A Long Way Up & A Long Way Down
Emma H.
My work began with a series of preliminary sketches on paper to refine composition, perspective, and light. The architectural environment was then constructed in a 3D modeling program, allowing precise control over structure, light, and atmosphere. Using this as a foundation, the piece was redrawn in Ibis Paint, a digital art software, where the figure and anatomical details were integrated to heighten contrast between human vulnerability and brutalist form. The colors of the painting were developed first in grayscale to establish a strong value system, then transformed through a custom gradient-map palette. Final painstakingly rendering employed textured digital brushes to evoke the tactile qualities of concrete, fabric, and skin. This process required constant magnification to ensure all the details were seen. Throughout, the focus remained on sculpting a tension between cavernous, dark shadow and soft illumination– an interplay that evokes both the engulfing weight of the brutal architecture and the quiet resilience of the solitary human figure.
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I was inspired by brutalist architecture, especially Kim Holfermand’s "Babel "series, which captures the unassuming yet captivating interior of a Danish water tower. The blocks of exposed concrete, sharp simple geometric shapes, and monochromatic palette creates a cold, oppressive atmosphere often associated with dystopian settings. Yet within this severity, I find beauty in its honesty—the raw materials, structural clarity, and functionality that become their own aesthetic. This piece explores the experience of moving forward through complex struggles. The towering, labyrinth of pillars symbolize the many obstacles one has faced to reach this point. At the center is a small, vulnerable figure standing before what seems like an endless void, yet still looking upward towards a soft light. Her face and posture reflect both uncertainty and hope, revealing how we continue despite fear. It shows that our past struggles shape us, and that true progress—though difficult—always remains possible.
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Creativity is the freedom to translate thoughts, emotions, and stories across any medium and beyond any boundary. It isn’t confined to one audience or narrative, but a fluid space where old techniques meet modern tools. For me, creativity means limitless expression, unbound by rules, demographics, or expectations.
