Nai Chalhoub, a junior at Wauwatosa West, uses bright colors and alcohol markers to make cartoon style art. Even though she likes drawing things stylized, she is also very proficient in realism. Nai hopes to go to animation school and make a comic of her own. She was recently featured in an article about selling stickers to support her home country of Lebanon. Here’s what Nai has to say about art in May’s Q & A.

What’s your process like? 

When I get an idea, I look up reference images. I have at least five with me all the time. And I then start with a pencil sketch first to figure out what I want. And then when I have it all, I start to ink it. After that, I pick up the colors that I feel would work with all with it. 

Do you like using any specific techniques or colors?

I like using bright colors a lot. I feel like it makes the drawing pop more. It all depends on also the expression on the person. Like if I want the piece to be more happy, it will have brighter colors. And if you want to be more gloomy, you have to work  more gray’s in there. 

What do you hope to do with your art later in life?

I really want to go to college for animation. So I hope that I could animate movies. I also really want to design a comic book, I think that’d be super cool.

What’s your favorite medium? 

I don’t paint because I’m awful at painting. I like alcohol markers, and micron pens. Just pencil. I hate charcoal. So I rarely use charcoal. I draw people mostly, like drawing in a more cartoony style.

How did you start drawing?

Half of my family draws, so I kind of started drawing because of them.

What’s your inspiration for your art?

I guess everything. I find a really, really cool picture. I go, Okay, I’m going to draw that. And then I’ll kind of bring my own style into it.

What’s your advice for other young artists?

Just practice a lot. That’s the best I could say. Also, learn the colors that work well together. That’s also very important. 

Why do you like art?

It’s just something I can do that makes me relax. Every time I draw. It’s very therapeutic. I can get lost. And it’s really nice.