Arleb by Nabad interviews 25 year old concept and character artist Ahmad Jouni who hopes to see more people in Lebanon gain awareness about the digital art’s importance in the visual arts field.

Arleb by Nabad – What is your background?

Ahmad Jouni – My background sprouts from my childhood. As a child I have moved a lot, and as an observer I discovered myself liking the characters of people. I would spend hours trying to find what makes a person unique and delve into the different characteristics that people hold. On the other hand, I am heavily interested in fantasy. Were it be TV shows like Game of Thrones, or books like The Witcher 3 and Lord of the Rings, I have found myself there. The ideas I construct throughout my drawing process consist of body language (posture and anatomy), theme, and type of concept. As an avid games lover, I aspire to see my work adopted by video game companies, which is why I believe creating a backstory for a character is as important as drawing it.

Arleb by Nabad – What is the experience that has influenced your work the most?

Ahmad Jouni – The experience that has influenced my work the most has to be the Design Software and Painting 101 classes I took at university. I love art as much as I love computers, therefore, I had to find out an art form that infused the two together. I searched for a decent digital drawing tablet, got my programs set up, and began this journey into digital art in January 2020.

Arleb by Nabad – Which subjects or themes are you working on? 

Ahmad Jouni – I am currently working on expanding my portfolio in concept and character art. The themes that I enjoy are fantasy and history. I am focusing on learning the human anatomy better in hopes of achieving higher standards of visual forms and body expression so that the viewer would gain a grander understanding and correlation to the concepts being viewed to them.

Arleb by Nabad – What is your creative process like? 

Ahmad Jouni – My creative process starts with an idea I might see or hear; perhaps a historical figure I read about or a character/scenery I watched in a show. The next step is gathering references. Whether it is a picture I took during a stroll down the street or an immersive web surf, I like to gather various references in which I see elements that would fortify my painting. I gather references for anatomy, form, and lighting. After that, I tend to draw small and loose thumbnail sketches which aid me in forming the visual path I want to pave and choose the one I am most comfortable with. I redraw the loose sketch, edit, and add the first inking layer. Then, I would start figuring out the values of the subject, whether an overweight king or a feeble little imp, values are what define the anatomical structures we are going for. After all that has been taken care of, I add the clothing and any other elements that would give the concept the depth it requires. I would then add another layer of colors, and render the image to completion.

Arleb by Nabad – What was the impact of the Beirut port explosions (August 4, 2020) on your work as an artist/creative enterprise? 

Ahmad Jouni – Just like any other Lebanese person, the explosion left a hole in us that we can’t fill. A nation given a survivalist mentality finds it hard to appreciate art. The catastrophic event of August 2020 has had its repercussions on all creative fields and caused us the setbacks we are facing today. However, with the explosion and the Covid-19 epidemic, I have decided to pour all my feelings onto my canvas. I have decided to tackle the entrepreneurial setbacks in the creative field by simply having more studio time, to tone out anything that is happening outside and focus on what’s in front of me. It was hard and exhausting, however, the support I got from my friends, parents, and my professors has been stellar, and I got my first full commission after the explosion which served as a stepping stone for more to come. 

Arleb by Nabad – What are, according to you, the roles of arts and culture in social, economic, environmental or political change? 

Ahmad Jouni – As Pablo Picasso once said, “Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life”. And never a truer statement has been said. In terms of a society, art in all its diversity helps people perceive beyond their surroundings, because when that happens, people discover the vast dimensions in their interests. This method of thinking entices broader ways of mind. Art and design have always been hand in hand with the market, it is the boat that attracts the audience towards a product, service, or an idea. It sends a message, a message that could hold any meaning whether it’s political, economic, or social. Just like how someone addresses the unfortunate events of global warming, art can be used to provoke emotion, guide, and persuade people into a higher level of understanding.

Arleb by Nabad – What are, according to you, the main challenges/obstacles facing artists/creative enterprises in Lebanon nowadays? 

Ahmad Jouni – Awareness is the key to understanding. Unfortunately, a large part of the population in Lebanon has a very short understanding of the vast limits art can have. It is my sincere wish to see Lebanese people rise through the ranks in terms of diversity in creative fields because I am confident that the people have the potential to dominate various competitive fields in art. This is the message I hope to deliver through Nabad’s amazing contribution to the art community, I want to spread awareness about digital art as a standalone competitive creative field with a promising future. Let us show the world what this country can achieve!

CHECK OUT AHMAD JOUNI PROFILE AND ARTWORKS FOR SALE ON ARLEB.