Artist Spotlight: Junior Aing. Sheikh

thepaper6
1 day ago
3 min read

Updated: 17 hours ago

By Max Pearson

Aing. Sheikh is a City College junior majoring in Art/Digital Design. With an eye for detail and humor, Aing. shares his thoughts on generative AI, resilience, and the power that art can hold.

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

How did you get your start with drawing? How has your artistic process changed over the years?

I got my start with drawing in my sophomore year of high school. My situation at home was tumultuous, and my art was my only escape. I'd use my dreams as points of inspiration and loved to create stories in my head. I was able to move out of that situation, and the change was extremely noticeable. My artistic voice became refined, and I was improving faster than I could notice. The classes at CCNY serve as a great structure for my art process, as someone who was self-taught. I start with writing and word stacks, then move onto thumbnailing (making at least 9 thumbnails for a piece). Digital art is where I started, and I usually produce final projects/pieces there.

What do you see in the world around you that inspires you to create?

No matter what I do, I'll always absorb the world around me. Music is definitely a driving factor; a good song can easily spark inspiration for me. I like to include a lot of irony, sarcasm, and humor in my works to commentate on the world, but I also like to include hope. A lot of the music I listen to delves deeper into these themes.

What impact has art had on your life? What does being an "artist" mean to you?

Art has had an undeniable presence over my life. It's the only thing that stayed consistent throughout everything I've been through. During dark times, it was the only thing I could latch onto. It's also one of the only skills I've polished over time, so I'm stuck with it! Being an artist doesn't solely mean illustrating or painting. I personally believe that there is art in everything: cooking, writing, sports, film, etc. An artist is someone who is able to beautifully refine and pour themselves into a skill.

What is the biggest challenge you've faced as an artist?

Perfectionism. My main goal when starting art was to improve as much as I can, as fast as I can. This really stunted my growth not only as an artist but also as a person. When beginning a skill you will not be good at on the first try, it takes a hefty amount of time and effort to develop said skill. I currently have seven years of experience as an artist and find myself still growing and learning.

What are your thoughts on the use of artificial intelligence in art?

Like any other sane artist, I don't condone the use of AI in art. Delving into the technicalities of AI "art," it takes other artists' works and merges them together to create an amalgamation, unclear and not cohesive whatsoever. Art needs a human hand, a soul to drive it. Art also needs a perspective, a purpose behind it. Not to mention, art is an extremely accessible skill, all you'd need to start would be a paper and pencil. I think people don't want to put the work into art but like any other skill, it's necessary.

What's next for you? Where do you hope to go with your career, and with your art?

When I started my art journey, I did it because I wanted to create a story. That goal has changed only slightly; I now want to create stories (plural)! I used to escape through comics and graphic novels, and I want to give back in a sort of way. I see myself becoming a comic book artist or graphic novelist, or just a storyteller in general.

More of Aing.'s work is available on his Instagram, @eight_daze.

Max Pearson is a City College transfer student majoring in education. Her dream is to be an elementary school teacher and a published novelist. When not writing, she can be found embroidering flowers on her sweaters, exploring NYC, or nerding out about historical medicine to anyone who will listen.