The digital age has made art more accessible than ever before, and 28-year-old Hong Kong artist Sye could not agree more.
“Digital art is easier to create than other traditional art forms,” the artist said, adding that it did not require many tools and artists could begin a piece anywhere.
Artists are using the internet to make their artwork more accessible, extending their reach worldwide. Digital media platforms and online galleries have become popular places for artists of all backgrounds to publicise and sell their work.
With an Instagram page of her own, Sye can conveniently promote her artwork and reach a larger audience.
Hong Kong artist Sye uses social media to promote her work. Photo: Instagram/@sye_digital_art
Digital versus traditional
As a digital designer and watercolour artist, Sye fondly remembers her first attempt at drawing on a screen. “It was a slow learning process,” she said, emphasising on the difference she experienced in texture and feeling.
The most apparent difference is with the canvas. “With digital art, you are drawing on a screen, so it is a much smoother experience,” Sye shared.
In addition to the canvas, the colours and art medium also differ. “I had to try out many different digital brushes to find the suited me,” the artist shared. She also said it took some time to get used to the difference in colour selection with a colour wheel as opposed to mixing paints in traditional art.
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The role of art in the community
Art has always reflected in different aspects of life where artists creatively communicate cultural ideas and societal values.
Sye was born and raised in Hong Kong and feels deeply connected to her local community.
She occasionally enjoys a walk on the streets and takes pictures of the beautiful buildings and scenery of her home city. “Sometimes the pictures look plain, so I draw the scenery and recreate the city of my heart,” Sye said.
Many of her artworks reflect Hong Kong’s society. An example of this is in her piece on Shek Kip Mei Street, where the artist draws the contrast between the new and old buildings of Sham Shui Po.
Hong Kong artist Sye feels deeply connected to the local community and that is reflected in her artwork. Photo: Instagram/@sye_digital_art
In the post caption, Sye questions property prices in Hong Kong and asks, “What can we do to have a home here?” By using the accessibility of social media, the artist can use her artwork to bring awareness to local problems and influence her followers to contemplate societal issues.
Sye also recreates many famous tourist attractions in Hong Kong with her art. “I have a fair amount of following from foreigners, and I hope that when they see my Instagram page, they are attracted to the scenery of Hong Kong,” she shared.
Her most well-received piece is a landscape watercolour painting of the centrepiece castle at Hong Kong Disneyland.
However, “The most memorable piece for me would be the watercolour landscape painting of the city view from Victoria Peak,” Sye said, recalling that she spent 10 nights after work to finish the piece.
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Why you should engage with art
Sye stresses on the importance of students learning how to use colour and appreciate the world of art.
“A piece of art can have multiple sides. A painting could look colourful but have a sad story behind it,” she said. Sye furthers that learning to appreciate art can help train students to look at the world from different angles and perspectives.
“Give it a try, and do not box yourself up,” Sye suggested. She explained that drawing is a form of self-expression and said, “You can draw what you cannot say.”