Crystal Lin is a senior at San Gabriel Mission High School. Her dream is to become an Anime artist and illustrator. She entered the 2015 Bookmark/Pentel Arts Contest for students in grades K-12. This is their 35th year in judging bookmarks on "originality, design, and reproducibility. There were over 10,000 submissions and each district in L. A. County chose contest winners. Crystal was part of District 5, and one of the 6 winning bookmarks.
Crystal was born in Zhejiang, China which is close to Shanghai. She has been in the U.S. since 2012. Her interest in drawing began when she was only 3 years old. Crystal's art has been greatly influenced by one of her favorite artists, Hoshino Katsura, a Japanese Anime artist who draws the D. Gray-man comic. This Gothic-style of art is what Crystal loves to draw. She explains that some of the scenes are strange and mix in fantasy. She credits her art teachers with helping her draw well. "My first teacher was my mom," Crystal says. But she believes that her art teachers at SGMHS have helped her as well. Mr. Christopher Landinguin "helped me come up with ideas for my 2D art projects." Mrs. Eugenia Heilweil "taught me very interesting techniques, including small illusions, pencil and charcoal techniques, watercolor techniques, pastels as well as composition and still life" which have greatly enhanced her artistic skills. According to Mrs. Heilweil, "The first time I saw Chrystal Lin's art, I told myself, 'What a natural talent. We have an amazing talent on our hands!' Using three main colors: red, black and white, sometimes combined with yellow and blue, which enrich the already luxurious details of the paintings, Chrystal's gothic style fantasy paintings become alive. The two color checkmate pattern repetitions of her paintings are rich in detail, which create the specific atmosphere and the drama of her gothic like stories. It's almost a novel whose finale doesn't quite come, and leaves you anticipating more."
Upon graduation, Crystal wants to attend art school. She has applied to the Otis College of Art and Design, California College of the Arts, and the California Institute of the Arts. This talented senior is well on her way to realizing her dream.