We recently connected with Catherine Kong and have shared our conversation below.

Catherine, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today One of our favorite things to hear about is stories around the nicest thing someone has done for someone else – what’s the nicest thing someone has ever done for you?

The kindest thing anyone has done for me is people taking the time out of their busy day to provide me with thoughtful and constructive feedback and criticism. Whether it was a mentor, a professional, or a friend, their willingness to invest their time and expertise in helping me grow and improve has been truly heartwarming. These individuals didn’t just offer praise or effortless feedback; they genuinely cared about my development and gave me a quality response. Some have done a complete paint-over of my work and written paragraphs of feedback, some have hopped on calls with me for troubleshooting and to give criticisms, and some even made YouTube videos to show me new techniques! Their feedback, often delivered with kindness and patience, has not only shaped my skills and abilities but also taught me the value of continuous self-improvement and the importance of supporting one another on our personal journeys of growth. Their acts of kindness have had a lasting impact on me, and I’m very grateful for their unwavering support and encouragement. So thank you to those who have helped me in my artistic journey so far, you know who you are!! ;]

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a Concept Designer based in the LA/ Pasadena area, and I am also currently a second term student attending at ArtCenter College of design! For the folks who are not familiar with this industry, concept artists are the ones who design characters, environments, props, vehicles etc for a variety of entertainment such as games, films, animations, or theme parks!

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I think the most rewarding aspect of being an artist for me personally is witnessing your own growth throughout your artistic journey. The process of creating art is a learning process that continues for your entire career, and the satisfaction of seeing your works from a couple years ago and comparing it to your current works is always rewarding!

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

Looking back on my creative journey, there are several resources I wish I had known about sooner. Platforms like BrainStorm, Schoolism, Gumroad, and YouTube have been game-changers. They are the goldmine of tutorials, courses, and masterclasses by industry professionals that provides valuable insights and techniques that largely elevated my skills. Although some might be more expensive than others, a more cost-friendly option would be YouTube, as it is free and it has a vast array of art channels that has been a wellspring of inspiration and learning. Artists such as Feng Zhu and Proko offer a variety of videos, podcasts, and tutorials, which helped me when I was first starting my career. The convenience of online learning platforms like Schoolism and the accessibility of Gumroad which offers specialized tutorials have been really helpful as well. These resources have not only accelerated my growth but also expanded my creative horizons, and all of them are accessible from online!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://kcatherine.artstation.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_catherine.psd/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-k-308717211/