A reflection image through dots and strokes of red, orange, green, blue and purple that create form using thin markers. Junior Joseph Chu draws pieces such as this one in his spare time.
Before high school, Chu’s drawings were mainly black and white detailed sketches with pencil, but upon recommendation from friends, he began to draw in color using fine tip markers. His current art style is composed of lines of various lengths that are parallel to each other or overlap each other to create maze-like components that create a larger picture, Chu said.
“I ended up using fine tip markers because it offers the amount of detail that I’m used to, but at the same time I can put colors into my art,” Chu said. “So it’s a little bit different from black and white sketching with my pencils, but it has enough of the same feeling that it’s not too strange.”
His art reflects aspects of his faith, Mormonism, through symbolism such as contrasts between the goodness and light and the negativity in darkness. His work also displays his emotions, and whatever visually interests him, Chu said. He generally searches an image of what he wants to draw, and then adapts it to fit his style.
“The main thing I want to get through my art is that not only is it to reflect on what views I have on the world around me, but to also be able to share something nice with others,” Chu said.
Chu shares his artwork with his friends, including one piece that he gave to his friend, junior Keith Sibal. The piece is of a tree on an island, and it is currently displayed on the wall of Sibal’s bedroom.
“[The piece] is super aesthetically pleasing,” Sibal said. “I really like its simplicity, but also it’s a very neat style. And also I like the color scheme as well. Just the mix of colors, they blend very nicely together.”
One of Chu’s favorite art pieces is a black pen drawing using his current style titled, “The Tree of Life”, because of its deeper meaning related to his religion, Chu said.
“He has been drawing for a long time,” long-time friend junior Carter Perkins said. “I’ve seen his skill grow, and I know it’s something he is very passionate about.”
Chu was very young when his interest in art began, and his dad claims that Joseph’s desire to actively pursue art began after he watched an anime show about a young artist. The show was a major influence in Chu’s pursuit of art because of the brave character’s continuation of artwork when so many people tried to prevent the character from his dream. Chu does not plan on pursuing art as a career, but hopes to continue to create artwork throughout his life.
“There is no exact right or wrong in art,” said Chu. “It’s just what you make of it.”
