Micke Tong: Design Astronaut



	MICKE TONG: DESIGN ASTRONAUT
	by Jennifer Elks

So many things in our lives have been influenced by technology; this is, in fact, the digital age. Technological advancements have changed or improved everything from the way we communicate to most forms of media, and enterprising artists such as Micke Tong are embracing technology as a way to enhance their creative visions in countless and surprising ways.

"People are just starting to get used to digital art as art," he says. "You figure it took graffiti - how many years - almost 20 years before it actually maintained any reputation inside a gallery or collection, you know? I think that's why I love it so much, because not everybody can really grasp it yet."

Born in Saigon, Tong grew up in San Jose by way of Wilmer, Minnesota. His artistic prowess sprung up early; at age 11, his interest in graffiti scored him his first paying gig: He was commissioned by his junior high school to spray-paint a mural on the outside of the girls' bathroom.

After earning a BA in Computer Arts from the Academy of Art in San Francisco and a brief stint doing 3-D animation ("I didn't have the patience for it," he says), he was turned on to graphic design and digital illustration.

Although Tong's finished products are digitally created, the process is traditional in most senses; Tong says he likes that it's an organic art form, enhanced with modern elements. He draws the background freehand and photographs his subjects for reference, then transfers the drawings and photographs into his computer to illustrate the final work.

"I'm learning all these new techniques, creating new techniques that've never been done before. So I could actually start teaching myself, and hopefully down the line, be able to teach other people."

Tong comes from a long line of artistic talent, including his grandfather, an artist from Hue, Vietnam, who taught portraiture to generations of artists. The younger Tong is proud to be part of this "bloodline of artists," and though his primary medium is digital, he remains closely connected to traditional art forms.

"I draw all the time. It's just a traditional skill I think a lot of artists should have, so you have a grasp of the history and technique of art before you move ahead to other things, like technology. If you have a grasp of it, you appreciate it more, you know?"

Tong is also exploring more hands-on ways to create art, like carpentry and installations, and wants to keep learning.

"I want to learn everything, but I definitely want to learn how to blow glass. I saw some documentaries on Dale Chihuly, one of the most amazing glass blowers in the world - he throws it in the water and it floats," he said. "I've been really inspired by it; it's just such an old form of art, it's organic ... the colors it creates, it's just so beautiful."

For Tong, art is an essential form of expression.

"I think my art is a visual diary of my thoughts about everything from religion to travel to nature," he says. "I just love art. It's the freedom you have, you know? Just to get a reaction out of people, good or bad, that's why I do it. I like being able to be controversial sometimes, just to be able to speak your mind."

See more of Micke's art at
designastronaut.com.