Vector Artist: Chris Nielsen

Chris Nielsen

Chris Nielsen is a vector artist that uses photorealism to create his work. He received his MFA from California State University and is currently an Associate Professor in Southern California. Nielsen uses Adobe Illustrator for his images. He does not use any effects or filters in any of his images. The process of creating his images begins with a photograph that he has taken. The subject matter for his work is motorcycles. He focuses on small sections of the motorcycle and not the whole thing. Nielsen uses that photograph as a base to create his image. He uses only flat colored shapes to make the image and has a lot of layers for one image. On his website, there was a screen shot of 200+ layers with multiple sub layers in one of his images. Chris Nielsen includes in his artist statement that he is an admirer of Chuck Close and Richard Estes. It is visible that Chris has used some of Chuck Close’s process to create his image because he is using a photograph as a base for the final image

 

 When someone first looks at Nielsen’s work, it feels like if you were looking at picture of a motorcycle. Once you have looked at it for a while, you begin to realize that it is a digital image. It is interesting that Nielsen chooses to work in sections instead of the object as a whole. The image is really detailed and looks realistic. Nielsen’s goal for his images may be to focus on the small details that people wouldn’t normally look at in a motorcycle. The images are also showing his skill in the medium. There is a lot of detail and he is able to create it without using any effects available on the software.

Chris Nielsen’s artwork is successful in many ways. The most obvious way is the realism displayed the image. The shadows on the license plate frame and the shine on the chrome are just two examples of how Nielsen has successfully replicated these objects. The lighting in the image is nearly perfect because the shadows are in the right places. Overall, the images are great and there is nothing that could be done to make it better. 

Works Cited:

http://www.vectorvault.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/chris-nielson-vectorvault-21.jpg

http://www.vectorvault.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/chris-nielson-vectorvault-11.jpg

http://www.automotiveartists.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/ap_chrisnielsen.jpg

http://www.pentoolart.com/statement.html

http://www.vectorvault.com/2008/04/29/chris-nielsen-vector-motorcycle-artist/