From freshman to senior year, Algonquin students’ artwork has developed and excelled in numerous ways. Over the next few months, Harbinger will explore the “glow ups” of some senior art students. Senior Jasmine Cai has grown her art from personal projects to commissions for individuals or publications.

Starting with drawing cartoons and clipart when she was just five years old, senior Jasmine Cai now focuses on realism, a style of art concentrated on the precise and detailed representation of everyday scenes or objects. 

 Cai has advanced her skills in digital art, painting and sketching through numerous classes at Algonquin and her own self-teaching. Her interest in art was sparked by her mom who designed fashion. However, it was not until second grade that she became more serious about art with tutor Ella Delyani. 

“My mom did a ton of fashion design, and she showed me her portfolio,” Cai said. “I would always ask her to draw different things so I would learn from her.” 

Now, Cai does the majority of her work for publications and competitions. She does artwork for The Harbinger, Sachem and has entered pieces in the Scholastic Art and Writing Competition. 

“I do a lot of art for other people rather than myself now, and it feels a lot more rewarding that way,” Cai said. “I really like helping other people doing things for others, so if I keep that in mind during the process then I feel a lot more motivated.” 

At Algonquin, Cai has taken Digital Art, Art I, Advanced Art I, Advanced Art II and an independent study in painting. Cai stopped working with Delyani in sixth grade, but says most of her artistic focus in realism and hyperrealism came with Delyani’s influence. 

“Honestly most of my improvement was through self will,” Cai said. “I just constantly tried to improve myself because I do a lot of hyperrealism so I want to be able to look at something and completely copy that picture onto a piece of paper or a painting.”

Cai focuses on different subjects depending on the material she is working with. 

“I like doing portraits with digital art and regular sketching, and I like acrylic painting for landscapes,” Cai said. “I like trying all different things but in specific mediums.” 

This year, Cai is the president of the National Art Honor Society, which is currently focusing on memory projects.

“In the past few years, we have done a bunch of memory projects where we do portraits of orphans in impoverished countries,” Cai said. “We then give it to them so it’s a special thing for them to have.” 

Although art is not a career path Cai will pursue professionally, it is definitely a hobby and passion she will take with her to college. 

“Art is a very big stress reliever, and it’s always nice to have some downtime to do something you actually really enjoy doing,” Cai said.