Jing Zhou

Describe your field. Why are you interested in Computer Art/ Computer Graphics and what (event, need, idea, hope, obstacle) caused your involvement? Summarize your line of development (the essence of your input to the field) in relation to concurrent technology.

My field consists of Digital Imaging, Digital Photography, Graphic & Web Design, Animation, Fine Arts, as well as some experiences in Motion Graphics and 3D modeling/animaion.

The reason I am interested in Computer Art/ Computer Graphics is because I was attracted by 1) the versatile opportunities of working with digital media and visual design 2) the challenge of combining digital art with my traditional fine art background.

Does the computer allow you to think visually about some topic or process in new ways? How has this influenced your work? Describe your ultimate accomplishment.

Yes, it allows me to think in new ways and explore new possibilities. This experience has transformed me from a traditional graphic designer and fine artist to a digital media artist/designer. So far, my award winning work has been widely shown, published and collected nationally abroad.

Has the field of computer art and graphics progressed in the ways that you expected? What has surprised you? What do you like about its progress and what do you wish had happened differently? What do you think the future holds for visual computing in science/art? Please make some predictions or wish lists for the near- and long-term future.

As I am working competing requirements, teaching, and creating art, it would be great advantage to me for the application of software to be simplified so it would require less time to learn, teach and use in my art.

Since the field of computer art is very technology-driven, it is hard for me, an artist/designer, to predict its future. For example, no artist in the beginning of the 20th century was able to imagine what the future would be for digital photography and web graphics after digital cameras and the internet were invented. In fact, there was no such language for those fields at the time. Therefore, I am very open to whatever the future would bring to us, which I think it is also the beauty of working in this field.

Describe your dream environment for enhancing your project ideas. What are your preferred tools for creating and how do they work? What tools (hardware/software) you have used initially had the strongest impact on your work?

My dream environment would be to be able to devote all my time, efforts and talents to my art without having to make a living. Since this is not feasible, I have to balance the requirements.

The tools that I have used initially are Mac computer, digital cameras, and software, such as Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash, Aftereffects, SoundEdit, Maya, Dreamweaver, etc.

Describe how you think specific advancements in technology, (such as wireframe, hidden line removal, scanner, laser, HTML, Java applets, or any other advancement), determined the way the approaches to creating art/graphics evolved?

Such technology forces me to think outside of traditional boundaries. It has given me a whole new world beyond the traditional art methods, such as oil, pastel, watercolor, printmaking and photography. With both traditional and digital skills, my imagination can be applied more potently in a wider horizon. Art has become more radicalized and, therefore, more original.

How would you characterize the milestones (every ten years) in the development of computer technology? Which ones were most influential in art/graphics?
Which persons would you indicate as the pioneers in the particular areas/stages in which decade?