Local teen hopes to study art in Japan

Tiphanie Eriksson can’t remember the first time she picked up a pencil to draw, but if you take a moment to look at some of the artwork she’s done, you’d think it was shortly after she was born.

“I started way back,” Eriksson said. “I can’t remember. I just know it has always been a passion of mine.”

Eriksson said that one of the reasons she always enjoyed doing artwork, which ranges from sketching to painting, working with hot cocoa to on the computer, is that she has always been shy.

“I’m usually a bit of a shy person,” she admitted, “so at times it has been a way for me to express myself. It’s also a way for me to show people what’s inside my head.”

Eriksson said that back when she first started drawing her subject matter revolved around dragons. With older age, she’s been trying her hand at drawing more realistically.

“Back then, I was a bit of a geek,” she said honestly, “and I drew dragons and stuff. I look back now and I’m like, ‘what?’ I’m getting more into the realistic.”

Eriksson said that she has especially fallen in love with Japanese art. A piece she did entitled, “Treasures of Japan,” won her third place in a county art contest a few years ago.

“Their whole society and culture has always been based on the concept of art,” Eriksson expressed. “From the way the geisha danced, from the way they dressed and down to the way they ate their food. It went all the way down to basic life and was all about art. That’s what got me, even at an early age.”

Aside from enrolling in art class at school, Eriksson hasn’t been taken art lessons.

“I’ll just look at something and see how to draw that,” Eriksson said.

Eriksson said that family members on both of her parents’ sides have been artistically entwined, but that “most of them have put it down.”

“I’m one of the few that’s stayed with it,” she said. “It’s my life. It’s my passion and I don’t want to let this go if I’m good at it. I want to do something with it.”

Working on the computer, Eriksson said that there’s so much more you can do. From enhancing colors to shading and blending, she said that once your use to it, the realm of possibilities is opened.

“I do a lot of digital and traditional,” Eriksson said. “It’s a little bit different on the computer, for one, the material that you use to actually draw on. But once you get on there, you can do a lot more with. There are more effects and you can make it look a lot more realistic.”

Sometimes it’s also a mixture of both. In one graffiti-styled piece she did, Eriksson sketched the initial rough draft on paper using pencil. She then ran a copy of it, and did an initial shading of color on paper before scanning it in. Once on the computer, she was able to enhance the colors and manipulate details from there.

“I actually love graffiti art,” Eriksson expressed. “I think people should put it somewhere else besides buildings and trains, basically vandalism. I think it’s a very creative art that needs to be used a bit more wisely, but it’s a neat style.”

And like any creative person, Eriksson said she has her share of blocks.

“Art blocks are terrible,” she said. “I just start doodling and if I can’t do that, I’ll go watch a movie, listen to music, to try and get inspired.”

She said that she’s most creative at night time, about the time it starts getting dusk. With school, the amount of time she can spend developing her ability each day varies.

“It just depends if I have time,” she said.

She said that she likes brighter colors even if the picture she’s doing might be a sadder or darker seen.

“Of course, darker colors are better for a darker picture, but I like using brighter colors because it makes everything seem a bit happier. I think brighter colors bring out the mood in pictures,” Eriksson said. And despite having a plan, when you’re an artist, things don’t always turn out the way you initially planned. Working with hot cocoa mix, Eriksson planned to make a person drinking hot cocoa, but it turned into a Christmas-like scene because, “that’s when you usually drink hot cocoa.” Stuff, it seems, just comes out when you’re an artist.

In the age of connection, Eriksson has connected with several artists on Deviant Art, a Facebook-like community for artists and the creative individual. One of her pieces of a detailed human skull was viewed several times and actually ended up being featured on The Art Den.

“It feels good. I spent a lot of time on it. With all the little details, it took me forever,” Eriksson said. “(Details) take more dedication.”

Attention to details, colors, shading and a great deal of patience go a long way, especially when you’re composing a photo out of nothing more than mere colored dots. Eriksson is currently practicing people and has big plans for her talents.

“I want to bring my pictures and creations to life. I don’t want them sitting, collecting dust,” Eriksson said, “whether it’s putting them on the big screen in movies, books or whatever.”

Eriksson is planning to study abroad in Japan this fall and said she would love to attend college there once she graduates high school.

“I think going to Japan will help me out greatly,” she said. “That’s the origin of the stuff I want to do and they’re doing a lot of what I want to do with my stuff.”

Of course, going to Japan in the fall will be no easy task and Eriksson said she’s hoping to hold a couple of fundraisers, but with enough dedication and desire, anyone can accomplish anything.

“[When someone looks at my art] I hope it makes them happy. I’m also hoping that they get to know me a little better too,” Eriksson said.

And like all artists it seems, Eriksson is especially critical of her work. As she was showing off several pieces, she covered up the lips on one, saying, “Just ignore that. They’re not quite finished.” But even on unfinished pieces, Eriksson has a critical eye.

“Artists are always telling themselves it’s not good enough and that’s why we keep improving,” she said.