Apichaya “Bim” Wannakit - Digital Artist

Apichaya “Bim” Wannakit is starting her fourth year in painting, sculpture and graphic art at Silpakorn University in Bangkok, in the heart of the modern Thai art scene. Growing up in north-east Thailand’s creative community in Ubon Ratchatani, Bim developed her passion for art at a young age.

She took inspiration from anime like “Dragon Ball Z” cartoons she saw on television and the “Manga” comic books she collected. She put years of hands-on practice into her illustrations using brushes, watercolours and oil paints. At secondary school, she discovered even more ways to express herself and expand her creative palette when she started using iPad with Apple Pencil.

“I quickly adapted to the precision and flexibility of digital painting using Apple Pencil,” Bim says. “It brought my entire art kit into one magical tool, without sacrificing the natural feel of traditional mediums. It allows me a new way to bring my ideas to life.”

When it was time to get ready for university, Bim used iPad to bring her art portfolio together, capturing and storing all her mixed media digitally in iCloud. Bim says, “I initially chose Apple technology because of its cloud service for file management and simple-to-learn design interface — iPad has made my life easier.”

Today she uses Procreate on iPad with Apple Pencil for all her creative workflows. Features such as QuickShape and StreamLine with Apple Pencil enable her to quickly add layers, outlines, colours and shadows in an immersive and playful way. “My love for traditional painting and digital art brings me a new sense of balance. My Apple devices help to make this possible from anywhere.”

iPad also supports her daily academic work. Bim uses Apple Pencil with Goodnotes for note-taking, and Microsoft Word on iPad for creating art descriptions. “In class, I use iPad Pro to present my work,” Bim says. “And the 12.9-inch screen is large enough for my professor to view my art comfortably.”

With the ultimate goal of becoming a professional artist, she promotes her artwork at local art galleries and on social media. And in preparation for her senior public showcase, Bim is planning a mixed-media series exploring visualising people’s dreams.

“Through my art, I want to tell a story that inspires others and creates a space for experimental ideas.”