At first, I perceived realistic depiction and stylized approaches as complete opposites, which caused difficulties in my work. It was challenging to understand that, rather than simply replicating real-world objects or environments, I needed to create something that does not exist in reality in a way that feels believable within the context of the story.

Initially, I was fixated on producing art that simply appeared stylized, which led to a great deal of trial and error. However, through an assignment that required us to briefly develop our own story during the planning stage before creating the artwork, I was given the opportunity to overcome this challenge. Through this process, I came to realize that stylized art can feel warmer and more effective in evoking emotion than purely realistic depiction.

With continuous guidance throughout the course to maintain this direction, I was able to move beyond creating images that are merely visually appealing and instead focus more intentionally on the narrative direction and the emotions I aim to convey.