WARNING: Lots of words in this post. Skip to the end if you just want to see some of my animations.

It’s dawned on me recently that I really am an Animator. I don’t mean that I carry the title of one in my job profession (I actually don’t currently), but that I have an instinct and desire to be an Animator, and really not much else.

Any artist or creative type knows exactly what it means when another refers to “being in the zone.” That’s the time when everything stands still, and it’s just you and your art tool(s) of choice. I’ve never really been into meditation, but I have to assume it’s very similar. All of your cares, fears, and frankly all touch with outside reality just wash away, and what you’re left with is a direct connection between you and what you’re creating.

As a young artist, I floundered for a LONG time trying to find my way in the art world. I knew I was creative, and I knew I had a passion for art, but I could never pin down what I had a knack for. Modeling felt tedious to me, rigging was far too technical, and particles and FX were neat but just didn’t give me the performance result I was looking for.

Animation almost escaped me completely. As you can most likely tell from this site, I can draw enough to get ideas across, but I’m nowhere near the level of skill needed to be a 2D Animator. My one brush with 3D Animation, which occurred during art school, resulted in such a horrible result that I almost brushed it off as yet another “not for me.”

However there was one thing I kept going back to in that piece: There was one gag that I actually pulled off enough to communicate what I was going for, and that one bit actually got a laugh from the folks watching it. That sparked something in me, in that it opened my eyes to the connection Animators can have with the audience. With animation, for the first time, I was able to create a performance that could evoke real emotion from people. I had found my niche.

That’s not to say I jumped right on it, or fully comprehended what I had uncovered, but years later it was the one tent pole I found myself returning to again and again when I found myself once again considering a career in art. It just so happened that this time, my desire to make a go at being a professional artist happened to sync up very nicely with Animation Mentor getting off the ground. I jumped in with both feet, and never looked back.

Keep in mind that I was working anywhere from 40-60 hours per week at my day job while attending AM, and pouring in 20+ hours a week to the school at night. I would often get asked by a friend or family member, “Do you ever feel like you’ve taken on too much?” I suppose at times I couldn’t help feeling that way, but it was always on the day job side of things. At night, I was “in the zone,” and those hours whisked by as though they were seconds. It was the first time I had experienced truly being in the zone, and I knew I had found my place in the art world, as a CG Animator.

I was bringing characters to life, and watching the response it garnered from people. As I honed my craft, I had a blast (even if it was slightly terrifying at times) seeing if I could achieve my desired response from the audience, whether it was to laugh, scream, or anything in between. It took a long time for me to overcome my technical ineptitude (something I still struggle with) and just focus on the performance, but I slowly got there over time.

While I now deal with animation on a daily basis at work, as an Art Director for Microsoft Studios, I rarely get to do any hands-on animation in my day job. Yet there I am at night, some 5 years after graduating from Animation Mentor, pouring in those same 20-30 hours per week, animating and trying to better myself in my craft. I’ve since attended iAnimate as well as Motivarti, and for the last 18 months or so, I have been a freelance Animator on the Lucy Project. I still get asked the question, “Does it ever feel like you’ve taken on too much?” and the answer is still the same.

I don’t know if all of my dedication and hard work will ultimately lead me to other opportunities, or if it will remain a time-consuming (and somewhat expensive) hobby of mine. In either case, I couldn’t be happier to find what I enjoy doing, and be afforded the opportunity to dedicate so much time to it. Outside of hanging out with my family and friends, it truly is the one place I feel at peace.

I am an Animator.

Thanks for stopping by!