Interview with artist Wout Vromans: Digital Art and the Creative Journey

At a time when digital art is often not fully understood, we had the opportunity to talk to Wout Vromans, artist and graphic designer. Born in 1988, Wout graduated from the PXL MAD School of Arts in Hasselt, where he specialized in graphic techniques. His work is characterized by a unique use of digital images as a starting point for contemporary artworks, bridging the gap between the digital and the physical. In this interview, we share his insights on the relationship between digital and traditional art, his creative processes, and the future of digital art.

Wout, can you tell us a bit more about your creative process? How do you start a new piece?

“My work always starts with a digital image, usually a photo of a structure or architectural feature. I work with this in Photoshop and use it as my basis. This gives me the freedom to experiment with layers, colors, and structures without being immediately constrained by the physical limitations of a canvas. What I find interesting about the digital process is its flexibility: you can turn elements on or off and quickly change colors. When I am finally satisfied with the digital design, I print it out on canvas. Then the real work begins, and I add extra depth and texture with paint, which further enhances the digital layers.”

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So you use both digital and physical techniques in your work. How does this differ from a traditional painting process?

“There is definitely a difference in the way I work. When I work digitally, I have much more control over the different layers I add. For example, I can quickly edit or even remove different elements, which would take a lot of time in a traditional painting process. The painting process is much less flexible; what you do is fixed more quickly. With digital tools, I can switch gears more quickly.
But once the work is printed on canvas, the physical aspect returns to the process. It is important to me that the artist’s hand remains visible, so I deliberately leave some details unfinished. I am not looking for a perfect photographic image. The work must have a dynamism and a certain imperfection, which for me enhances the value of the artwork.”

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You briefly mentioned the feeling and energy you put into your work. What is your state of mind during the painting process?

I often paint with music in the background, especially metalcore (a music genre that combines heavy metal and punk). It may sound strange, but for me, the energy in the music is a kind of rhythm that helps me to concentrate fully. The intensity of the genre brings a certain calm to my process. It helps me to maintain focus and to better convey the emotions in my work. Sometimes I alternate with classical music or techno. And occasionally I listen to podcasts about philosophy or history.

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You mentioned earlier the interaction between the digital and the physical. How do you see the future of digital art?

“I think digital art will have a permanent place alongside traditional art forms such as painting or sculpture. There will probably be some kind of backlash against the rise of AI in the art world, leading to a search for more authenticity. What is art, really, if anything is possible through technology? That question will become increasingly relevant.
The backlash will not only be a search for more authenticity, but will also question authenticity itself. It seems that AI is also becoming more and more authentic.
Moreover, I believe that as an artist, you can also create AI-generated works that incorporate the ‘soul’ of the artist.

There is also the possibility that in the future we will see artists who are created entirely by AI. But what I find important is that the artist’s “soul” remains in the work. The feeling and emotion that the artist puts into his or her work will always remain the basis, even in the digital age. We will see more animation, photography, and other forms of digital art that are presented at a very high visual level, but I don’t believe this will replace the human factor in art. Art remains a deeply personal expression.”
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This conversation with Wout Vromans offers an interesting perspective on how digital art relates to traditional art forms and how artists use technology to express their creativity. His work, which blurs the boundaries between digital and physical, reminds us that art is always evolving and that technology can be a powerful tool for new forms of expression.