Kernels, Vapor, Oil

Inspiration:

Charis Tsevis is a Greek visual designer who lives and works in Pafos, Cyprus.

He holds a Diploma in Graphic Design from the Akademie für das Grafische Gewerbe, München, and a Master's in Visual Design from the Scuola Politecnica di Design, Milano.

His Work:

https://tsevis.com/

My Personal Reflection: 

Most of Charis's work is vivid mosaics woven together, creating great depth and symbolism. His use of geometric tiles and detail is beyond words. Each series and piece is controlled, culturally relevant, and you see his attunement and research. At first glance, you’re drawn into the rhythm of his process, the way color, geometry, and meaning merge into a single living piece of connectivity and identity.

Method: Using Similes to Think Visually

Through this lens, I feel the artwork becomes a meditation on integration, how the individuality of each patterned tile forms a collective identity of the full portrait. The use of geometry and texture is like language itself: patterned, rhythmic, ancient, and a story.

Kernel (Quantitative or Tangible Data)

The Kernels are the visible parts of the artwork, like the shapes, colors, and patterns you can clearly see. Each small piece has things you could measure, like its size, color, and where it sits in the overall design. These details form the structure or “blueprint” of the image, similar to data points that make up a system. The woman’s face, the lioness’s form, and the balanced arrangement of shapes all show Tsevis’s sense of order and precision.

Vapor (Qualitative or Emotional Value)

The Vapor shows up in the feelings the artwork creates, the closeness, trust, and shared strength between the woman and the lioness. These emotions can’t be measured, but you can definitely sense them. The warm colors make the image feel alive and rooted in culture. The textured, fabric-like patterns add a feeling of history and belonging.

Oil (Networked or Associated Data)

The Oil shows up in how all the pieces of the artwork connect to deeper cultural ideas. It’s a the link between African patterns, animal symbolism, and modern digital design. The shapes and textures remind you of tribal art, storytelling cloth, and the shared history between people and the natural world. The digital mosaic acts like a network, where every small piece relies on the others to create the full picture.

Prompt:

Vivid mosaic portrait of an African woman gently touching foreheads with a lioness, symbolizing unity, strength, and harmony between humanity and nature. Constructed from thousands of geometric tiles, patterns, and textiles inspired by African art and tribal symbolism. Intricate warm color palette of oranges, golds, purples, and reds. Each fragment is detailed with unique shapes, motifs, and woven textures forming a cohesive, emotive whole. Hyper-detailed, high-resolution digital collage in the style of Charis Tsevis, vibrant editorial lighting, symmetrical composition, ar 3:2.

The Results:

It’s not Charis but decent…