ROBERTSDALE, Alabama — Taking a second look at her subject has become second nature to Emily Hahn, a junior art student at Robertsdale High.

“Because I work mostly with colored pencils, my work is pretty exacting,” she said. “I look at my subject first to see how I want to line it up, and secondly as to just how I will depict it in terms of color, background, leading lines, balance and rule of thirds,” she said.

Hahn said she wished to tell a story with her work.

“When someone looks at one of my pictures, I want them to know what’s going on, or what the picture is of,” she said. “What I don’t want is for them to walk away wondering about what they just saw.”

It is Hahn’s goal to take her work to the collegiate level.

“I want to learn as much as I can in college, whether I study art at a university, or even an art school,” she said. “I’ve been told that to be a successful artist, I also need to be a successful business person, as marketing your work, as well as yourself are so important.”

Hahn believes the future of an artist’s portfolio has already arrived.

“I want to develop my own webpage, which I would design, implement, and stock with my work,” she said. “I would like to take a course in webpage design from Mr. Mike McCrady, as he is the one who teaches graphic arts at RHS.”

With her own webpage Hahn said she would be able to query various publishing houses regarding her work, and they would be able to view it by going online.

“Illustrators for children’s books can do very well if they get connected with a certain author who likes their style,” she said. “Such a relationship can last for years.”

The daughter of Pam and Jerry Hahn of Seminole, Emily has an older brother, Daniel, who is a youth pastor, and a 12-year-old brother, Zachery.

“Although my parents don’t do a lot of drawing, I have several aunts and uncles who do,” she said.

Hahn has a 4.0 grade point average at RHS.

“I plan to take the ACT in December, and just about every time it is offered between now and graduation,” she said. “The higher the ACT score the more scholarship dollars you can bring in.”

Although her plans are to become a commercial artist, Hahn hasn’t ruled out teaching art, either at the high school or collegiate level.

“Right now I’m in the process of learning more about the different art schools, as well as the universities,” she said. “I hope to narrow my choices down somewhat and then start visiting the campuses to see what they are like.”

As holiday season is right around the corner, Hahn said she was also in the process of trying to find an afternoon or weekend job.

“Here at Robertsdale I’m not in any clubs this year, as I’ve been working hard to make A’s on my report card,” she said. “Last year, however, I was in the Art Club. At home I mostly study or go into my studio and work on a particular piece.”

Like all of the artists at RHS, the students live for the various competitions they can enter.

“I entered the godaddy.com art competition,” she said. “I think they may use some of the work that is submitted during the bowl game that they sponsor.”

Another competition Hahn is considering is the Alabama and National Duck Stamp competitions. Winning at that level can help make an artist’s reputation.

“I enjoy doing a lot of flora and fauna type pictures,” she said, “as I don’t do a real good job drawing people.”

Because she’s only a junior Hahn has another year-and-a-half to go until graduation. That also means she has another three semesters of art to take, and in the process, so much more to learn about her chosen field.