Today we’d like to introduce you to Caroline Gendron.
Hi Caroline, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My name is Caroline Gendron, and I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. As an Asian-American adopted from China, my identity has always been a little complicated. Not quite versed enough in my Chinese culture, but also a minority in most spaces growing up led to my shy and timid personality. Therefore, Art and Design became my solution to genuinely share who I am. I found illustration as a way to express my thoughts and develop my voice. This passion led me to study Illustration at the Savannah College of Art and Design, where I am currently in my Junior year. Despite the many roadblocks, including COVID and being away from my family for the first time in my life, I love Savannah and have learned so much at SCAD. Being in a new city brought so much positive change to my life because I’ve learned how to use my voice both visually and vocally to express who I am.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There were many struggles along my journey, including transitioning from High School to College during the pandemic and learning to be more independent after moving a thousand miles away from my home. In 2020, I graduated from high school with an online PowerPoint graduation and the cancellation of all Senior events that I had waited four years to attend. Financial challenges and social health concerns made attending my dream college feel more and more like a dream than a reality. However, as devastating as COVID was, it led to me being adaptable and an advocate for myself.
After considering my choices, I decided to dual enroll at a local community college and attend the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) at the same time during my first year of college. This solution allowed me to save money by taking my Gen-Ed courses at community college and art courses through SCAD. However, it also meant I was unable to live my first year on campus as I envisioned. I worked hard, taking 6 classes at a time balancing two different academic schedules, and creating artwork at home in a makeshift studio downstairs. This journey paid off though because I was finally able to fully move on-campus during my sophomore year at SCAD.
As thrilled as I was to leave my hometown in Illinois, Savannah, GA brought new challenges my way. I missed my family and friends and struggled to adjust to the environment. However, my unfamiliar surroundings ended up allowing me the most growth I’ve experienced so far in my life. I feel more myself every day and can call Savannah my second home.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a Digital Illustrator specializing in Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and After Effects. I primarily create digital paintings of Fantasy and Sci-fi themes. Growing up, I enjoyed watching my older brothers play video games, leading to my joy in illustrating fictional characters and unexplored worlds. I am most proud of my work as a student at SCAD because I have dedicated a lot of time to my projects and maintained my 4.0 GPA. What sets me apart from others is my versatility as an artist. Although I focus on digital painting, I can also create traditional paintings, vector art, animated illustrations, and poster designs. Ultimately, I believe that my drawing skill and eye for design allow me to accomplish many types of projects with a variety of subject matter.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
I think the Digital Illustration industry has definitely been shifting more to utilizing 3D software, including Zbrush, Maya, Blender, etc. These programs allow artists to sculpt an object that they can view at numerous angles to make still illustrations easier to draw. These 3D models become an important tool in developing accurate environments and consistent imagery throughout many illustrations. Learning 3D software will likely be required skills in more Concept Art jobs in the Entertainment Industry.
In addition, Artificial Intelligence Art will continue to challenge artists in every discipline. AI Art is currently undercutting illustrators by creating work from existing art without permission. This makes it difficult for artists who spend a lifetime developing their style and put hours into creating a piece. Hopefully, platforms and art competitions will establish strict rules to distinguish AI art from art created by independent artists into separate categories. Furthermore, artists would prefer if AI programs drew from images that are public domain rather than their copyrighted work; regarding careers, there may be fewer jobs available in the future if the entertainment industry uses AI to inform their world-building. Potentially, Ai can do all the ideation work with just a click of a button resulting in fewer artists needed by companies. It would be a time-saver because Ai can produce many visual solutions quickly. At the least, artists will increasingly use Ai as a tool to jumpstart their work in the future.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://carolinegendronart.wixsite.com/myart
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolinegendronart/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caroline-gendron-716058212/
- Other: https://www.artstation.com/carolinegendronart
Image Credit:
©Caroline Gendron
