Today we’d like to introduce you to Jacob S.
Hi Jacob, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Some of my fondest memories include sleepovers on Native Reservations, where the experience often felt like something out of the “Courage the Cowardly Dog” series. Inside and outside my home, I was consistently immersed in the world of cartoons, enjoying them while savoring my crunchy diet of Apple Jacks and Trix. For many years cereal fueled my body, while cartoons fueled my mind.
My mom, a teacher, molded young minds, which meant I had to stay in school after the final bell while she graded papers. However, this gave me unlimited access to computers. Playing with computers all day and night ignited my fascination with technology. Even though my love for technology was established, I wouldn’t become a cyborg until my body began to change.
Everybody undergoes changes during high school. Although my affection for cartoons and computers remained, my body began to grow more unusually than my peers. I was getting taller, but my growth trajectory resembled a question mark. By senior year, I had glasses, acne, and a posture like Quasimodo.
In college, I discovered that animation harmonized with my childhood interests: technology and cartoons. However, my back had worsened to the point where I couldn’t sit comfortably for extended periods in a chair. Doing so felt like being stabbed by sharp objects since all my weight was concentrated on a single point. Perfect for animation, right? But let me ask you this: Would Wiley the Coyote quit? Absolutely not. My only option at this point was to undergo surgery.
Becoming a cyborg was the most painful experience I have ever endured. I was cut wide open to fuse my thoracic spine with metallic rods held together by 68 screws. After a grueling 16-hour surgery, I couldn’t stand upright for more than a few minutes as I adapted to my new body. Every night, a nurse came by to draw blood; the day staff jokingly referred to them as vampires. During physical therapy, I became acquainted with my new robotic enhancements. Once I had healed, I traveled to Georgia to pursue my final degree and have been fortunate enough to work on numerous incredible projects that I’m proud to have my name associated with. Merging my body with technology proved to be essential, allowing me to combine my interests: technology and art, enabling me to do what I love, bridging imagination with reality.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
In my industry, you often encounter specialists and jacks of all trades, and I fall into the latter category. With recent breakthroughs in AI, I might need to pivot one day. For example, I took on the role of a front-end web developer for my personal website. However, learning HTML, CSS, and JavaScript overnight is no easy task. Ironically, I built my website with the help of online tutorials and ChatGPT. And if that approach failed, my affinity with technology could lead me to transition to an IT job. I even built the computer I use every day.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My work falls within the realm of 3D modeling and look development. Typically, pipelines separate modelers and look-dev artists, but I continue to improve my skill set in both areas. I aim to have the ability to create 3D characters, props, and environments to completion. If I’m passionate about a concept, I don’t want to stop working on it after the model is finished. Even if the industry were to decline tomorrow, and everyone preferred watching Twitch over going to the movie theater, I genuinely enjoy the process and would continue to pursue my craft in my spare time.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
Video games introduced me to RNG (Random Number Generator) early in life. Plus, my mom reminded me that life isn’t fair, a statement that is undeniably true. However, when I try to zoom out globally, I find myself very fortunate. Even when I zoom in closely on my own life and reminisce about the friends and family I have, I realize how they truly make all the difference between a happy life and an unhappy one. I might not win a Powerball in my life, but I have no complaints as I am profoundly lucky.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jacobsalazar.art
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-salazar-597336106
Image Credits
My lovely wife takes all my selfies.
