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Painting

A quieter, slower counterpart to engineering, and a way to think with his hands in a different register.

Painting gives Kian a creative outlet outside of engineering coursework, a different kind of hands-on problem solving, without a spec sheet to satisfy. His piece "The Reflection," an acrylic on canvas, was published in the University of Iowa's on-campus literary magazine Ink Lit Mag in 2023. Tap any piece to see it larger.

Landscapes and skies

Acrylic on canvas, mostly big color fields with a horizon line doing the work.

Acrylic painting of a pale gravel road with utility poles running to a horizon that shifts from red through yellow and green to deep blueA gravel road running to a rainbow horizon
Acrylic painting of an enormous orange and yellow sun set behind a curved line of black pine silhouettesA huge sun setting behind a ring of pines
Acrylic painting of a crescent moon and stars over bands of blue, red, and grayA crescent moon over a banded night landscape
Abstract acrylic painting, a pale blue horizon line across a dark navy canvasA pale blue horizon breaking across a dark navy field

Watercolor

Watercolor with ink linework, small and quick.

Watercolor of black pine silhouettes against a glowing peach horizon under a purple starry skyPines against a purple night sky
Blue watercolor of pine trees and a flock of birds over a mountain slope, signed in the cornerBlue pines and birds over a mountain slope

Figures

Acrylic on canvas, single figures against scrubbed, brushy backgrounds.

Acrylic painting of a pale figure with flowing hair descending through deep blue waterA figure descending through deep blue water
Acrylic painting of a man in a brown turtleneck against a teal backgroundA figure in a turtleneck sweater
Acrylic painting of a man in a black tuxedo against a white and black backgroundA figure in a black tuxedo
Acrylic painting of a man in a blue tailcoat holding a cane against a gray backgroundA figure in a blue tailcoat with a cane
Acrylic painting of a man in a top hat and tailcoat against a maroon backgroundA figure in a top hat and tailcoat
Acrylic painting of a man in a fedora and gray overcoat against a black and tan backgroundA figure in a fedora and overcoat

Star Wars

A running subject: two-sided emblems, tiny canvases, and clone trooper helmets in marker.

Acrylic painting of two opposing white emblems on a split red and blue backgroundTwo opposing emblems on a split red and blue field
Small acrylic painting of a brown-robed Jedi standing in a gray sky with lightsabers planted around himA robed Jedi among planted lightsabers, mini canvas
Small acrylic painting of a black-robed Sith figure surrounded by red lightsabers on a black backgroundA black-robed Sith among red lightsabers, mini canvas
Framed ink and marker drawing of a clone trooper helmet with red markings and tally marksClone trooper helmet, red, ink and marker
Framed ink and marker drawing of a clone trooper helmet with green markings and tally marksClone trooper helmet, green, ink and marker

Sketches and studies

Graphite pencil sketch of a man in a flat cap and pinstripe suitGraphite portrait study in a flat cap
Graphite pencil sketch of a man in round glasses and a pinstripe suitGraphite portrait study in round glasses
Painted study of a rocks glass with three cherries on a pick and an orange slice, beside a black vertical lineCocktail study: cherries on a pick over an orange slice
Painted study of a martini glass as a gray triangle with a green olive at its tip, beside a black vertical lineCocktail study: a martini with a green olive