Today we’d like to introduce you to Thy Vo.
Thy, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
Although I was never sure of exactly what I wanted to do, I was always sure that I loved creating things, especially illustrations and videos. My friends and I would often film ourselves and I would spend hours just editing and compositing, finding different ways to tell our story. Money was tight growing up, so I didn’t really have access to quality art supplies and programs. Instead, I began to focus on visual storytelling through art. I realized I wanted to work in the animation industry when I was sitting down watching an old episode of Tom and Jerry with my parents. Because Tom and Jerry had no dialogue, character acting and sound cues became important storytelling elements. Being a first generation American, who had a major language barrier with her parents, only made me appreciate these elements of cartoon that much more.
Alongside storytelling and family, another major component to my story is music. For seven years, I studied music and played violin in my middle and high school orchestras. There was nothing more exciting than being in sync with my classmates and playing our hearts out to sheet music every day. Playing in an orchestra created this invigorating connection unlike any other between me, my peers, and our audience and it’s a feeling I try to recreate in my art. Today, I still can’t say I know exactly what I want to do, but if it can involve music and storytelling, I think that would be a perfect future for me.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I am an animator and storyboard artist, but I also love character design and video compositing. I make the bulk of my work using a Wacom Cintiq with Toon Boom Harmony, Storyboard Pro, Photoshop, After Effects, and Premiere. When it comes to style, I’m more of a generalist meaning I like to adapt and explore multiple different styles. However, most of my work usually has a looser quality to them, with exaggerated proportions and softer edges. My favorite genres to draw in are comedy, fantasy, and slice of life.
The philosophy behind my art is just to have a connection with somebody and to make their day a little better. Painting something as simple as someone’s favorite childhood video game or a new movie they just saw can open so many new conversations. Artists like Toniko Pantoja and Anthony Holden have been major inspirations for me in the little ways they relate to and care for their audiences. I hope people will take away a sense of simple joy from my work. One thing you should know about my work is that I don’t aim to be famous or to make world-changing art, but I do hope my work can help people enjoy the little things in life and to forget all the bad things even for just a moment.
What do you know now that you wished you had learned earlier?
One piece of advice I have to all artists, new and old, is to draw every single day. Even something as small as a doodle on a napkin can help out so much. It doesn’t have to be a master piece every single time, but just getting your idea physically out of your brain is great creative practice..
Something I wish I did earlier in my career is collaborate on more projects with other people. Not only are you exposing yourself to other artists, but you’re also learning from them and exploring different perspectives and styles.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
My work can be found on the following sites:
Instagram: milk_thy
Tumblr: milkthy
Youtube: pastalavista
People can support me by buying me a coffee through Ko-fi! Just search up my name “Thy Vo” on the site or through the url http://ko-fi.com/milkthy.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://thyvo20.wixsite.com/teevo
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/milk_thy/
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/user/lopezdospointoh
Image Credit:
All images belong to Thy Vo
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