We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sarah Ann Banks. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sarah Ann below.
Sarah Ann, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
I cant remember a timewhere i didnt want to be an artist! All through my life I have been creating characters and objects, with the original medium being air dry clay. Some childhood moments stand out to me as artistic beginnings. As a little kid I would carry a few colorful clay characters in my pocket and pass them out to anyone who would accept! Then in elementary school I had a business drawing fairy hamsters for other students, which I operated out of my desk. Today i still create characters that feel connected to those moments. When I think back on all of my creations, they feel like an evolutionary chart of magical beings.
I never really had another consideration as my career path, making things always felt important to me. luckily I was stubborn enough to convince my parents to let me go to art school.
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 Sarah Ann Banks, a digital artist based in Brooklyn, NY.
I work primarily with 3D animation software but have a new interest in risograph printing!
Much of my current work is based in character design, but in the past ive felt more conected to landscape scenes. I like to think of my artist practice as a visual diary, a way to storytell and explore fixations in my daily life. I often get stuck on an idea and continue to make iterations until new inspiration takes hold.
Currently I love sifting through Ebay, looking at the things people drug out from their basements, noticing their weird imperfections, and building narratives around them. Sometimes i spend days trying to make perfectly matted hair, trying to mimic an overloved toy I stumbled upon online. Besides Ebay, some of my other recent inspiration has come from felted puppets, animals on the street and on my phone, and a reincarnated mammoth.
I use tools like C4D, Zbrush, and Substance Painter to create my work, and recently have been risograph printing some of my renders. This combination has been very magical, giving my digital work some real world imperfections.
I received a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2019. Some of my recent clients include Meow Wolf, Coach, and Harper’s Bazaar.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
Being in an creative flow, and moving seamlessly from one idea to the next. I love when ideas keep coming and spawning new ideas/interests. Thats when I feel the most excited about my practice. Maybe its a doll’s head at goodwill or a loud pattern on someone’s shirt. I love seeing something during my day that sticks in my brain and turns into 10 more ideas. I feel rewarded when im enjoying making my work, and when its the only thing I can think about doing.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
In 3D design, you often learn rules and tricks to refine your skills that are rooted in perfection and realism. I catch myself getting caught up trying to make realistic textures, lighting,etc.This inevitibly ends up limiting my creative process, as I put myself in a box while learning more advanced tools and techniques.
When I began working in 3D, I didnt know of any rights or wrongs, and created freely, focusing on what felt right. I didnt care about things being perfectly aligned or weird intersections between models. This way of making felt freer and allowed me to make bolder stylistic choices.
I always have to unlearn my desire to make things ” perfect” and find the balance. Instead of being fixated on industry standards, I try to use 3D tools in a way that complements my artistic practice.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sarahabanks.com
- Instagram: @ssarahbankss
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-ann-banks-639667201/
Image Credits
Sarah Ann Banks