Cimone Key turns entertainment icons into digital art

Cimone KeyCimone Key is a graphic design student currently studying at the Art Institute of Dallas. Her portfolio of work includes pop art posters, interactive designs, celebrity portraits, typography sets and logos. Cimone's work has a remarkable style and precision. Her designs are powerful, and her approach to each concept is meticulous. Some of her big idols in the entertainment industry are Beyoncé and Nicki Minaj.

Find out how Cimone creates her designs in this interview and discover her desires for the future. This is someone you definitely need to keep an eye on as she is set to have a big career in the entertainment business.

Iain: How do you approach a design? Do you have a particular technique that you use in your drawings?

Cimone: I approach a design by asking myself what’s modern and what’s current in today’s graphic industry. I also think about what type of personality I would like to convey in that particular art piece and how it would fit the target audience. The technique that I use is going to my inspirational folder, that ALL graphic designers have, pull ideas from there, and then start sketching. Patterns, texture, line work, and bold saturated colors are my strengths and my great indulgence.

Rihanna Cimone Key

Iain: Your digital art includes several portraits of Rihanna. Why do you show her in this way?

Cimone: The reason I show her in that way is because I am a HUGE fan of Rihanna. She has that brazen independent woman attitude. Her style matches the mood I designed for that particular piece, which is edgy and fearless. This was actually a class assignment where we had to pick an idol and imitate a gig poster style.

Iain: Where do you get your inspiration from and is there someone you look up to?

Cimone: I get my inspiration from everyday life. I live in the big city of Dallas so I see many things that surround me that I like to express visually. Fashion is another thing that inspires me because that particular industry is always up-to-date on what is current and in- season. A graphic designer that I look up to is a woman named Margo Chase. She has a similar life path that I would like to have. She is a world-known inspirational woman graphic designer that designed at an agency, and then worked in the entertainment and music business. I admire her style of work because it is contemporary, modern, and compelling. I love how she uses bright vibrant colors and textures in everything that she designs. She now has her own successful graphic design business.

Iain: Do you prefer doing poster art, portraits or other styles of images?

Cimone: I prefer doing anything and everything that lets me be creative. So it could be poster art, illustrative portraits, e-invites, logos, you name it and I’ll design it.

Cimone Key digital art baby

Iain: What would you like to be doing in the future and is there anyone in particular you want to work with?

Cimone: Everyone teases me about this but I have my whole life planned out. I would like to work in an agency as a graphic designer soon after graduation. My ultimate dream is to work in the entertainment and music industry as a graphic designer traveling around the world! I would love to work with one of the most inspirational women in my life, which is Beyoncé. I love Beyoncé because she is a strong, respectable, and an independent woman that motivates and helps other women around the world. I would also like to work with, Trey Songz, Adel, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Chris Brown, and Nicki Minaj, just to name a few. The type of work I would like to do with them are designing promotional pieces or any other design work.. I’m open to whatever adventure may call me as a designer especially if it includes travel!

Discover more of Cimone's designs on her Official Website

Cimone Key website

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