Whether with crayons or colored pencils, scribbling is an art-form almost every kid enjoys.

Many would probably agree that going from doodling to perfecting an artistic masterpiece takes much commitment and patience. SCHS student artists express this dedication by spending hours improving their artwork.

Junior Amyah Baker spends about two hours drawing each weekend and sketches as much as possible during the week. She focuses on cartoons and caricatures, her artistic specialties.

Caricature art allows Baker to express originality through exaggeration of “certain parts of the face mostly because they stand out more on the person.”

This artistic freedom, although fun, can be difficult, according to Baker. Unlike with realistic art, Baker is entirely dependent on her ability to imagine and create a character that does not exist in real life.

“Being creative depends on your ability to make something your own,” Baker said. “It also depends on your ability to go outside of your comfort zone and see what you’re capable of.”

Because of this, Baker believes that cartoon art lets her express creativity more freely than realistic art.

“I think it’s amazing how you could be unsure of your next move on a drawing, and you take a risk, and it turns out better than expected,” Baker said. “It’s always good to try something new, even if it’s risky.”

Other students, including senior Evelina Gromilina, opt for semi-realism. Gromilina’s style uses realistic shapes and proportions but may include unexpected colors or other details that are not as realistic.

“I like to make things that are unusual that make people feel confused at first,” Gromilina said. “I like to make things that I’ve never seen before and things that weren’t done before.”

Gromilina’s artwork is indeed catching people’s interest. One of her pieces was sold for $100 at an art gallery.

Gromilina, who began drawing as a kid, now paints in SCHS’s oil painting club.

Junior Casey Castro also started drawing at a young age. After using coloring books for a while, Castro soon started drawing her own pictures to color. Now she sketches so often that she describes her passion for art as an “addiction.”

“I try to draw something everyday, even if it’s just a napkin sketch,” Castro said.

Castro believes art is a good way to bring positive energy into the world.

“Art connects people,” Castro said. “It sounds sappy, but it’s true. I mean, Disney movies are animated works that almost everybody gets excited about. People of different backgrounds make up the audience.”

Baker encourages aspiring artists to continue honing their skills and creating art because of their love for it.

“Keep on practicing. We all start somewhere,” Baker said. “If you want to pursue [art], you’ve got to just go for it and enjoy yourself.”