Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Erin Jiang. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Erin, appreciate you joining us today. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

It’s not unusual for anyone to question whether they’re doing right by themselves in life, some more than others. I admit that I often do wonder if I should give up on art as a career since not only is it a hard field to find regular work in to begin with, but the pandemic only made it harder in a field that relies so much on the connections you make with other people who have the influence to get you a job in animation. Of course there’s nothing wrong with getting a regular job to help pay the bills in the meantime, or if you actually do decide to switch careers at any point in your life, but I admit that with the high turnover rates in the animation industry and the ever-changing trends on social medias to keep up with, it’s discouraging to continue pursuing an art career.

Nonetheless, I know in my heart of hearts that getting to draw for a job is what I want in my life. I’m fortunate enough that I have people who are willing to help support me, financially and emotionally, which is not a luxury every artist gets. I’m forever grateful the option to be an artist for a living at all is a possibility for me.

Erin, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m someone who has always loved drawing and was fascinated with animation. I particularly love drawing women/feminine-presenting characters as they are often so underrepresented or mired in stereotypes within all forms of media. Subsequently it made me want to create my own characters, experimenting with more diverse physical attributes, fashion, cultural backgrounds, and personalities that I craved to see in media since I was young, then share it with others and see their own takes of a diverse world and people through the common medium of art.

Still, it wasn’t until I was preparing to attend university when I came to the conclusion that it’s the only thing I could see myself doing for a career for the rest of my life. So I spent the next five years in CalState Long Beach learning everything I could to improve my drawing skill, and learned being in the animation industry will entail being bombarded with expectations to conform your style into what the final product should look like, teamwork with other artists and directors, and the dreaded tight deadlines. But spending time in Long Beach not only helped me improve on a technical level, but becoming more well-rounded and open-minded as a person by also learning from other people about their journeys in life and art, which will reflect in your own work whether you intended it to or not.

As the title freelance Character Artist implies, I digitally draw 2D illustrations of human characters, as well as brainstorming designs so they can best embody their personalities, background, etc.. My main interest is designing women/feminine characters with an art style that is clean with sharp lines, strong silhouettes, and bold colors. I also love drawing out ideas that challenge my understanding of people with different backgrounds than me as it helps me grow as a person, but also helps me shape my art to be more diverse.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

A professor I had once put it best: “Art is all about having the ability to create something out of nothing.” As someone who was insecure in the fact that I loved art, but not nearly as good as math or any science and shamed for not choosing a more “practical” field of study, hearing that inspired me. It reminded me the main reason I chose art for a career to begin with; because I love it, it allows me to express myself in a way I would otherwise struggle with in a conversation, and allows me to connect with others better when I find like-minded individuals who can also create or at least appreciate the same ideas. Now I find it that much more rewarding when I finish an illustration, reminiscing on how it had only started with a blank canvas on my computer screen and was able to come to fruition with just me, drawing tablet, and lots of time and patience.

I also want to mention that I appreciate how versatile this quote is. You create something out of nothing the same as when you create a delicious dish with regular everyday ingredients and labor, or make a harmony with noises from an instrument.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

For how to help those trying to get into the animation industry, companies should list more art positions online than almost always relying on connections through the same artists already in the industry. It helps bring more fresh ideas into the industry as well as provides more artists with jobs. These companies should also be more open to taking risks in animation, as in being willing to experiment with animation art styles and have more diverse stories/characters.

For helping freelance artists, just commission them! If you believe they’re underselling themselves, feel free to give them a tip. Also more publicity will greatly help individual artists just by sharing their social medias or any sites their work is most likely to be seen. If you repost their work, remember to credit them properly so people know where to look for the original person!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://karisajiang.wixsite.com/mysite
• Instagram: instagram.com/jarsss.e
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erin-jiang-764163158/

Image Credits
Characters from “Xiomara and the Bear” belong to Romario Flores. “Roman Holiday” Princess Ann is portrayed by Audrey Hepburn, movie directed by William Wyler. “We Bare Bears” show created by Daniel Chong.