Fanart, while not a new concept, is now a force to be reckoned with. Something that became popular as early as the ’60s with the beginning of fandom culture as we know it, fanart is “created by fans of a specific work, character or artist” and can take its form in any medium. Whether it’s celebrities, movie and TV show characters, or K-pop idols, fanart knows no bounds.
As a generation that grew up on the internet, Gen Z are no strangers to the concept of fanart and have adapted it to digital forms on social media platforms. In this roundup, we are featuring Dyauzz, Julie Damgaard, Caro Martinez, and Qpa5455. We asked them some key questions about their online career. These are four Gen Z artists who don’t shy away from fanart for their portfolio.
Dyauzz
Name/Pseudonym: Dyauzz
Preferred Medium: Digital
Location: Chile
What’s your favorite fandom?: I like all fandoms that have cute girls or magical girls in them.
Why did you decide to share and document your work on social media?
When I first started drawing, even though I was embarrassed, I thought it was a waste not to share my drawings on social media for other people to see. Honestly I had a struggle between shame and pride for a while. However, nowadays what I like the most is to believe that my art inspires people to draw like other artists did with me in the beginning.
What about anime interests and inspires you?
I’ve always liked anime, the unique and interesting character designs make me want to draw them as soon as I see them. This makes me wonder how they would look in my style, this has helped me to practice and improve my technique.
How has the making of fanart shaped your artistic journey?
It’s great to bring an illustration to a fandom and have them appreciate it as much as I do, while we all share the love we feel for the characters. Drawing fanart has helped me reach more people who like what I like and feel motivated to follow my passion.
Shuploc
Name/Pseudonym: Julie Damgaard/Shuploc
Preferred Medium: Digital
Location: Denmark
What’s your favorite fandom?: Arcane, although I’m still very fond of the World of Warcraft fandom, and Pedro Pascal’s fanbase.
Why did you decide to display and document your work on social media?
One of the main things that halts my creative process is lack of inspiration, and I realized that very early on. Lucky for me, with the age of the internet and social media, it’s very easy to find and be exposed to incredible artwork on a daily basis. Seeing all the passion in the work other artists were posting online inspired me so much, and I was hoping that by posting my own work, I could also end up inspiring other people.
Why has Arcane in particular interested you and why do you create work inspired by it?
I was immediately interested in Arcane because I grew up playing League of Legends and was therefore already familiar with a lot of the characters featured in the show. But even without all of that, every single frame of Arcane looks like a painting, and the passion and care for the story is so palpable. Everything about it is just so incredibly inspiring, and by drawing fanart of it, it almost feels like I’m adding something to the story myself.
How has technology advanced you as a digital artist?
With traditional art, you have a tendency to run out of space and materials, and sometimes it’s not possible to erase your mistakes, which as a perfectionist is not a fun time. With digital art however, you can change everything about your work at any time, and that has allowed me to take a lot more chances and go out of my comfort zone. I legitimately don’t think I would have been as good of an artist as I am now had I not made the switch to digital years ago.
Caro
Name/Pseudonym: Caro Martínez
Preferred Medium: Digital (CSP)
Location: Chile
What’s your favorite fandom?: The Owl House
Why has The Owl House (TOH) in particular interested you and why do you create work inspired by it?
Animation has always been an interest for me but I didn’t know much about TOH until the day I came across a little clip of the Grom sequence and the art style caught my attention. Once I got into the series I couldn’t help but fall in love with its world and characters. Naturally, I was desperate to make art inspired by my new fixation and take all those ideas out of my head. And what better if i can also share my love for the series with all my fellow TOH enjoyers!
Why did you decide to display and document your work on social media and how does it affect your work?
It simply started as me wanting to show what I do and love on my personal account. I didn’t expect to receive as much support as I did and I’m so grateful for it. Following a non-art related career, sometimes doing art seems pointless. But it definitely gives me an extra push to know there are people that appreciate my work. It makes me remember how much I really love doing it.
I’m so happy just scrolling down on Instagram and Twitter seeing all the new art of my favorite shows and ships. Makes my day to think I could be that joy for someone else.
Can you give some tips or messages for Gen Z fan artists who would like to use the internet as their platform for sharing artwork?
Don’t be scared to try and share your work! Social media is the perfect place to show the world who you are and maybe get the chance to monetize your art.
Stay motivated and don’t give up, it doesn’t matter your skill level, we all start somewhere. Be kind, and support others through their own art journey and I’m sure that you will find many people willing to give the same back.
Qpa5455
Name/Pseudonym: qpa5455
Preferred Medium: Digital
Location: Ukraine
What’s your favorite fandom?: The Owl House
Why has The Owl House in particular interested you and why do you create work inspired by it?
The Owl House has a special place in my heart, not only because it has a great balance between humor and serious topics. But also iwhen this show aired, everything was in chaos because of the pandemic and a lot of other events. Every new scheduled episode was like a place of stability and comfort for me. About a year ago I noticed that there wasn’t a lot of art (like fanfics, drawings, etc.) on a specific topic I enjoy within The Owl House, so I started to post my own doodles and more complicated artwork of that interest.
Why did you decide to display and document your work on social media and how does it affect your work?
It was mostly a challenge for myself to share my art, where it can be displayed instead of hiding it in computer folders or deleting them immediately. To my surprise it got a lot of attention and as a result I got more inspired to create and share.
Your art style makes your work often like a painting. How did you come up with this technique within your art?
I’ve tried a lot of different techniques to find something that I feel comfortable working with. I’m also very fond and interested in recreating traditional looking techniques in digital painting, like the looks of gouache or pencil drawings. It’s still tricky and I’m changing my approach to match the mood to every piece but in general I just like how painting makes me feel during the process.
Fandom has come to be an integral part of Gen Z culture and often helps to shape people’s identities. Fanart is one of the most integral parts of fandom culture and whilst it is an art form on its own, it can also help artists to develop their skills and grow their following. It’s an art form that creates a community and can be used as a form of communication across the globe. As the internet and digital advances are made, fanart is something not likely to go away easy, and with the development of AI, it’s clear to see why many still prefer the passionate, personal creations of these artists.
All art was provided by the respective artists.
For more about Gen Z creatives, read about Gen Z henna artists here!
