{"id":15963,"date":"2025-03-08T15:49:18","date_gmt":"2025-03-08T15:49:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/?p=15963"},"modified":"2025-03-08T15:54:11","modified_gmt":"2025-03-08T15:54:11","slug":"ren-moen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/2025\/03\/08\/ren-moen\/","title":{"rendered":"Ren Moen"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"15963\" class=\"elementor elementor-15963\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bb26f68 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"bb26f68\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-793ea9c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"793ea9c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.21.0 - 22-05-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<p>Year of birth: 2004.<br \/>Where do you live: Georgia.<br \/>Your education: Bachelor of Fine Arts\/BFA in Illustration.<br \/>Describe your art in three words: Playful, Vibrant, Curious.<br \/><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/renmoen.com\/\">Website<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/renmoen.jpeg\">Instagram<\/a><\/strong><\/p><h4>Your work spans across various mediums like digital illustration, character design, and animation. How do you approach a new project, and does your process differ depending on the medium you&#8217;re working with?<\/h4><p>When beginning a new project, I always take the time to do the mental work before sketching out anything. No matter what medium I am working in, I find it crucial to understand the intended audience and create a strong concept first. Illustrations and animations can be highly rendered and polished, but without a clear concept and direction, the message gets lost. After that, I&#8217;ll complete a series of thumbnails and color tests until I find the composition that best supports my goal for that piece. My process remains the same overall no matter the medium; of course, with animation, storyboards are essential to find what movement is most dynamic.\u00a0<\/p><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-15966 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Ren_Moen_Deforestation-1_2025_Digital.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1050\" height=\"1401\" srcset=\"https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Ren_Moen_Deforestation-1_2025_Digital.jpg 1050w, https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Ren_Moen_Deforestation-1_2025_Digital-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Ren_Moen_Deforestation-1_2025_Digital-767x1024.jpg 767w, https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Ren_Moen_Deforestation-1_2025_Digital-768x1025.jpg 768w, https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Ren_Moen_Deforestation-1_2025_Digital-600x801.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1050px) 100vw, 1050px\" \/> Ren Moen | Deforestation #1 | 2025<\/p><h4>Whimsical and conceptual themes are central to your work. What is it about these themes that draws you in and inspires you to explore them in your art?<\/h4><p>In my work, I am especially inspired by childlike wonder and imagination. Often this reflects in my work through whimsical themes and conceptual subjects rather than a narrative. I believe fostering an inner child allows you to view the world through a more colorful lens and find wonder in everyday life. Creating illustrations that explore vivid hues and fun characters is my method of keeping my inner child alive. I hope that those who view my art are also inspired to slow down and look at their environment through a more youthful lens.\u00a0<\/p><h4>The use of vibrant colors seems to be a distinctive feature in your pieces. How do you choose the color palette for a piece, and what role do colors play in conveying the message of your artwork?<\/h4><p>I love color, and always have. When ideating for a new piece, I&#8217;ll create several different sketches with different color palettes. I tend to lean towards complementary colors- such as orange and blue, as I find the contrast helps create emphasis for the subject. Most of the time, the most essential element of my artwork- or the element that communicates the message strongest- is done in warm, saturated colors while the background and supporting details remain cooler.\u00a0<\/p><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-15967 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Ren_Moen_Apple-Eater_2023_Digital_10-x-12.8-inch.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1050\" height=\"1359\" srcset=\"https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Ren_Moen_Apple-Eater_2023_Digital_10-x-12.8-inch.jpg 1050w, https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Ren_Moen_Apple-Eater_2023_Digital_10-x-12.8-inch-232x300.jpg 232w, https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Ren_Moen_Apple-Eater_2023_Digital_10-x-12.8-inch-791x1024.jpg 791w, https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Ren_Moen_Apple-Eater_2023_Digital_10-x-12.8-inch-768x994.jpg 768w, https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Ren_Moen_Apple-Eater_2023_Digital_10-x-12.8-inch-600x777.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1050px) 100vw, 1050px\" \/> Ren Moen | Apple Eater | 2023<\/p><h4>Your work often has a surreal, dreamlike quality. How do you balance the fantastical and imaginative elements in your artwork with a sense of reality or emotional resonance?<\/h4><p>The juxtaposition of the fantastical and realistic is something I enjoy experimenting with. Many of my illustrations and animations are intended for children&#8217;s media and publication- therefore leaning into the whimsical appeals to children&#8217;s active imaginations. However, there will always be elements of the &#8220;real&#8221; incorporated into a scene in order to make the artwork feel familiar, relatable, and grounded.\u00a0<\/p><h4>As an artist working with digital mediums, do you find any unique challenges or advantages in creating artwork this way compared to traditional methods?<\/h4><p>For me, the biggest advantage I&#8217;ve found for working with digital mediums is the ability to add movement through animation. So much of today&#8217;s digital landscape includes movement to draw in an audience- you see it in advertising, social media, and editorials. Working digitally allows me to really bring a piece to life through motion. However, when working digitally, it is possible to lose some of that handcrafted charm that traditional art has. I like to use brushes that add traditional-inspired texture and linework to my illustrations to replicate that feeling.\u00a0<\/p><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-15968 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Ren_Moen_Ace-of-Borzois_2024_Digital.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1050\" height=\"1241\" srcset=\"https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Ren_Moen_Ace-of-Borzois_2024_Digital.jpg 1050w, https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Ren_Moen_Ace-of-Borzois_2024_Digital-254x300.jpg 254w, https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Ren_Moen_Ace-of-Borzois_2024_Digital-866x1024.jpg 866w, https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Ren_Moen_Ace-of-Borzois_2024_Digital-768x908.jpg 768w, https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Ren_Moen_Ace-of-Borzois_2024_Digital-600x709.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1050px) 100vw, 1050px\" \/> Ren Moen | Ace of Borzois | 2024<\/p><h4>What themes or concepts are you most passionate about exploring in your art, and how do you see your work evolving in the future?<\/h4><p>I am most passionate about exploring feelings of wonder and curiosity. When looking towards the future, I hope to continue infusing my work with these themes but apply them to a variety of situations. I&#8217;m interested in using my illustrations, often geared for children, to bring awareness to current struggles and issues in an approachable way. It&#8217;s so important that the next generation is educated on these topics, and art is one of the most communicative tools that can be utilized.\u00a0<\/p><h4>You\u2019ve worked on a variety of projects that explore imaginative worlds and creatures. How do you develop and build the characters in your pieces, and where do you draw inspiration for them?<\/h4><p>Concept and visual development has always been a passion of mine. I draw a lot of inspiration for my environments and creatures from the natural world. Through my process, I test out combining these natural components with strong shape language and vibrant colors to simplify them and infuse them with personality. I find that it also helps to write out a story, even if it&#8217;s only a few sentences. Having a story or background for a character will make it feel so much more alive in an illustration.\u00a0<\/p><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-15969 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Ren_Moen_Deforestation-2_2025_Digital.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1050\" height=\"1049\" srcset=\"https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Ren_Moen_Deforestation-2_2025_Digital.jpg 1050w, https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Ren_Moen_Deforestation-2_2025_Digital-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Ren_Moen_Deforestation-2_2025_Digital-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Ren_Moen_Deforestation-2_2025_Digital-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Ren_Moen_Deforestation-2_2025_Digital-768x767.jpg 768w, https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Ren_Moen_Deforestation-2_2025_Digital-650x650.jpg 650w, https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Ren_Moen_Deforestation-2_2025_Digital-600x599.jpg 600w, https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Ren_Moen_Deforestation-2_2025_Digital-100x100.jpg 100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1050px) 100vw, 1050px\" \/> Ren Moen | Deforestation #2 | 2025<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Year of birth: 2004.Where do you live: Georgia.Your education: Bachelor of Fine Arts\/BFA in Illustration.Describe your art in three words: Playful, Vibrant, Curious.Website | Instagram Your work spans across various mediums like digital illustration, character design, and animation. How do you approach a new project, and does your process differ depending on the medium you&#8217;re [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15963","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-interviews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15963","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15963"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15963\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15972,"href":"https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15963\/revisions\/15972"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15963"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15963"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/visualartjournal.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15963"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}