Vanessa Vega
Artist Statement
I started drawing at the age of 12. With the exposure of the early age internet, I have encountered different sources of media. From illustrations to animations, my dream was to become an animator in the animation industry. However, as time flew by, I realized that animation is not for me, and I preferred drawing concepts. After graduating high school in 2020, I still needed four credits to complete my associate degree. I wanted to pursue my studies in the art field. I had a graphic design teacher in my high school which made me think I should pursue that field. At first, I chose graphic design because I was aware that traditional artwork can get me nowhere. When I completed my associate degree in Graphic Arts at South Texas College, I was still unsure if this path was worth my time. I took a semester break and transferred to UTRGV in the fall semester of 2022. That is when my view of graphic design changed. I never knew things such as logo design, typography, and never fully explore Adobe programs such as Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, and more. I became fascinated and it made my official mark that I do love graphic design. Years passed by and my knowledge grew, including my skills in graphic design and illustration.
My work has evolved over the years. When I first started graphic design, it was clear that I had no understanding of the premises. Now I can create variations of graphics with all the skills I have learned throughout my time in UTRGV. I want to showcase my work that there is more to graphic design. The majority assume that there is hardly anything and it is a digitized version of fine arts. I want to prove that graphic design can expand to various styles of art. Creating posters of pure typography, an interactive graphic, a combination of type and illustrations, and packaging design. Graphic design can expand to digital media such as animation, web design, multimedia and emerging design.
I want my work to show all the possibilities of being a graphic designer. My main inspiration in my artwork is mainly illustrators. Artists such as Tori_kun and Masaaki Yuasa influenced my work to be clean and confident. They were the reason why I prefer simple and clean designs. I work on my graphics in a structured, organized plan. I start with brainstorming and coming up with design ideas and keywords. I began researching for inspirations or information that will help with my design process. Then I sketch various ideas until I decide which one I like most and I move my sketch to digital. That is where I decide which fonts and color palette will be included in the design. After a couple of attempts and revisions, I have my finished product.
I know not all work in an organized fashion, but this is how I work. I apply this method at work and home. When it comes to solving problems, I listen to what the issue is. Once I found the solution, I applied my organized method to complete my work. Overall, I have learned so much about graphic design. I was able to expand my creativity skills to not fully rely on traditional artwork. I can combine my skills and create a design that speaks to me. I enjoy what I do, and I am excited to continue my career to explore more graphic design.
