We recently connected with Huamin Wen and have shared our conversation below.

Huamin, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Some of the most interesting parts of our journey emerge from areas where we believe something that most people in our industry do not – do you have something like that?

Hey everyone! My name is Huamin Wen, a Motion Designer and Vis Dev Artist based in Los Angeles. I create UX/UI motion, animation, and art direction for brands, products, and businesses. Currently, I work as a full-time motion designer at American Honda Motor Company. To be more specific, I design opening logo animations, prototype UI behavior, and create 3D vehicle renders for the meter and center screens for future Acura and Honda models. My design helps strengthen businesses’ brand identity and makes the products easier and more aesthetic to use. So far, the project I’m most proud of is the motion work for the first Acura EV, to which I’ve contributed at all stages from concept to production. I was fortunate enough to be entrusted with the opportunity to take on some of the most important parts of the production.

Aside from Honda’s projects, I also really enjoyed leading a motion project for UCLA to create a series of short animations for a Japanese education material. Beyond just creating animated characters and scenery, I defined the overall style and tone to illustrate Japanese onomatopoeias, or sound-mimicking words, which were then put to use in current Japanese classes at UCLA and El Camino College. I was able to combine my expertise in Japanese, motion design, and Japanese-style animation in this single project.

And here is a bit more about my background. My profession in motion design actually stemmed from my passion for traditional animation. Before joining Honda, I self-directed, produced, and created two 2D animated short films, “Homecoming” and “The Other Half of the Apple”. I am happy to announce that they were featured at various film festivals such as the Los Angeles Animation Festival and Dam Short Film Festival.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m going to bring up the debate of whether to be a generalist or a specialist. My work spans both the automotive and animation industries. From my experience so far, most people believe that in order for one to thrive in the industry, they have to specialize in at least one area. For the animation industry, it means we have to choose from the start whether to become a vis dev artist, a storyboard artist, an animator, a compositor, or a 3D modeler, etc. For the automotive industry, it could mean becoming an exterior designer, an interior designer, or an engineer, etc. Specialization has been proven to be successful in improving efficiency, and I absolutely respect those who have perfected their skills.

However, for me, it has always been difficult to just commit to one thing from the beginning to the end. When in college, I dabbled in all kinds of fields — first transferring from biology to design, and then double-majored in Japanese. Within the field of design itself, I explored 2D and 3D motion design, hand-drawn animation, illustration, book design, and even woodworking. I am used to wearing multiple hats and love constantly exploring new media. And then, of course, it was a struggle for me to land a job in a highly specialized industry such as animation. While others have an exquisite concept art portfolio which they’ve spent 4 years working on, my portfolio was a big melting pot including a bit of everything. Eventually, I chose motion design as my main medium since it incorporates all aspects of visual design. Meanwhile, I was lucky to find my niche at Honda, where I could apply my skills and knowledge in motion design, illustration, and Japanese.

Therefore, it’s perfectly fine if you’re also a generalist like me. Usually, they say that specialists are better suited for big corporations and generalists are for more boutique independent studios. However, you can also find your place as a generalist in a large company if you’re working in a smaller, closely-knit team. I also believe that in the long run, a more multidisciplinary individual could better serve a managerial position since they can speak the language of various fields and understand creatives from different backgrounds.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

There were multiple times when I had to reevaluate my situation and reprioritize my goals. At the very beginning, I set out to pursue a career in the animation industry. Growing up watching a myriad of Japanese animations, I aspired to work as a Genga animator in the anime industry, but soon realized how difficult it is to survive as an animator working on anime shows. I also ended up studying abroad in the United States, so I wanted to give a shot at the Western animation industry as a visual development artist. However, it hasn’t worked out for me either — I had difficulties adjusting to the visual language of Western-style animations, and the employment prospects of the animation industry were quite pessimistic by the time I graduated.

Nonetheless, I had to find a job to remain in the US as an international student. Luckily, I was able to build a professional connection with Honda, which took me in first as an intern and then as a full-time UX/UI motion designer. As I entered a new stage in life, my priorities also started shifting. Compared to the beginning when I aspired to make my name in the animation world, now I value job stability and work-life balance more. Therefore, I’m grateful for my current employment at Honda while having learned a lot of useful skills applicable to the product design world. Meanwhile, I’ll keep traditional animation and illustration as my side hustles.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

First of all, I believe anyone has the potential to become creative, and it’s only a matter of personal choice to pursue it or not. Instead of dividing people into creatives and non-creatives, it has more to do with differences in people’s values and priorities. We happen to live in a world where leading a creative career might be less lucrative compared to professions in sciences, law, and business. As someone who transferred from science to art and design in college, I can say it takes a lot of courage and determination to forgo a traditionally desirable career. Instead, we choose to pursue an unpredictable yet exciting route simply because we love what we’re doing. Sometimes people prioritize the potential for self-realization more than just monetary transactions. So if you have a friend, a partner, a relative, or a child who’s attempting to enter a creative field, try to be supportive and validate the value they are trying their very best to bring to the world. They are the ones who make products easier to use and the world a more beautiful place to live in.

Contact Info:

• Website: Motion Design: https://cargocollective.com/wenhuamin | Vis Dev: https://wenhuamin.myportfolio.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mintamonn/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/huamin-wen/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/mintamonn