Ola

Ola is an artist from Galway who is currently studying animation in IADT, the Institute of Art, Design and Technology in Dublin. She loves animation and the endless possibilities digital art offers.

When did you know you wanted art to be your job?

I think when I was around 15/16 in TY I knew it was something I wanted to pursue, I spent most years kind of trying to deny that I could have a career out of it but overnight I kind of just said to myself that it’s what I really want and I stuck to it ever since then.

Are you attending art college and if so what is the experience like?+

I'm currently attending IADT and I'm doing the animation course, so far it’s been a stressful but rewarding experience, I've got to meet some really talented and creative people that really inspire me to improve and push myself constantly. Being in a creative environment really pushes you and makes you feel part of something really amazing, I really do love being surrounded by my classmates. Of course deadlines, and essays and all are still part of the college deal and I struggle heavily with time management and motivation but the environment that my course creates is very supportive and I always know I can ask for help.

Do you have a favourite type of art?+

I'm very drawn to art with solid storytelling, as someone who is into animation. I love when a piece of art tells a story, bonus points if its sequential like a comic strip haha I love seeing a story play out. Visually I'm always drawn to strong colour choices and exaggeration of reality whether its anatomy, perspective or landscape because I get to see the abstraction of everyday life through the artists eyes. I am constantly inspired by the artists I follow on my social media but also in fashion, film and animation. I love seeing interesting editing choices, odd colour palettes that just work for each scene, intriguing dialogue and characters all that stuff really grasps me.

How do you know if you are a good artist?+

I honestly don’t think you ever know when or if you're a good artist sometimes haha, it’s kind of weird but a lot of artists tend to be very humble and critical of their work. There's a certain level of constant criticism and perfectionism that takes place in your mind as an artist and each level of progression that you take as an artist never seems to be enough because they're always reaching for the next thing to improve on. That can lead to issues, like never feeling your art is good enough or feeling almost like an imposter when your art is recognised and valued. It’s a vicious cycle that shouldn't be as common in the community as it is, it’s never a shameful thing to take pride in your work and acknowledge when you've made improvementsin your work. Even I struggle very hard with this, very often but you know you're a good artist when you can admit and accept that you are a good artist. We are all growing and learning.

Do you have any advice for younger artists?

Don’t compare your art to other artists! Don’t be discouraged when things don’t work out! You have to make a lot of ugly art to make good art!

Is this an exciting time for art and artists?

Every era of art is an exciting time for artists! There's always new eras and trends and our world and society affects that a lot so there's always new things to be on the look out for. Today's artists have easier access to digital art technology and also more acesss to free art education online, it’s creating a big boom of extremely talented young artists with new ideas and its very refreshing to see that grow every day.