What is your name and your current occupation?
My name is Weihao Wei. I am currently working as a free lancing concept artist. My clients are Syndicate Alpha Software, Soft Reset Studio and Snaketakes studio.
What are some of the crazier jobs you had before getting into animation?
I worked at Subway sandwich shop for a year; this is by far the craziest one I guess?
What are some of your favorite projects you’re proud to have been a part of?
The project at Soft reset studio, I am in charge of all the art direction of the unannounced adventure game, there are a lot of talented people in the team and I am very proud to be a part of it and see the game develops from scratch to a near-prototype stage.
How did you become interested in animation?
Since I was a little kid, maybe 5 years old? I went to Beijing and watched the first “Toy Storyâ€, and from that moment on; I fell in love with animations. Later on I started watching a lot of Japanese animations such as “Evangelion†and “Ghost in the shellâ€. The details in these animations are amazing, especially the robotics and weapon design. I started doing my own sketches of robot design at around grade 6, and that was my first step into the art&design field.
Where are you from and how did you get into the animation business?
I came from China and completed my University in Canada. Right now I am not really in the animation business as I am still trying to expand my connections and gain more experiences. However, making my own animations is always being my dream, I have some crazy ideas on animations, just need more time before I can execute my ideas. And it is going to be fantastic if I can join some animation project right now.
What’s a typical day like for you with regards to your job?
My typical day starts at waking up in the morning, playing some epic music and drawing! It seems the music has some great effect when I draw. If I listen to Hans Zimmer’s music, my drawings are usually very epic. If I listen to some soft music, mostly I will do some human figures. But I spend most of my day drawing, and I enjoy this kind of life style.
What part of your job do you like best? Why?
I think the part when I was given some simple description about a scene and you expand the simple sentence into a full scale concept art. The process of visualization is always interesting and challenging. And it is very satisfying when my client replied: “Wow, This is exactly what I am thinking about!â€
What part of your job do you like least? Why?
Actually not that much to complain, maybe too much time spent sitting in front of a computer.
What kind of technology do you work with on a daily basis?
Wacom intuos 4 tablet and photoshop. I have been using this set for 2 years now. The funny thing is I used mouse to draw for a year because at that time I don’t even know that tablet exist.
What is the most difficult part for you about being in the business?
Finding the right connection and getting a full time job nowadays with the economic depression, it’s tough.
Describe a tough situation you had in life.
During my first year in University, I was in the wrong faculty (computer science) and picked the wrong courses (high level programming), my GPA went so low and it took me a year to bounce my GPA back. That year was so intense because being an international student back then it is a personal disaster if you got kicked out of the University. I think that was a pretty tough situation.
Any side projects you’re working on that you’d like to share details of?
Right now I am still focusing on building a killer portfolio for future opportunity. You can view my artworks at http://weihaoart.carbonmade.com/. Feel free to contact me.
Any unusual talents or hobbies like tying a cherry stem with your tongue or metallurgy?
I am into street dancing, and also in a Poppin crew called Beatkillers in Edmonton. I also play Airsoft, and Beatbox.
Is there any advice you can give for an aspiring animation student or artist trying to break into the business?
Keep practicing and never be satisfied with yourself; Always keep a fresh and open mind!
Coolio!
Really Cool. Very Inspiring.