Psychedelic designs warp Disney favorites
(Tyler Cole)
A vivid display of colors streak across the page, while fluid lines drip to form new defining features that beg to be colored and brought to life within the imagination of Irvine Valley College student Jessica Pascual, 21, business marketing.
Pascual finds great happiness and joy in creating art.
“I’ve been drawing since I was really little,” Pascual said. “In my senior year of high school I took an art class and all of the projects I did ended up turning out great.”
When she was in Kindergarten, Pascual’s parents encouraged and shared with her their own past artistic endeavors.
“I really admire and enjoy her ability to take a well known character or figure like Alice from Alice in Wonderland and put her own original ideas into it,” said Pascual’s mother Susan, referring to a beautiful portrait of Alice in her colorfully Psychedelic world with the Cheshire cat and caterpillar, but instead of sweet little Alice, there is an Alice of Betty Paige Proportions. “The result is a while new wonderful character with a life of its own.”
From there Pascual continued to do art, much of which was inspired by artist, Opie Ortiz, who is best known for his work on several album covers for alternative rock band “Sublime”.
“I like to take his pieces and ideas, and I try to make them my own,” Pascual said.
Her ability to modify others artist’s ideas, or a perception of a character, in colored pencil or acrylic is her true talent.
Every line she does she puts new life into, and makes her own. Bolding out every curve, making colors and shapes what she feels they should be.
“Jessica has a truly great ability to use bright colors and create vivid artwork,” said Mike DeVan 21, undecided. “She really puts her all into her art, and doesn’t really give up when things don’t go how she wants.”
Jessica’s ability to do whatever she wants comes from her loves for her mediums.
“Paint is really easy and fun,” Pascual said. “If you mess up you can just modify and mold it back to what you want.”
Although Pascual’s talent seems limitless, learning every time she sits down to create, her time on the other hand seems to be fleeting.
“I’m on track trying to get my degree right now, so art classes are not really in the picture,” Pascual said, accepting the sacrifice of art time for school time. “Once I have my degree done, I know I’ll find time for my art.”
Pascual’s education and working situation demands her constant attention. However, her talent will never fade. She will undoubtedly have an opportunity to perfect her artistic abilities later when she has time.
“Life seems to close in on her sometimes with demands from work and school,” her mother said. “I know she gets a lot of satisfaction from her art, I just wish she had more time. The talent she has will always be with her, and she will always be able to draw on that.”