Digital Media and Drone Show Technology with Yan Paul Dubbelman
What do you get when you combine art, simulation software, and hundreds of drones painting the night sky?
We recently had the pleasure of hosting a career talk with Yan Paul Dubbelman, a multidisciplinary digital artist, and received the warmest welcome from students and staff alike at The Gyeonggi Suwon International School (GSIS).
Yan Paul creates what he calls "calm digital art", an immersive, nature-inspired work built with tools like Houdini, spanning generative installations for galleries and exhibitions around the world, right up to monumental drone show choreographies.
His recent work includes a drone show for Shakira's concert in Brazil and a 9/11 memorial commemoration piece, alongside workshops guiding students through using the sky as a canvas.
A few key takeaways from Yan Paul
A career is never a straight line
One of the most refreshing messages of Yan's talk: careers aren't linear. His path wound through art, technology, and exhibitions across continents before eventually leading him into the sky itself. Rather than following a fixed plan, he evolved by staying open to where his curiosity and his clients led him.
Listen closely to feedback
Potential clients often tell you what they want more clearly than they realize. Treat feedback as a compass for where your work is needed.
Balance ambition with the client's vision
Great creative work lives in the tension between your artistic goals and what the client envisions. Finding that balance and setting clear expectations from the start is what turns a good project into a great one.
Choose a job title that fits
Call yourself what you actually do. A precise, honest title helps the right people find you and understand your value immediately.
Never stop learning
The tools will keep changing, and so should you. Most importantly: put yourself out there and share your work so people hear about you. It's never too early to start, and you don't need expensive equipment or credentials to begin; free courses, new software, and personal projects all count.
A live look behind the scenes
The highlight of the session was a live demo of Houdini, the 3D simulation software Yan Paul uses to design his drone shows. From connected dots and lines to watching a swarm of drones come together into formations gave everyone a real appreciation for his work, which seamlessly bridges technical precision and artistic intuition.
Keep following Yan Paul's work
Curious to see drones dance across the night sky and calm digital art come to life?
Follow Yan Paul on Instagram: @yanpauldubbelman
For more information:https://www.augustmedia.art/
