We were lucky to catch up with James Rao recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi James, thanks for joining us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?
When I was in high school I was lucky enough to be offered a graphic design class and that really helped push me in the right direction. I learned what I know now by using free resources like youtube and old fashion trial and error, I would watch tutorials and use the techniques shown and make it personal. I don’t think there is anything that I could have done to speed up the learning process because it is a process and it’s ever going. The learning process I started helped me grow as an artist and evolved into the new things I’m learning now. I use the programs Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and Lightroom, and the most essential skill to learn fast is the hotkeys for all the tools in the programs. One of the main obstacles that stood in the way of my learning more was being able to afford it. Learning the new things I wanted often required an upgrade in hardware.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I’ve been doing art since I was about 16 or 17 and learning about digital art in high school. Now I am 23 and feel like my art has progressed a lot and I’m still learning more and more. After high school, I decided I really enjoyed making things so I got myself a vinyl cutter and started my first Etsy shop selling stickers. Now with my current shop called Persona Factory, it’s nothing big, but I’m proud of it and the fact that I’ve hit 100 sales on products I made. On top of my Etsy shop, I really enjoy making digital art and want to start selling prints of the art I make and I’m learning more about photography and started down the path of becoming a photographer.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
My current goal/mission driving me right now is to have my stuff seen. Saying it like that feels kind of broad but I am working so that one day I can see something that I made on a building, TV, on someone’s shirt, or just anywhere and be able to say ‘I made that!”
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
For me, the most rewarding part of being an artist is the process and seeing the finished product. When I make my portraits I love watching the art just grow and grow until the whole thing is done and my version of that person is created. Then I get to share it with the whole world and hear feedback on it.
Contact Info:
- Website: swordspire.com
- Instagram: @the_persona_factory @j.a.m.e.s_rao
- Twitter: @Doctor_Finn1812