We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ari He a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Ari thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with 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?

Like many, I was drawing as young as I can remember, but I formally started my training in elementary school. My teacher was a graduate from the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing. Through her, I learned the fundamentals of academic drawing which has stayed with me since.

In my experience, the best way to speed up the learning process is to create more–and be mindful while creating. Mindful of certain mistakes, habits of thinking/observation, and learning from other artists’ successes and failures. What was great about going to art school was being able to sit in a class critique and see everyone’s work on the wall. Each artist is unique, with their own set of strengths and weaknesses, and it’s up to the individual to determine what makes them special! Learning about how athletes train has been surprisingly helpful in my artistic journey. When I sit down at my drafting table, I try to bring my best self and make the best work possible. After school, a great way to learn is to take online courses or workshops in ateliers or universities near you.

As for the most “essential” skill, I feel that it depends on the type of work that you do and the industry you’re in. Broadly speaking–imagination, a sense of design, the basics of colour theory, knowing what you want your work to be… But personally, having discipline and cultivating love for what you do is most important in the long run.

From my own experience and from teaching other students, a common obstacle is when you limit what you’re capable of doing or achieving. If you come into the studio thinking you won’t be able to paint or draw, or if you’re not as good as this artist or that, you’ve already defeated yourself! Try to accept making mistakes and bad pieces. After all, it’s the fastest way to learn.

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?

My name is Ari He, and I am a freelance character designer and concept artist for film and video games. Since childhood, I’ve always had a natural proclivity towards storytelling, fashion, design, and art. When I learned of the concept art industry, it felt like a natural avenue for my form of artistic expression. Since deciding to enter the industry, my job has been my vocation.
I began as a key frame and storyboard artist for film, but recently transitioned to character design. The process of designing a character deeply spoke to me. Unravelling their inner world and making it external through their bodies and clothing was extremely compelling. Not only is each character an exercise in design, but also empathy, as it challenges my ability to identify with characters from all walks of life. My process is heavily research based, especially for work that’s set in a historical time period. Character design has also given me wonderful opportunities to expand my knowledge of fashion history, symbolism and design.

Most recently, I was the art director for an indie sci-fi film, Rob+Lucy, which is arriving by the end 2024. Working with a director who trusted my design sense was such a wonderful experience; I was initially signed on to do the storyboards, but it soon turned into fleshing out characters, creatures and environments!

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I love being a character designer because it gives me opportunities to live the life I want. My main goals are the pursuit of knowledge, finding channels for creative expression, and living life on a deeper level. I love learning about world cultures, and studying art history connects me with the incredible breadth of human creativity across time and continents. I often feel so awed by what has existed before. To be able to bring what inspires me to a contemporary audience is deeply fulfilling.

To be a good character designer, you must also be a good listener. This line of work pushes my interpersonal skills and encourages me to broaden my community of friends. My curiosity about other people naturally finds its way into my work; I need my characters to feel like an individual, to have interiority and soul.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

I often feel that art and design is woefully undervalued in our culture. There’s such a large demand for entertainment nowadays, but people still don’t see or value the amount of heart, skill, and effort that artists pour into their craft. It takes so much to write a quality story and design a beautiful world.

This line of work is immensely time-consuming, and it’s a vocation that requires a large amount of dedication and time. So the next time your artist friend flakes on going out… they might just be cooking up something amazing. :)

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.artstation.com/ari_he
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glass__tooth/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ari-he-228480264/