Transmission_Begin
Hi everyone!
I wanted to share my first post about who I am. I’m an illustrator currently residing in San Francisco, California. I have a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Design with a focus in product development from San Francisco State University. I have always drawn for as long as I can remember. I wanted to be able to bring my two-dimensional characters into a three-dimensional world. I wanted to be able to share the possibilities of what Walt Disney was able to do. When I was younger, my mom would take me to the Cartoon Art Museum in San Francisco every Saturday morning. I remember seeing the original production work of Hanna- Barbera, the creators of “Tom & Jerry,” “The Jetsons, “ “Scooby-Doo,” meeting Patrick McDonnell, the creator of the comic, “Mutts,” and meeting other fine illustrators growing up. This was the fire that made me passionate about illustrating cartoons and characters and bringing them to life. This transitioned into my love for animation and the work that went behind the creative teams of 2-D animation.
It was around June 2014, that I really decided to try to pursue something in the art world through illustration. I experimented with different techniques that I learned through school, mixing comics with product design renderings. I feel my style can bridge a gap between realism and cartoons. I began my journey as an Illustrator by doing “one-off” commissions, which helped me develop tattoo-like illustrations. I eventually found out that it wasn’t something I wanted to do. There wasn’t any heart in creating something that wasn’t really yours to keep. I began building a portfolio of my illustrations that reminded me of my childhood, a simpler time of waking up at 8am on Saturday mornings to watch cartoons. Animation, comics, surrealism, and pop culture influence a lot of my work. These were the subjects that I grew up with. This is what allows me to connect with other people on an abstract level. I love meeting other artists, especially those that understand the amount of hard work that goes into being a creative.
On November 20, 2015, I attended an animation expo in Burbank, California, known as CTNX 2015. A good friend recommended that I should attend earlier that month, so I immediately purchased the tickets and went. It was there that I learned the possibilities of being an artist. I met so many inspirational people, including artists that I have been following on social media for a while. I regained that spark of creating, just like the first time I walked into the Cartoon Art Museum. I came back with the inspiration to create a comic book and design characters, utilizing the skills that I obtained back in school. This motivated me to create a website in which I can share with you guys. Come follow me on this journey of artistry!
Cheers,
RyeQua