Artist of the Week: Junior Joey Dunning

“There aren’t any rules to art. That’s my favorite thing. You can do whatever you want,” junior Joey Dunning, the Oct. 20 Artist of the Week, said. Dunning taught himself how to use Photoshop five years ago, and he has been using it to translate his imagination onto screens ever since.

Dunning became captivated by digital art through other digital art pieces and interesting graphics he saw, as well as influences like Milton Glaser and Keith Haring.

As for his creative process, Dunning explained that the time it takes for his ideas to take form as art can vary in length. “Coming up with an idea for a design or an illustration can sometimes take a long time. Other times it just clicks in my brain, and I can just put what’s in my mind onto the screen.”

Dunning’s digital art portfolio includes designs of icons like Kanye West, Michael Jackson, John Lennon and even Mack from the Cartoon Network show “Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends.”

“The design that I’m most proud of is my most recent piece,” Dunning said. “It’s a black and white illustration of John Lennon with his hair being different and vibrant colored triangles, with different patterns inside of the triangle to add depth.”

As for his experiences as an art student at Cedar Falls, Dunning credits art teacher Lisa Klenske for being a mentor and making class truly enjoyable. “Mrs. Klenske is always fun to work with and fun to learn from,” Dunning said. “[She] has been a big help to me, showing me new tools and techniques to use.”

In the 2017-2018 school year, Dunning said he hopes to broaden his horizons in design and test his skills by learning new approaches and putting them to the test through printing his creations.

“One of my goals this year is to extend my boundaries with graphic design by trying some new techniques or styles,” Dunning said. “Another one of my goals is to start printing some of my work. It looks good on the computer, but when you finish a project and print it out, it’s a great feeling. It makes you feel proud.”

However, Dunning said that his time as an artist will not end after his high school career. “I plan to go to college for graphic design and keep creating art as my full-time job. That’s my dream,” Dunning said. “I also want to be able to contribute to the community by making different designs, logos and posters for businesses while I’m in college.”

 

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