BS ABT student draws realistic paintings of UPLB campus

UPLB has been the subject of many artworks, mostly traditional paintings and photographs that show the beautiful spaces around campus. Fourth year BS ABT student Kenneth Longasa, on the other hand, takes cues from Japanese animator Makoto Shinkai (Your Name, 5 Centimeters Per Second) to draw realistic digital illustrations of buildings and even peculiar places in the corners of the university.

Nineteen-year-old Longasa said he wanted to show people that “one does not need formal art education to learn art, specifically, digital art.” He stressed the importance of research and taking criticism from art communities in order to improve his craft. Although art and acads can be tough to balance, he believes that one can pursue art even while studying in college.

UPLB SU 2.png — Image courtesy: Kenneth Longasa

In fact, college also allows students to find like-minded individuals in the groups they decide to join. For Longasa, joining UPLB comics organization The Graphic Literature Guild helped him learn new skills and find opportunities for collaborations. “Organizations help the community with the events they organize and through promotion of arts and crafts.”

It remains to be seen whether the university is truly able to provide enough art spaces and institutional support for orgs and student artists. For Longasa, it is up to us to organize and encourage artistry among students. Although his works focus on spaces inside the campus, he explained that “[Cultural] events should reach outside the confines of the university and involve [other] creatives in Los Baños, Laguna.” [P]