Art by Ivanna Werner
Written by Dani Ramirez
This week, we highlight the creativity and unique style of Ivanna Werner, a fourth year studio arts major. Werner uses her talents to create what she aspires to see in the world. With a passion for the unconventional, Werner said, “In a world where usually the conventional is often celebrated, it brings me comfort giving my art that bit of realism that I feel is lacking in the art spaces I’m in today.” Her work is heavily inspired by the fandoms and media she engages with regularly. “Other than that, I’m heavily inspired by my own nostalgia, often taking elements from the visual styles of 2000s-2010s,” she added.
“punk is dead” by Ivanna Werner
One of Werner’s inspirations is Hideyuki Tanaka, a multidisciplinary artist, graphic designer and creative director. He is the founder of Frame Graphics and the designer of Werner’s favorite video game series, “Bust a Groove”, which has inspired her creativity ever since she discovered his work. “A lot of my inspiration actually draws from video games, including ‘Kirby’, ‘Splatoon’, and ‘Super Tempo’ to name a few,” she added. Aside from video games, Werner also takes great interest and inspiration from anime, one of her favorites being “Osomatsu-san.” “From the characters, animation and humor—this show has majorly influenced my style. I believe my love for animation wouldn’t have been so great if it wasn’t for this anime,” she exclaimed.
When it comes to creating her artwork, Werner enjoys working with both digital and traditional materials. Lately, she has been spending most of her time working digitally on programs such as, Procreate when working on illustrations and SquidToon when animating. Werner described her art saying, “I’m very loose with my art, so the tools provided by digital programs help refine my work better.”
Ivanna Werner in Agejo Gyaru
Outside of art, Werner also dedicates significant time to developing her fashion and style. She is an avid member of the Gyaru subculture. “I especially love the fashion of Gyaru, a subculture that originated in Japan in the mid ‘90s,” Werner said. While there are many substyles within Gyaru she enjoys and appreciates how bold and glamorous each one is. Werner tries to keep up and explore each of these styles, however, her favorite will always be Agejo. Agejo Gyaru is a glamorous and mature substyle that was popularized in the late 2000s. “Being Gyaru is a big part of my identity and inspires my work greatly,” Werner said. When viewing her art, you can see these inspirations from the clothing, hair and accessories she often draws her characters wearing.
“Overloards don’t bleed” by Ivanna Werner
Recently, Werner has been working on an animated short titled “Mr. Perfect.” “(It is) about a high school gal trying to summon the perfect boyfriend after many failed relationships. I hope to finish it by the time I graduate,” she exclaimed. For the future, with her passion for art, she looks forward to getting commissioned for her work. “Giving my art to people is what I’m best at and I’d love to give my art to the community,” she stated. One of her personal drives for her career is character design. Werner is open to the possibilities of one day being a concept artist for different studios.
“Untitled” by Ivanna Werner
When asked what art means to her she said, “Simply put, (art is) the ultimate tool of one’s individuality and self-expression! Art can really tell you who a person is inside, and I hope people can tell who I am through my art,” she exclaimed.
Werners commissions are also open, and if you are interested please contact her through her Instagram: @moonstruckblssm! You can also find more of her art, fashion and all things Gyaru on her Instagram page as well!
