What's 'Ran.wy'? And What's with the multiple names?
My full name is quite long, so my "real" name is Rania Reihanah. My family nickname and general nickname is Ran. I am a big music person, I made my Instagram username based on the song 'Runaway Baby' by Bruno Mars. 'Runaway Baby' became 'Ran.Way', and 'Ran.Wy' became 'ran.wy'. It stuck because I like it. Plus, 'Rania Reihanah' creates confusion because people tend to ask me if I'm related to Rihanna. I am not. Also it's 'Ran-Way', not 'Ran-Wee'.
How old are you? What are your pronouns? What's your sign?
I was born in good 'ol 1999. My pronouns are she/her/hers. I am a Taurus Sun, Leo Moon, and Virgo Rising.
What is wyco.studio?
wyco.studio (pronounced why-ko studio) is a company that I started because I want to create a space for all kinds of Visual Arts and Design, as well as connect clients with Visual Artists that specialize in specific art styles and concepts. It's still in its early stages so I am currently the only member, but I am always looking for new visual artists for projects and stuff! I would like to one day also create a studio space where I can create an exhibition space for emerging Indonesian Visual Artists of all artistic styles and concepts. Please contact me if you're interested! Also, wish me luck on the future growth of my little visual studio!
How did you get into Art/Visual Design?
I've always been a little artist. I've been painting with different mediums since I was a little kid, and I love going to exhibitions and art shows. In my personal work, I like to do Gouache, Watercolour, and some Digital Art, as well as Character Design and story writing. To me, all art tells a story, and I like telling stories through mediums other than words. Words get difficult, and Artwork expresses many things that can be limiting when expressed with words. You can say I've always been a visual person, but I'll say I'm more of a 'Pictures Say 1000 words' kind of gal.
What is your Artistic Background and How did you get into Visual Design and Photography?
I was an IB Visual Arts Kid, and I wanted to pursue Film and Television but I've always Painted Stuff. I also did Photography School during my Gap Year before Uni, so I am technically Trained in Photography. I've been doing Events Documentation Voluntarily since I was 13 (I used to volunteer to take pictures of School Events) and I started doing it as an actual job when I was about 19-20 as a side hustle at University. Visual Design probably became a 'big thing' for me naturally, as I've been freelancing for a while and wanted to do different things other than photography. Design just happened to be something that I was into, especially since I've done a lot of Traditional Art. As for Photography, it was just a case of 'I wanted to learn something new but then it became a job'. I ended up becoming the President of a Photography Club, too. Photography and Visual Art for me go hand-in-hand as a method of expressing stories, so naturally, I got really into doing it.
Who are your biggest inspirations?
Aside from my family? Theres plenty! For photographers, I enjoy the works of Brandon Woelfel, Hamada Hideaki, and Alessio Sata. For Artists, I enjoy the works of Cindy Sherman, Edgar Degas, Sooyoung Chung, Kenneth Rocafort, and more. For Musicians, I enjoy the works of the DPR Crew, Christian Yu (also known as DPR IAN) also happens to be one of my biggest visual inspirations! All of these creators I enjoy inspire me to create and learn to hone my craft and skills in visual art. All of them also come from different eras, and in my opinion, it is important to find your inspiration from the past, present, and future. Also I am a nerd who likes art history. Which makes the fact that my taste in art is all over the place, but you live and you learn.
How did you develop your Visual Design Style?
Well, I am an 'I do what I think looks nice' type of person, but isn't that everybody? I like to look into the different design and visual styles, as well as trends and aesthetic concepts for every project I do. Which means, research, research, research. I also watch a lot of Kel Lauren, and their work helped me develop my own visual style as a lot of their Graphic Design videos have helped me learn more about visuals and things. Highly recommend them. My general rule for creating design concepts is: Make logos timeless; and make everything else visually interesting. The reason being Timeless Logos will never look tacky, and visually interesting things make me happy. I dabble in many styles, and I like different styles for different projects (e.g. I prefer minimalist UI Designs and more maximalist graphic designs), but I also like to make the habit of asking questions to my clients about what they want and adapt my style to what they want in their projects. The most important thing in developing your style is to practice and study.
Are you self-taught or did you go to Art School?
Technically yes and no to both. I did not go to Art School/Visual Design Communication school, but I have taken some classes for the basics and was in Photography School for a bit. I was also an IB Visual Arts kid so I had some educational training in Art Fundamentals. But most of the things I've done Visual Arts wise are things that I've learned from the job and from free online tutorials from YouTube, as well as from the many mentors that I had from my days working with the Fotoholics Committee Team. In my opinion, however, you don't need to go to Art School to do art, you just have to be passionate about it. But also, if you want to do it as a career, it is important to learn the fundamentals, and there are many classes out there, online or offline, so spread your wings!
Do you have any advice for anyone who wants to start Visual Design and/or Photography?
Start small and don't be afraid! You don't need fancy equipment to start out with. Make sure to experiment and go wild; Creativity flows best when not bound by rigid rules. Also, learn the fundamentals. I would say a dark and blurry picture of an elephant is not photography (I'm talking about you, Brooklyn Beckham).
What is your creative process like?
I do what every basic art person does. I go outside and touch grass. Heh, who am I kidding? I look for inspiration from different websites and artists, either from art galleries or art shows, or any website where artists can share their work, such as Twitter, Instagram, Dribbble, Behance, Pinterest, etc. Then I do all the necessary pre-planning for every project, which includes picking the colour story, booking any talent if needed, and picking locations/figuring out how I want the overall end result to look. Then I make the thing. I tend to listen to a playlist and drink several cups of tea while I work. I honestly wish I could tell you my creative process in a more poetic and pretty way, but I feel like it would not sound like me.
Where do you find inspiration?
Mostly Art Galleries! I love going to Art Spaces and Art Galleries and enjoying the work of fellow creatives. I also get inspiration from music, music videos, movies, video games, books, and social media. Sometimes I get inspired to make things based on the news. It's wild.
What are the meanings/Themes of your artwork?
I like to tell stories, so all of my art have different stories behind them. If you look closely, you'll be able to find the little tales I've hidden behind my work. Just sit back and stare till you figure it out <3.
What are your future goals?
My goal is to always improve my artwork and myself as a person. I love learning and I never want to stop learning more about the world. Education wise? I want to go all the way to PhD. I might do research on something art related, though, it truly is my passion. Company wise, I want wyco.studio to be a safe space for artists to grow and create freely, as well as get work from clients who want creative work that is expressive and one of a kind. I also want to create a space where emerging artists can showcase their work. I think Indonesia needs to support their Art Scene more, as a lot of our culture and history have many beautiful visual elements from them. I want to inspire local, emerging artists to not be afraid to create and tell stories through their artwork.
Can I use your work for Commercial Purposes?
Please Contact Me via the Contact Form if you would like to use my work for commercial purposes!
Can I use get a tattoo of your Original Artwork?
Aww, I'm flattered! Of course! Please tag me so I can see it! I love all forms of art. No need to pay me, since you're gonna have my original work on your body forever. Consider your commitment to having my work on you forever as payment, but please only use my original artwork! Don't tattoo any of my client/fan project work that I showcase on my portfolio because I might get in trouble. You can also commission me to design tattoos for you if you want. Don't have to if you don't want to, though.
Can I use your work as Study Material?
Sure! I'm glad you like my work enough to study it. :)
Can I repost and/or reshare your work?
As long as you don't claim it as your own. I would prefer it very much if you reposted it with credit. Also, please don't sell stuff with my art/design work without communicating with me! I'm afraid that's very much illegal.