We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Tiana Rodriguez. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Tiana below.

Tiana, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

I’ve been creative ever since I was little, so as I grew older, it was a no-brainer for me to find a way to make a living through art. I have to admit, my family wasn’t thrilled—they believed the “smart” approach was to get a “regular” job. But I wanted to live a life true to myself and my dreams. So, I moved to the US, earned a degree in animation, and worked hard. Five years later, against all odds, I was hired at a well-known studio.

There were definitely rough times when I questioned why I chose this path. The journey has been filled with uncertainty and mistakes. But along the way, I’ve connected with so many incredible people and experienced immense happiness and growth.

I’ve continued to take risks as an artist, learning and adapting to different fields such as product design and teaching.

I’ll keep learning new skills as an artist so I can offer more to the world. The artist’s life is unpredictable and always evolving, but that’s part of what makes it so rewarding.

I mean, after all life is about taking risks right?

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My artist journey began when I moved to the US to pursue a career in animation. Shortly after graduating, I teamed up with Sony Pictures Animation, Mitu, and assembled a small crew to direct and produce my first short film, “Grandpa’s Wheelchair”- the story of a rebellious young girl who finds her adventurous spirit with the help of her grandpa. That project opened the door to a job at Sony Pictures Animation as a storyboard artist.

For four years I honed my design and storytelling skills, working on projects for animation houses such as Hasbro, Rick and Morty, Gaumont, and others. After four years in animation, I shifted my focus to sharing my sketches, watercolor paintings, and comics, which evolved into creating and selling my own products at markets and gallery shows.

I found immense joy in the product design process and seeing people connect with my work, which led me to dive deeper into product design. It was exciting to discover that my love for character psychology, design, storytelling, and research carried over product design. My background turned out to be my superpower. I’m able to offer unique skills and solutions to new teams and customers.

In addition to crafting stories for films and shows, I’m working with customers and stakeholders to solve everyday problems. As I develop my new product design portfolio, I focus on leveraging the power of storytelling fundamentals and animation to convey complex ideas. “A Picture is worth a thousand words” Storyboards are an amazing tool to illustrate customer journeys and showcase problems. Because film is all about clarity, understanding your audience, and keeping them
interested, I keep these in mind when approaching product design as well as the customers needs. My goal as a designer is to find and solve problems, enhance brand identity, and make a better product while telling its unique story.

I’m just as excited to continue growing as a modern artist. I host watercolor workshops at, and teach animation at Cal State University to keep my creative spirit alive. In my freetime I storyboard things that happen to me and I often go plein-air painting.
Through this artist journey, I’ve realized my true passion is to make people’s lives better—whether it’s through illustrations, movies, experiences, or products.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron changed my life. It helped me overcome the worst artist block I’ve ever experienced. The book’s weekly exercises guide you to explore your inner self while establishing a consistent writing routine.

Show Your Work by Austin Kleon may look small, but it’s packed with wisdom. Open it to any page, and you’ll find insights that help conquer the fear of putting yourself out there.

How to Focus by Thich Nhat Hanh is another favorite of mine. This small book offers powerful passages on meditation, teaching the foundation for developing a focused and calm mind. I used to stress about changes and the demands of daily life, but Thich Nhat Hanh has been my guide to mindfulness, helping me navigate how to be a happy and decent human being in a capitalist society.

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

When I was a new storyboard artist, a mentor gave me a challenging action sequence to storyboard. After handing me the assignment, she looked at me and said, “Women are often given heartfelt, character-driven sequences. I want you to be able to storyboard any sequence. I won’t pigeonhole you—you can do it.”

Years later, while exploring new ways of making a living as an artist, her words echoed in my mind. I realized I had been pigeonholing myself as a storyboard artist. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. But then it hit me—I’m an artist who draws storyboards, not just a storyboard artist. I’m a creator, not a job title. Why limit myself to one role? Storyboards are just one of many things I can create.

Stepping away from storyboards to try new things brought me so much growth and happiness. I explored painting, color theory, editing, typography, writing, marketing, and anything that combined my skillset with my passions. Each new skill enriched my artistry, which in turn made me a better story artist. They offered fresh perspectives I could apply to my storyboard work.
When I discovered product design, everything clicked. There were still many new things to learn, but I was no longer afraid to evolve as an artist and designer.
Change holds immense power. Every day is a new opportunity to grow and transform.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.tianaaguadoart.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tiana_art/?hl=en
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiana-aguado-1b8548124/