In today’s digital world, art is no longer limited to paper and paint. Technology has also become both the artist’s tool and muse, shaping a new way of creative expression.
Inside a well-organized dorm room where a bowl of candy sat on the coffee table and the shutter of the camera went off, senior illustration major and graphic design minor Jordan Woolfork placed a few art pieces on his wall.
Woolfork’s desk sat in the corner of the room, with art pieces stacked on the desk and on the wall. Pencils and brushes were arranged in their organizer, and his tablet was placed in the middle, softly illuminated by a small desk lamp. It was the perfect setting to take his portrait, a place that showcased his creative environment and held some of his prized pieces.
“I first got into digital art when I actually got to college,” Woolfork said. “Up until then I was working in color pencil, watercolor, acrylics. I had a love for art and for those mediums, but it wasn’t until I started digital art that I feel like I found my way as an artist.”
He explained that the transition wasn’t easy.
“At first, it’s very, very different. Working on paper versus an iPad or computer, there are different buttons you press, different things you don’t think about in traditional,” Woolfork said.
“It was very challenging. It wasn’t until, like, my junior year that I actually feel like I was making good pieces, to be honest.” But once he learned the tools, Woolfork said digital art “really amplified my artistic vision and my style.”
His creative flow changes depending on the medium.
“When I’m doing a traditional work, it’s a lot more sketches,” Woolfork said. “For digital, if I’m doing an environment, I take a picture and maybe I sketch over it or paint over it just to get a feel. Then I go off memory or stick with that and amplify it.”
With traditional art, Woolfork said the process is slower and more intentional.
“When I’m doing it from hand, I like to be there seeing the photo or scenery and draw it from hand,” he said. “There’s a lot more preparation until you’re actually like, ‘okay, now I’m gonna paint it.’ And sometimes you find out it looks great in black and white. There’s a lot more testing in traditional than digital.”
Woolfork also described the difference between class assignments and personal projects.
“There’s a lot more stress when it’s an assignment,” he said with a laugh. “You’re more concerned on, is this gonna give me an A? And meeting the deadline. When it’s for fun, it flows a little better. You feel more free in the thinking. Personal projects, you always just have more passion with it.”
As he spoke, the photographer adjusted a light in the corner. Woolfork continued arranging pieces on the wall as he discussed how perceptions of digital art have evolved.
“Before, digital was very divided,” he said. “My professor always says when he was in college, people looked down on him for using digital, like, ‘you’re not a real artist.’ But now everybody uses digital, and you can incorporate traditional with digital too.”
He shared an example of a recent piece.
“I did a full color pencil drawing, and then I took it into Photoshop and added lighting and other paint effects. It works so congruently. And especially for jobs, portfolio-wise, you gotta have both. If you don’t have a good foundation, your digital can’t help you that much.”
Looking ahead, Woolfork plans to bring his skills into animation and visual development.
“My end goal is character design. I plan to work in TV and feature films, creating character designs, background designs, and environments. Disney is where I’d love to work, but DreamWorks, I love so much. I’ve always loved movies. I can talk to someone about movies literally for hours,” Woolfork said.
As the photoshoot began and the camera lights turned on, Woolfork sat back in his chair and smiled. The mix of digital screens and traditional tools around him reflected exactly who he is: an artist rooted in tradition, growing through technology and ready to create worlds far beyond the walls of his dorm.
