• ARTS SPOTLIGHT
MAKE IT POP The digital art movement has seen quite the evolution in the past decade and with the rise of social media, more talented individuals have a platform to share their work with the world. Bahrain-based Sara Rajab, who goes by the handle @popcorn.nose.art on Instagram, is one such artist utilising modern-day technology to hone and share her skills. Here, she talks to FACT’s Shabana Adam about her artistic style and growing a grassroots following…
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n second grade, Sara Rajab drew a policeman for a homework project and her mother’s proud reaction sparked an artistic journey that has turned from a cool hobby into a bona fide side hustle. Creating digital art under the pseudonym @popcorn.nose.art (Sara’s best friend has always compared her nose to a perfect popcorn shape, hence the Instagram handle), the 24-year-old stumbled upon turning her drawings into life-like animations after she graduated. “I started to draw in my free time,” Sara recalls. “Then one of my friends told me to try digital art. After that day, I was amazed to learn how I could turn a simple sketch into a fascinating form of digital art just with one touch, anywhere and anytime I felt like it.” Digital Art encompasses a wide-range of work. In Sara’s case, her images are digitally-created reproductions of artworks that already exist in another form – she sketches in a book and translates these drawings onto the Stylus app. Sometimes, she draws directly onto the app, in pursuit of trying new things. You only need to take one look at Sara’s Instagram page to see the impact her artwork has made. Portraits of real people and pop culture characters appear in vibrant digital form, praised through hundreds of likes and comments. Everything from the lines to the vivid colours is in keeping with the Pop Art movement which utilises the imagery and techniques of consumerism and popular culture. Pop art was originally developed in the late 1950s as a reaction against Abstract Expressionism and flourished in the sixties and early seventies. Pop Art favoured figural imagery and 28
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the reproduction of everyday objects, such as Campbell Soup cans, comic strips and advertisements. The movement eliminated distinctions between "good" and "bad" taste and between fine art and commercial art techniques. Sara takes requests from friends and followers as well as drawing some of her favourite celebrity icons such as Frank Ocean, Donald Glover, Jaden Smith and, more recent drawings depicting the late Hollywood actor Luke Perry as well as her take on the blockbuster hit, Joker. Sara is gripped by the artistic process. She loves to learn new techniques and change up her style when the drawing permits. “I make different art for everyone,” she explains. “Some people request cartoony, and some want super-hero style, it depends on each individual.” For the moment, Sara’s tools are simple; she uses her iPhone 7 and various apps including Stylus and, more recently, Procreate Pocket to create digital art. She hopes to upgrade this to an iPad and iPen soon. Unlike a traditional canvas and watercolour paintings, digital pieces carry their own flair and finesse. However, the practice of producing the art remains the same. For Sara, pondering on a finished artwork is part of her routine. “I know I’m almost done with my piece when I add the small details that make my art come to life, like dots or stars, or freckles” she tells us. “Sometimes, after I finish a piece, I leave it to sit for an hour or more, just to look back at it and make sure it is exactly how I want it to be.” There is no rush when it comes to digital art. Much like its conventional counterparts, Sara’s work is, simply, an outcome of modern-day creativity and passion. “The vision of the final piece keeps me consistent till the end,” Sara says. “What inspires my work is the people I share my art with. They give me really good feedback and it makes me want to do more.” Helping to dispel the idea that digital art is something of a casual pastime, and not to be taken seriously, Sara’s work is the perfect example of moving with the times.
