her to pursue studies in Graphic Design and Digital Illustration after completing high school.
Paloma strikes a balance between traditional and digital mediums when it comes to her preferred tools and software. She begins her creative process by sketching with her favorite mechanical pencil in a notebook or utilizing her iPad with the Procreate app. These initial drawings serve as a foundation for her artwork. To bring her ideas to life and refine her creations further, Paloma transfers her work to her laptop, utilizing the power of Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. She is also eager to explore Clip Studio Paint, recognizing its potential and the opportunities it offers for her artistic growth.
Like any artist, Paloma has faced setbacks and moments of doubt throughout her career. In her early years, she found herself giving up on art projects due to fear, lack of confidence, and negative influences. She once believed these setbacks defined her as a failure. However, over time, Paloma realized that persistence paid off for those who continued their artistic pursuits. This realization led her to trust her instincts more and embrace persistence and patience in her creative endeavors. She understood that setbacks were not failures but valuable lessons that helped her become a better artist.
One of Paloma’s most significant achievements occurred at the end of last year when she won a digital tablet in an Instagram contest. This unexpected victory not only filled her with joy but also provided her with a much-needed tool for her work. Despite it being a basic model, the tablet has become an essential asset in her creative process.
Paloma finds inspiration in diverse and unexpected sources. Emotions, other art pieces, music, movies, TV shows, video games, and even drawings all inspire her. She creates unique and unusual pieces, such as an aesthetic drawing inspired by a stomach ache, a “demon girl” influenced by a computer virus, or a curious scientist preserving mermaids in a laboratory after seeing animals preserved in formalin. Everyday life also inspires her, as she perceives beauty in distant, blurry shapes, prompting her to imagine new creations, reminiscent of the principles of Gestalt psychology.
Looking towards the future, Paloma envisions her personal projects going viral, particularly her t-shirt designs and a picture book she aspires to release. She hopes to create art that carries meaning and resonates with people, just as she has experienced through her own encounters with art.
Regarding the influence of AI and machine learning in digital art, Paloma sees it primarily as a tool for inspiration. While she acknowledges the potential for clever ideas to emerge from the intersection of art and AI, she doesn’t have an in-depth understanding of its impact yet.
Interestingly, Paloma discovered unexpected techniques through AI-generated memes. The application of an “anime art style” AI’s lighting effects on faces caught her attention and inspired her to experiment with similar effects in her own work.
You can find her work here: https://www.teepublic.com/user/dream-mori
Follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DreamMori_
Also, be sure to stay tuned for more in the series “Behind REBL District”. If you haven’t already, check out our exploration of the video artist studio Web3FX behind the REBL District trailer.
