Today we’d like to introduce you to Antonio Thompson.
Hi Antonio, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was born and raised in Ellenwood, Georgia. I have always loved to draw and create since I was a kid. In the area I grew up in, art wasn’t one of the main things that was pushed in the schools I went to however. So I became self-motivated in a way to get better and better. Before I went to college, I was strictly a traditional artist and wouldn’t even think about using digital software to create my artwork. However, as soon as I took my first animation class my junior year of college, I instantly fell in love with everything involving it. I eventually got an iPad soon after along with some digital art software and I started creating digital pieces. Down the line, me, one of my closest friends and my girlfriend built my pc and everything took off from there. I bought some animation software, a drawing tablet, and some other accessories and I started to create my own animations from then on. I’ve been able to do commissions for various people including personal and business-related affairs and I completely love every second of it. Being able to create things for people and see the smiles and shocks on their faces makes me feel happy. It makes me feel that art is what I was meant to be doing and I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else besides creating.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I wouldn’t say everything about my journey has been smooth. I am still on the path to my end goal and I know that there will be more obstacles in my way that I will overcome. One of the struggles I have always dealt with is feeling that I am not progressing fast enough. Every time I look on my art page on Instagram and see all of the amazing artwork that others have made, it can sometimes make me feel that I am so far behind compared to everyone else. One thing I had to realize is that everyone goes at their own pace. I’ve had family, friends and mentors tell me to stop focusing on what others have done because they have had their own obstacles to overcome to get to the point they are at just like me. It took a while for me to really take that in and understand that I have my own path that I am walking down and I will eventually get to where I am meant to be at. Stress and anxiety is another bump in the road that I have had to deal with. Overthinking everything has always ended up affecting my craft in negative ways that eventually caused me to stress out about every single detail in my head. Taking my time and even taking a break every now and then has definitely helped me calm myself. The journey I am on will never be a straight path however I do appreciate all of the obstacles in my way because they are all moments that I have learned from that have made me a better artist and person.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a 2D digital artist and animator. I create art pieces using certain software such as Procreate, Adobe Creative Cloud, Toon Boom Harmony 21 Premium, etc. I can also make 3D artwork but I prefer 2D because it has a special place in my heart. I am mostly known for making 2D animations and 2D characters. I am most proud of the animated projects I have worked on and my progression over the past 2-3 years since switching to digital art. Starting out, of course I wasn’t the best, but the more hours I put in every day, the better my artwork began to look. Music is one thing that I feel sets me apart from others in my animations. Music has always been a big part of my life and I’ll pretty much listen to any genre if the song sounds good. Most of the time, I get my ideas for animations and characters from the music I listen to, as well as the story accompanied with it. I tie music in my animations in a way that has the animation and story completely synched. In my opinion, music can be one of the major driving factors that brings an animation together. I love this craft and I am very dedicated to my work each and every day.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
The best advice I have for finding a mentor is to just reach out. I was lucky enough to meet people in the animation industry who have given me priceless advice that will always be drilled into my head, but sometimes reaching out is the best option. I’ve reached out to a few people on social media and sometimes they respond and sometimes they don’t. Sometimes it isn’t because they are ignoring you, it’s because life can be busy, especially with industry professionals. I’ve always found that the ones who do respond to you, are the most passionate because they have been in your shoes before. Another way to find mentors and networking is to go to events and volunteer with the organizations and businesses you want to work with. Showing a friendly face and genuine interest will catch the attention of many people. Showing passion about your craft can tell others so much about you in a positive way. Remember, the people in the positions their in have been where you are, so reach out to them because I am sure they would have loved a mentor or a network of people when they first started out.
Contact Info:
- Email: antoniothompson3457@gmail.com
- Website: https://www.7heartsart.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/7hearts.art/
Image Credits
Artwork by: Antonio Thompson, 7heartsart
