Artist Spotlight & An Interview With Hyeonsick Choi, AKA - Aruana Sick.
Hyeonsick Choi, AKA - Aruana Sick:
Hyeonsick Choi (Aruana Sick) – A Brief Bio
Thanks to the wonders of modern technology, we now have a whole wealth of possibilities in terms of artistry and design, including digital art and illustration created via Photoshop. Many artists have used Photoshop to their advantage over the years, creating some truly stunning pieces in a whole host of different genres. One such artist is Hyeonsick Choi, also known as Aruana Sick.
Specializing in concept art, character art, and digital illustration created via Photoshop, Hyeonsick Choi is fast becoming one of the most respected digital artists of this generation. For those of you with an eye for fantasy, anime, and RPG characters like you would find in the Final Fantasy franchise, Hyeonsick Choi’s work will be incredibly appealing.
But what about the artist behind these amazing fantasy character art designs? Here is a brief, yet detailed look at the artist known as Aruana Sick.
Who is Hyeonsick Choi?
Hyeonsick Choi is a South Korean digital illustrator and character design artist who currently resides in beautiful Seoul, South Korea.
Hyeonsick Choi focuses on concept art and character design, and what’s especially interesting to note, is the fact that Photoshop is the only medium that this incredibly talented artist utilizes. Whereas other artists and creators may first use sketchbooks and notepads to draw or paint, Hyeonsick Choi chooses to use Photoshop and Photoshop only.
Ever since childhood, Hyeonsick has had a keen interest in art and in particular, uses to enjoy playing games and making drawings and illustrations. Now, those who are familiar with Choi’s work will know that character design is something which Choi takes great pride in and is clearly very talented at. This has been the case for many decades now, as growing up, Hyeonsick took great pride in creating their own unique characters and bringing them to life on paper.
As technology advanced, so too did Hyeonsick’s designs and they found themselves using Photoshop for concept art and character design, with a distinct focus on fantasy.
What does Hyeonsick Choi like to create?
Each artist out there has their own unique preferences in terms of what they like to create. Some like sunsets, some paint cityscapes, some design geometric patterns, and so on. Hyeonsick Choi however, has always been hugely interested in fantasy and RPG (Role Playing Games) which is why they prefer to create characters, monsters, and armor.
Hyeonsick states that, in particular, they like to create protagonists like you would find in role-playing games for game consoles, such as Final Fantasy.
Who inspires Hyeonsick Choi?
As far as artists go, there are specifically too many to name each one, but some artists, writers, and creatives who have inspired Hyeonsick over the years include Akihito Yoshida, Kim Byeong-Hyuk, and Onacia, to name but a few.
What is Hyeonsick Choi’s most popular work?
If you head on over to Aruana Sick’s Art Station page, you’ll find a wide selection of artwork on there, including ‘Personal Work’ and ‘Practice Work’. While these are all fantastic, one piece that caught our eye was a depiction of the character ‘Chun-Li’.
Chun-Li is a fictional character from the Street Fighter games and Hyeonsick has really brought her to life here. With stunning blues, greys, turquoises, and golds, the colors really help this character to stand out and if you’ve ever played the Street Fighter games, you’ll see just how accurate this creation really is.
ARTIST INTERVIEW:
What City, State & Country do you currently live in?: South Korea. I live in seoul, Korea.
What is your primary art application?: photoshop
What are some of the other mediums, or applications you use?: I use only Photoshop.
What are some of your favorite reference materials?: I got a lot of inspiration from Pinterest, Google, and ArtStation.
Do you have any artistic weaknesses that you're actively working on to improve?: I always try not to be lazy. And I am trying to draw a variety of styles. And it seems like many parts of the picture are vulnerable, so I think I have to work harder.
What made you want to become an artist?: Since childhood, I have loved games and drawings.
I thought it was a great pleasure to create my own character.
I will continue to draw in the future.
What are some of your favorite things to draw and paint?: I like to draw characters, monsters, and armor.
In particular, I like to draw the protagonist that would appear in console rpg games.
What artistic accomplishments do you see yourself achieving in the next five to 10 years?: I want to be a person who can paint freely without being difficult. And I want to be someone who can draw the desired image nicely.
Who are some of your favorite concept artists, or illustrators that you draw inspiration from?: Akihiko Yoshida, Onacia, Kim Byeong-hyuk, etc.
The writer I think of now is this much
I don't like only specific artists.
Too many.
Did you have any professional training? If so, what schools, or classes did you attend? If not, what process did you use to achieve your level of artistic talent?: I went to the academy. I didn't go to college.
I am seeking advice from many artists.
What is an interesting bit of personal info about yourself you could share with our readers?: I am a very boring person. I have no special interests or hobbies. I work hard to draw. ~
What is one bit of advice you would give to an aspiring artist like yourself? Something you've learned from experience along your journey?: Even if it is lacking, if you continue to dedicate it without stopping, it will improve little by little. I think the process of completing yourself is more important than competition with others.
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