Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Roman.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
Animation, cartoons, and that classic Disney magic has been a part of my life since before I was old enough to understand what was going on with anything. I owe a lot of that to my parents, who were fortunate enough to be able to take our family on annual trips to Disney World as a kid (and an adult too!). I always knew I wanted to be a part of that somehow, to be able to make people happy through art and creativity. As a kid I loved drawing, and art in school. Anytime I heard “clear off your desks” in grade school I got way too excited, because I knew an art project was coming.
In high school I still took art classes, but gravitated more towards video, and decided that I was going to be a big time Hollywood director! Spoiler alert: I am not. I went to Columbia College in Chicago for film and directing, and very quickly realized that this wasn’t me. It was fun and I enjoyed doing it, but something was missing. One day in my sophomore year, fate intervened and while zoned out riding an elevator, I got off on the wrong floor. I was immediately greeted by drawings, paintings, sketches, and posters for animated movies. Did I cross over into some alternate dimension?! Nope, it was the animation floor. And like my love of Disney animation, it never left me, it was just one floor below. That was it! That’s what I’m supposed to do!
I changed my major, moved to San Francisco, and graduated with a major in character animation at the Academy of Art University. Unfortunately, California quickly consumed all of my money, and after dozens of rejection letters from animation studios I headed back to Chicago to find work as a motion designer and illustrator. It wasn’t exactly what I majored in, but it was still plenty fun! I’m now in my 3rd year at Reel Captivation where I design artwork and animate videos for a variety of clients like the Chicago Opera Theater, Drury Lane Theater, and many more. I also freelance as a designer and have worked with many clients, such as the Chicago based Halloween/Pop culture collectibles company Creepy Company.
In the winter of 2017, fate knocked on my door again, and after many emails, referrals, and tests, I found myself designing pins for Disney theme parks. This was honestly a dream come true, and after all these years I’m finally able to be a tiny part of a place that makes so many people happy. I just got married to my incredible wife Jordan two months ago and we can’t wait to celebrate our honeymoon there later this year!
Please tell us about your art.
I always strive to make people happy and find joy wherever I can. Whenever I’m working on a project for a client I always want to make sure they, and most importantly the audience, is happy. Disney is obviously a big inspiration for me, but I also love mid-century illustrations and Halloween (which is obviously the best holiday). I hope that when people see my work they smile, laugh, or at the very least breathe out of their nose a bit harder than usual.
In my personal and professional life I draw storyboards, design characters and environments, and animate characters and motion graphics. I design enamel pins, company logos and branding, I’ve worked on t-shirts and posters, and probably more. I stay pretty busy!
What do you think about conditions for artists today? Has life become easier or harder for artists in recent years? What can cities like ours do to encourage and help art and artists thrive?
The internet has really become an incredible tool for artists around the globe. It’s easier than ever to follow other artists, communicate with them, and watch live demos, tutorials, and take online classes. I know Chicago has a great community for motion graphics artists that hosts meet ups every month, so that’s a great way to stay informed about what’s going on locally! Supporting art shows and pop up events is another great way to get involved. For example, there’s an awesome event called Midwest Flair Fest coming to Thalia Hall where local artists can share and sell pins, patches, and other artwork!
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
The best place to see my work is on my website chrismroman.com. I’m in the process of updating my portfolio so there will be more soon!
I also have an Instagram, but if I’m being honest, it’s mostly pictures of my cats. I’m @chrismroman on there!
For my animation work, you can check out reelcaptivation.com
Contact Info:
- Website: www.chrismroman.com
- Email: chrismroman@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrismroman/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/chrisroman
Image Credit:
Reel Captivation
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