Check out Kyna Tek’s Artwork

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kyna Tek.

Kyna, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I’m not one of those artists that grew up as the kid prodigy drawing and painting their entire childhood. I didn’t figure out I liked creating art until I was in college. It started with taking a drawing class as an elective and then, I was hooked. Of course, I was terrible, but that was okay. I fully expected to be. I also had no idea what I was doing, not only with drawing but with my life. Finding something that I could attach myself to gave me an identity and drive that I never had before. From that point on, I’ve been putting in the work to improve and it’s been a major part of my life.

We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I create fantasy and science fiction illustrations that focus on characters unique stories. I want people to look at the illustrations and be captured by the carefully crafted compositions, marvel at the details, and develop a curiosity towards the subject matter.

All of my current artwork is created digitally. A computer, a drawing tablet, and Photoshop are my tools. In school, I started out with traditional materials like charcoal, acrylics, and oil paints. I felt that the future of illustrative art was going to be in the digital medium. My thoughts were that most viewers were not going to care what type of medium art was created in, it was the results that mattered. Around the same time, I was realizing this, I started to see digital artwork from amazing artists like Craig Mullins, Stanley Lau, and Justin Sweet. Their work inspired me to immerse myself in digital tools and I haven’t looked back since then.

I continue to create art because I’m on a journey of growth. There’s always something I want to improve upon and there are always more stories I want to tell. Maybe one day, I’ll feel like I’m a “good” artist but that’s not my main motivation.

My favorite images of mine tend to have a certain melancholy and beauty to it. My aim is not to dampen anyone’s mood, but to acknowledge and admire that there’s beauty to be found in the full spectrum of emotions. I simply choose to explore the grey side of the spectrum.

My career goal has been to work on projects for publishing and tabletop games. Some of my images have been commissioned for use in publishing. Doing work for clients offers a unique set of challenges. I’m having to fulfill the requirements of the clients yet balance it with a subject matter and style that keeps me interested and allows me to create my best work. It’s a fun challenge and it feels great when my artwork is in demand.

The sterotype of a starving artist scares away many potentially talented artists from pursuing art – any advice or thoughts about how to deal with the financial concerns an aspiring artist might be concerned about?
This question gets to the heart of my own personal challenges of being an artist. So a disclaimer, realize this advice is coming from a person that has been working day jobs and still continues to pursue a life as an artist.

Know that no matter what, you’re going to have to work extremely hard. You have to really want it, it’ll hurt badly sometimes. The art game isn’t easy, there’s a lot of competition. You’re probably going to experience some kind of suffering pursuing this life and some days you will want to quit.

If that doesn’t sway you from this life, then you are ready for the rest of my advice. You need to have people in your life that support you. People who have a true belief in you and that what you are doing is worthwhile.

Having a mentor can be a huge boost. Find someone that is experienced and it’s best if they’re already doing what you want to be doing. This will keep you sane as you grow.

Next step is to keep working on your art. Aim for perfection. It’s impossible to reach but you need to push for higher levels. Get so good that your art can’t be ignored. This will take time. Once you have achieved a certain level of quality with your art you are ready to make some real money.

I know this is not the most optimistic advice, but I feel it’s a dose of reality that anyone pursuing an art career should think about. You can’t live off of inspiration and a dream alone. Balance your life and family and keep on creating.

Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
My portfolio and social media links are listed below.

I can be hired! I love being involved with the science fiction and fantasy genre. I’m hoping to have my first artist table at Phoenix Fan Fusion in 2019. Follow me on Instagram or add me on Facebook. Reach out to me if you feel like my art could fit your project. Let’s talk!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.kyteki.com
• Email: kynatek@gmail.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/kynatek
• Facebook: facebook.com/kytekiArt

Image Credit:
All artwork created by Kyna Tek

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