We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Guy Vasilovich a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Guy, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?
My creative journey started in Wheaton Illinois where I spent most of my time in music and art. As a percussionist I was involved in band, orchestra and stage shows giving me the experience to perform and entertain in front of audiences. My time off [during the day] I’d spent most my time drawing and developing my art portfolio’s for submission into art schools. A last minute offer came to me at California Institute of the Arts where I was accepted into their Disney sponsored animation program. I had always pride myself on my artistic ability until I arrived at Cal Arts. I became humbled immediately at the talent that surrounded me. The teachers were ex Disney artists and designers who were willing to pass on the creative torch to aspiring young talent interested in Disney animation.
My creative life changed considerably when I met a design teacher by the name of Bill Moore a kind but strict design teacher who ran his classes like a military. Bill taught the principles of design in a way I never knew existed. The understanding of visual communication through line, shape, form, and color that could apply to all media. I still use these basic principles today in my paintings, character designs, music and filmmaking. At the end of my second year Disney offered me an internship at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank. The place where they make magic.
Guy, 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?
At Disney I worked as a layout artist on films like “The Fox and the Hound,” ” The Black Cauldron,” “The Great Mouse Detective,” in which I was elevated up to the position of Art Director. After leaving Disney I became an independent artist and director for television and motion pictures. The ability to work as team member to achieve a common creative goal was a lesson I learned early on. This ability earned me the respect I was lacking from fellow creatives. Versatility as an artist kept me employed in a very competitive market and opened up many doors for me. Over time I was hired to design, create, develop and sometimes direct animated films and television series. I worked with all the major studios and networks. Ultimately I created my own televisions series: “Moville Mysteries” and “Iggy Arbuckle” Discovery’s first animated series. I co-created the comic strip: “When I was Short” for King Features Syndicate and authored and illustrated the popular children’s book, ” 13 Nights of Halloween,” for HarperCollins Publishing.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
The biggest lesson I learned as a designer, artist and filmmaker is to imagine first and then check by principle. I try to motivate myself by watching, visually recording, listening and finally application. An artist one told me that drawing is in the mind and not in your hand. Visual entertainment is what my mission is. One may not have the artistic skills to draw or paint but can still communicate in an entertaining way. Life is design. It has function and purpose. Nature for example is abundant with design. It has intention and motivation. One of my personal rules are: say the most with the least. A beautifully rendered piece of art may communicate nothing while a simple brush stroke says it all. A philosophy I continue to strive for.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
I was the only one in my family that had interest in the arts. My father taught us how to compete in life and sports but with a respect for the game. I was always driven to be really good at whatever I did. Practice does make perfect but my trick was to find the fun and joy in it. I always loved a challenge. A story I can share was when I was laying out the opening scene to the “Fox and the Hound” the story asked for a scene where the mother fox is running through the forest and bolts past a spider web. The movement from the fox would cause the web to shimmer and shine as she ran passed. The complex scene was cut due to budgetary concerns. I remember and old beer sign hanging in my family’s resort portraying a beautiful scenic riverside moment with a flowing river and a campsite with a fire.. The scene animated with stunning life. The incredible thing was that the moving image was created with only two layers.: a painting and an invisible line pattern similar to a “moire pattern” The overlapping of the images produced its movement. I applied the same concept to the spider web with only two drawings. The scene still remains as a highlight in the movie.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://guyvasilovich.com
- Instagram: guyvfineart
Image Credits
Bill Moore