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

Hanyu, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I loved to doodle on the walls when I was young, maybe around three years old. At that time my parents encouraged me that I could be an artist in the future. My dad wanted me to be able to make a living from my hobby because it would make my life easier and happier. The older generation knows how painful it is if you have to face a job you don’t like every day just to make a living. But they didn’t force me to stick to painting, I learned to play a musical instrument and how to solder and assemble radio communication equipment. In short, my parents supported everything I was interested in, and then in high school, I realized that I enjoyed and excelled at painting the most. My parents got very serious with me and asked me if I wanted to continue studying art and make a career out of it in the future, and my answer was yes. They sent me to an art high school, and I have been receiving a professional art education ever since. It was as if I had chosen this path from the very beginning. I understand a lot of artists who struggle with choosing an artistic path, and it’s painful and many times God doesn’t want it. So I know I’m lucky because of my parents’ support and encouragement, and I’m grateful to them.

Hanyu, 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?

My junior year was the moment that made me feel like I was an animation practitioner or an art practitioner. We had to finish a big assignment, a complete animation short film. From the very beginning of the design to the middle of the production and finally the screening, all the students were screaming because they were so tired. Beginners are always unable to control their schedule and we would do a lot of useless work. But the excitement and tension are very interesting when the final work is presented on the big screen. I think every art practitioner is addicted to “creating”. The passion and enthusiasm that brings a piece of art to life is the reason why I created it in the first place, but of course, it would be better if it could make money for me. So I focused on design, and I chose to specialize in illustration. I hope to bring more aesthetic things into the creation of animation. I see my future niche as a concept designer, but it’s not limited to that. I see creation as more than just a tool to make a living for me, it is my salvation. I would like to put all my personal feelings into my favorite works, such as some animations, games or books, etc. So I understand the power of these works of art to move others. They are not just commodities or daily pastimes, they can mean a lot to readers and viewers. Conscientiousness and passion may not make an artist, but a good artist must possess these two qualities. Both my personal experience and my educational background make me respect this industry, and it gives me always something to explore and learn.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

When I first encountered artwork, I did so from a viewer’s perspective. I chose this path because of the shock that some of the works brought to me and made me want to be part of the creation. The satisfaction that a work of art brings is usually spiritual. In the case of animation, an animation provides us with a story scenario, adventure, or even a world view. Whether as a scenery you pass along the way or a world you aspire to, it is like opening a door to a different world for you in the real world. People have a safe area of their own in which they heal when they are hurt or sad. And these fantasy worlds offer more possibilities for people, in times of sadness you can choose to calm down in a comfortable place or you can also choose to have a happy adventure to forget about real-life troubles. I think that’s fascinating about art; it can resonate with the reader but simultaneously bring the reader a completely unimaginable experience. There are times when I run out of inspiration, a technical bottleneck, or some external force majeure. I will go back and watch the animation that inspired me as a child or play the games I used to be addicted to. Even though they are not the best drawings or slightly cheesy stories compared with many new works now, I can still recall the kind of emotion and excitement at that time. This emotion gives me strength and motivation.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I think I have a clear goal, I hope I can create work that I am very satisfied with. But this goal also drifts, because the standards are always changing. My ideas must be above my skills, so I’m always playing catch up with my ideas. When I seem to be close, my demands may increase again. I also want to be able to create work that is as wonderful as the artists I admire, but I don’t compare myself to them, I compare myself to the person I used to be. So my goal is like a puppy chasing its tail, always catching up, and even if I catch up but relax a little, the tail leaves, and I have to keep trying again.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.hanyumu.com/
• Instagram: @hany_umu