Much like a heart, The Observer has many components that it needs to thrive: the well written stories, the unique pictures, the creative headlines, the informative graphics and the amazing cartoons. For Junior Kevin Ho, the artist behind the cartoons, his creativity has no limits.

Although he is primarily known at CHS for his cartoons, Ho is a man of many talents.
Ho uses many different forms of media to create his art, from digital art to pen and ink drawing.
“My favorite is probably pen and ink drawing because it’s very versatile and more permanent than pencil,” Ho said.

Additionally, Ho does both 2D charcoal art and digital art, the latter of which is the he uses to create the cartoons for The Observer.

Ho discovered his passion for art early in his life, when he began doodling his favorite movie characters. His sketches were inspired by scenes from Star Wars as well as the work of “Calvin and Hobbes,” cartoonist, Bill Watterson.

“When I was little I used to read comic strips such as ‘Garfield’ and ‘Calvin and Hobbes,’” Ho said. “Bill Watterson’s simplistic cartoonish style had a big influence on my drawings. This also inspired me to draw comic strips of my own, combining my quirky sense of humor with funny illustrations.”

Every artist has a unique quality that sets their work apart from other people. According to Studio Art teacher Jacquelyn Washam, Ho’s quality is his infusion of styles.

“Kevin has a very illustrative, almost like a book illustration style,” Washam said. “It’s neat that he doesn’t lean one way or the other and he can integrate both [comic art and realistic art] styles together, which makes his art unique.”

The incredible skill and unique style that Washam describes has been recognized in numerous competitions, as he has received many well-deserved accolades for his art.

Ho has received an honorable mention for his drawing skills in a congressional art competition, and his pieces were on display during the ceremony.

Despite his impressive art career thus far, Ho’s journey to becoming a great artist has not always been smooth.

“I had to overcome the time commitment between practicing art and studying,” Ho said. “By balancing my art and school, I feel it has made me more responsible as a person.”

With Ho’s skills, it would be a shame for him not to pass on his knowledge down to other aspiring artists. As the head of CHS’ I-Illustrate club, Ho creates a laid-back artistic environment for artists to explore their skills.

“Every meeting, we have a theme for our members to draw and then we post them on our Facebook page for people to see,” Ho said. “We also occasionally create coloring books to send to the patients at children’s hospitals.”

According to sophomore Emma Gray, the I-Illustrate club is a great opportunity to meet other artists in CHS. Every week, new prompts spark creativity.

“The club is really good at creating a safe space for artists to just be them, and I think Kevin is probably to thank for that,” Gray said.

Clearly, Ho has already established himself as an artist, but he is just getting started.
“I definitely want to pursue a career involving art,” Ho said. “But I’m still not sure if I want to go to an art school or a school with a liberal arts program.”

According to Ho, however, even with his years of experience, his array of skills and his natural talent, there is nothing more important to his art than his passion.

“[The best part about being an artist is] the ability to place yourself in a world where your imagination is literally the limit,” Ho said. “Anything suddenly becomes possible with a pen in a blank void.”