Stylized Art

I am RayCee the Artist, and I am a digital artist as well as a professional portrait photographer, event photographer,and wedding photographer. I would describe my artwork as being bright, colorful, and stylized. When creating a piece of art, I aim to deliver a final image that immediately draws people’s attention. I enjoy the creative process that is involved with digital art and photography, and I hope people enjoy my work as much as I enjoy creating it! The digital art which I create is created using an Apple iPad. The iPad is the perfect tool to create digital stylized art.

Also, if you would like to purchase a high-quality fine art print of any of my stylized art pieces, please visit my fine art prints page or contact me at raycee@rayceeartist.com!

Also, be sure to follow me on Instagram and YouTube!

What Is Stylized Art?

Stylized art is a form of visual art that emphasizes a unique and distinctive artistic style rather than realism or naturalism. It is characterized by exaggerated or simplified forms, bold colors or patterns, and other design elements that emphasize the artist's creative expression over a realistic depiction of the subject matter.

Stylized art can cover many types of creative expression. The stylized approach to art can be found in various mediums, including paintings, drawings, sculptures, and even digital art. Basically, stylized art involves stylizing or simplifying things to exaggerate their powerful qualities. It takes regular things such as people and objects and exaggerates elements (such as colors and shapes) to make them more stylized.

Stylized art refers to a visual representation of an object, subject, or scene without a full attempt to accurately represent an object's/subject's/scene's realistic appearance. In other words, stylized art refers to any artistic representation that emphasizes or exaggerates certain features of its subject matter, often to express a specific aesthetic, emotional, or conceptual idea.

Stylization can be manifested in a variety of ways, depending on the artist's intent and medium. For instance, an artist might simplify or abstract the form of their subject matter, reducing it to a few essential lines or shapes. Alternatively, an artist may add decorative elements or patterns to their work, emphasizing certain details and creating a unique visual style.

Stylized art is different from realism in this way. Stylized art can include simplifications in shape, lines, color, pattern, and/or surface details. With my stylized art, I will take natural forms and alter the color, shapes, lines, and features. This produces stylization of art which appears similar to the natural form while also looking more dramatic/abstract.

Stylized art may look abstract or cartoonish because it is often created with the intention of making it look different from traditional art, and to stand out in some way. It can be used to communicate emotions or messages in a creative way.

This creative process can be traced back to the cave drawings from prehistoric humans and has been used in different forms ever since. Stylized pieces often play on exaggerated features and unique line qualities to produce works of art that capture our attention. Whether it’s a stylized visual depiction of a person in a painting or a stylized mascot character for a sports team, stylized art adapts reality into something different in ways that spark our imagination.

Stylized art is a type of art that has a unique, specific style. Overall, stylized art is a flexible and creative approach to artistic representation that allows artists to communicate their vision and ideas in a unique and visually compelling way.

My Stylized Art Technique

I use many different stylized art techniques to create unique styles of art. I will vary the colors, lines, textures, and patterns in order to create visual interest. I want to draw the eye to the various unique and colorful shapes, lines, objects, and forms which I create. All artists have their own style, and I am certainly an artist with a unique style. When people, including other artists, need a colorful and stylized piece of custom digital art, I am the right artist to hire.

Examples of My Stylized Art

If you are looking to see examples of my stylized art, you will find many examples of my stylization of digital art in my digital art portfolio (as well as throughout this article). I love coming up with new stylized art using different colors, shapes, and light patterns.

Also, I take custom requests for art commissions from people located in different countries across the world. The fact that people in different countries around the world enjoy my art so much is something that means a lot to me. That is why I take a great deal of time and effort to make certain that I use my unique stylization techniques to bring a person's vision to life in the form of digital art.

Other Examples of Stylized Art

The Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh

An example of a famous stylized art piece is The Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh. This work of art has become iconic due to its stylized depiction of a night sky that creates a mesmerizing scene. In The Starry Night, Van Gogh's thick brush strokes capture a vibrant night sky filled with stars.

Here are some other examples of well known pieces of stylized artwork:

The Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dalí

This surrealist painting, created in 1931, features melting clocks and other distorted forms that play with our perception of reality.

The Great Wave off Kanagawa by Hokusai

This iconic Japanese woodblock print, created in the 1830s, features a stylized, towering wave and a small boat struggling to stay afloat.

Composition VIII by Wassily Kandinsky

This abstract painting, created in 1923, features a complex arrangement of colorful geometric shapes that suggest movement and energy.

Les Demoiselles d'Avignon by Pablo Picasso

This groundbreaking painting, created in 1907, features a group of women with distorted, angular features that reflect the influence of African masks and other non-Western art forms.

The Scream by Edvard Munch

This expressionist painting, created in 1893, features a figure with a contorted, screaming face against a backdrop of swirling, stylized clouds.

The Kiss by Gustav Klimt

This decorative painting, created in 1907-1908, features a couple embracing in a shimmering, golden world of stylized patterns and motifs.

These stylized art pieces have stood the test of time and continue to be celebrated by art critics, art enthusiasts, and casual observers alike. Their stylized designs draw us in and captivate our attention with their beauty and emotion.

Japanese Anime & Manga

Japanese anime and manga also draw heavily on stylized artwork with their exaggerated facial features and dynamic action sequences. The manga art style is characterized by its distinctive features, such as large eyes, small mouths, and exaggerated facial expressions. The style is also known for its use of speed lines, which are often used to convey movement or action.

Also, pop art by artists like Andy Warhol uses bright, vibrant colors and iconic images to make stylized statements. Stylized art can take many forms, but it is always recognizable for its unique aesthetic.

Stylized Art vs. Realism

Stylized art and realism represent two distinct approaches to artistic expression. Stylized art often employs exaggeration, simplification, or abstraction to convey a unique vision or message, while realism aims to capture the true appearance of subjects with accurate proportions, colors, and textures.

Stylized Art

Stylized art is an art style that emphasizes artistic interpretation/artistic freedom over objective representation. Stylized artworks typically distort or simplify the subject matter, exaggerating certain features or simplifying others to create a unique, visually striking representation. Stylized art is all about artistic freedom. Stylized art can take many forms, from the highly abstract to the highly decorative, but all share a focus on artistic expression over objective representation.

Realism

Realism, on the other hand, is an art style that aims to represent the world as accurately and objectively as possible. Realism typically strives to recreate the visual appearance of the subject matter in real life, using techniques such as perspective, shading, and accurate proportions to create a lifelike representation of the world.

One significant difference between stylized art and realism is their approach to detail. Realism typically aims to capture every detail of the subject matter, while stylized artworks often simplify or even omit details in order to create a more visually appealing image. Another difference is their use of color and form. Realism tends to use naturalistic colors and forms, while stylized art may use bold, bright colors and abstract shapes to create a more imaginative or expressive image. My digital art portfolio has many examples of bold and bright stylized artwork.

Realism aims to produce an accurate representation of the world as accurately and objectively as possible, while stylized art emphasizes artistic freedom and often simplifies or distorts the subject matter for artistic effect.

Stylized Video Game Art

Stylized video game art refers to the use of an artistic approach that deviates from realism to create a distinct and recognizable aesthetic. Stylized graphics can produce a more interesting scene in a video game, and can include exaggerated proportions, bold colors, simplified shapes, and other artistic choices that give the game a unique and memorable look. Stylized game art can be used in a variety of genres, from RPGs to first person shooters, and can serve as a way to distinguish a game from its competitors.

Stylized game art is popular for numerous reasons. Stylized game art offers a unique, recognizable, and distinctive aesthetic that sets a game apart from others in the same genre. It can make a game visually appealing and stand out in a crowded market. Also, stylized game art has a timeless quality to it. Unlike realistic graphics, which can quickly become dated as technology advances, stylized art can remain relevant and visually appealing over time.

In addition, stylized game art can appeal to a broad range of audiences, from children to adults. It can make a game feel more approachable and less intimidating to newcomers. Finally, stylized game art is often less resource-intensive to produce than realistic graphics. This can result in faster loading times, smoother frame rates, and a more enjoyable gameplay experience overall.

Final Fantasy 7

One of my favorite games of all time is Final Fantasy 7. The stylized game art of Final Fantasy 7, a classic role-playing game released in 1997, has become iconic and widely recognized among gamers. The game features pre-rendered backgrounds and polygonal character models, which was a significant advancement in game graphics at the time.

The art style of Final Fantasy 7 combines elements of Japanese anime and Western fantasy, creating a unique aesthetic that has become synonymous with the series. The characters are highly stylized, with exaggerated proportions and distinct clothing designs that reflect their personalities and roles in the game's story.

The environments are also highly stylized, with intricate details and a mix of futuristic and industrial elements. The game's world, known as Gaia, features a mix of fantasy and science fiction, with environments ranging from lush forests to cyberpunk cities.

The use of cinematic cutscenes and dramatic camera angles also adds to the game's stylized presentation, creating a sense of epic scale and drama. The game's use of dynamic camera angles during battles and cutscenes was groundbreaking at the time, and has since become a hallmark of the series.

Toonstruck

Another one of my favorite video games as a kid was the PC game Toonstruck. Toonstruck is a point-and-click adventure game released in 1996. Its stylized game art features a unique blend of 2D and 3D animation, creating a cartoonish world with a lot of visual appeal.

The game's characters are all drawn in a cartoon style with exaggerated features and bright colors. They are designed to be both whimsical and endearing, and each character has a distinct personality and appearance. The main character, Drew Blanc, is particularly notable for his exaggerated nose and comically expressive face.

The game's backgrounds are also stylized with bold outlines and bright colors, creating a vivid, surreal world that is both fun and engaging. The environments are detailed and full of hidden surprises, making exploration a rewarding experience. The stylized images and stylized graphics in Toonstruck make every scene a much more interesting scene.

Toonstruck also uses 3D animation for some of its characters and environments, which adds a layer of depth to the game's visuals and give it a semi realistic style. The 3D elements blend seamlessly with the 2D elements, creating a cohesive and visually stunning world.

Return to Monkey Island

Return to Monkey Island, released in September 2022, uses stylized game art to bring its eccentric, pirate-themed universe to life. The vibrant, varied color palette sets a warm, lively atmosphere, while the semi-realistic environment design captures the fun and adventure of the game.

Characters are stylized and uniquely designed with exaggerated features, each with a distinctive silhouette and personality that adds visual appeal. The animations are cartoony and exaggerated, enhancing the humorous and engaging gameplay experience. This stylized game art style successfully blends nostalgic homage with modern aesthetic standards.

Leveraging AI in Art Creation

In the evolution of art, technology has consistently proven to be an enabling tool, expanding horizons for creative minds. The latest frontier in this journey is the joining of art and artificial intelligence. This isn't just science fiction, it's an exciting reality that we're living in today and I am thrilled to share that I am a part of it.

AI-generated art involves using algorithms and machine learning techniques to create visuals that were once only possible through human hands. The results are stunning and they challenge our understanding of what constitutes creativity and originality.

While the AI performs the heavy lifting of generating the images, there is a human element involved as well. As an AI artist, I provide the initial input and guide the AI in the creation process. I then interpret the resulting output, refining it and providing context to make it understandable and relatable. Each piece of AI art that I create is a blend of my imagination, personal style, and the intricacies of advanced algorithms.

This exciting blend of technology and creativity is a journey I am proud to be part of. I invite you to explore my AI-generated art by visiting my AI Art page. Here you can view a diverse range of pieces, each a testament to the transformative power of AI in the art world. My AI Art page is a platform where the boundaries of art are stretched and redefined, offering a fresh perspective on what art can truly be.

In the fusion of my imagination with advanced AI, I am able to generate pieces that are truly unique, a celebration of stylized art in the 21st century. I believe that this form of art, co-created with AI, opens up limitless possibilities, challenging the traditional, and encouraging us to think beyond what we've known so far.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, stylized art is all about capturing an idea or aesthetic with simple yet powerful shapes and lines, allowing us to take something familiar and turn it into something memorable. Whether you love bold and bright artwork, or something more subtle and calming, there’s definitely a stylized piece of art out there for you!

Each piece of stylized art which I create has its own style and unique look about it. Feel free to visit my digital art portfolio to view my artwork. Also, if you would like to purchase a high-quality fine art print of any of my stylized art pieces, please visit my fine art prints page! And if you are looking for an artist who can create a custom piece of stylized art for you, please do not hesitate to contact me at raycee@rayceeartist.com!

Also, be sure to follow me on Instagram and YouTube!

-RayCee the Artist