Artist Statement
“Shidao” is an art book conceptualizing a fictional 16th century agrarian world through drawings and fictional illustrations. As a digital artist, I am influenced by how concept artists craft their illustrations, and notes when world-building. I love being able to peer into the minds of the artists and understand how they explore different ideas while creating their works. Examples such as the decor a home has, the signature motifs of the culture, to even the small details of an old road. The primary focus of my illustrations is to capture and communicate similar feelings in Shidao. I am world-building through returning to the past for creative inspiration.
Shidao is a world inspired by Mongolian, Turkic, and Slavic cultures and motifs, as well as their respective geological regions. By surveying aspects of geography, architecture, and other anthropological aspects I bring the landscapes and its inhabitants to life. Some pages depict significant clothing, societal tasks, and others illustrating housing, common spaces, and cultural landmarks. Accompanying the drawings are also short descriptions which guide the viewers in learning more about the history, and environment of the world.
I take the viewer through a journey into a fictional land that echoes our own histories/cultures in hopes to bring forth a sense of familiarity and wonder when we look at a world set in the past.
