Kaining Wang
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Where did you grow up? At what age did you start thinking about pursuing an artistic career?
I was born in Tianjin, China, and grew up in Shanghai. Ever since I was a child I was drawn to animation, particularly Disney movies, anime, and old Chinese animation. It was during my last year of high school that, with a lot encouraged from my art teacher, I started to think about working in the industry. Around that time I also watched "Ghost in the Shell" (the 1995 movie version) and "The Matrix" for the first time, and that really made me fall in love with the art form. I found out that there is actually a whole industry behind the screen, so I finally decided to pursue it as a career.
Have you always been supported in your artistic path or has it been challenging to let your family and friends understand your choice?
It was definitely not easy to persuade my parents at that time. They always thought art was just one of my hobbies and never took it seriously. But when they saw how dedicated I was while preparing my art portfolio, they realized I was dead serious and passionate about it.
What was the strongest influence you had when you were growing up ( artists, movies, cartoons, comics, etc.. )?
I love reading myths and folk tales ever since when I was a kid, they had so much impact on my work. The fantastical elements play a huge part in my personal taste and choice. I also love the work of French comic book artist Moebius, the movies of Japanese director Hiyao Miyazaki, the anime series “Cowboy Bebop” and “Claymore”, and as already mentioned above, the anime movie “Ghost in the Shell”.
Is there something that you have designed that you are most proud of?
One of my fondest memories is when I received a Bronze Aware at the Illustration West 59 Contest (in the Entertainment and Visual Development category). This competition is very prestigious and attracts a significant amount of artists, so it was a huge honor to receive a medal for my work. The piece I created for this competition was called "Behemoth Scavenging". I’m particularly proud of that work not only because it was recognized on such a public and respected platform, but also because I was satisfied with the story-telling aspect of it.
I'm also very proud of two other works of mine: "Arrival" and "Funeral" because Infected By Art selected them for their competition. Because of this, it was featured in their official artbook, which is viewed by a lot of people in the industry. I was also very happy to have my work selected as a finalist to the Concept Art Awards. This award show is put on by LightBox Expo, one of the best concept art events in the world.
Did you have a favorite subject to draw when you were a child and do you still have one today? If you do, what makes it so special?
When I was a kid, I loved to draw Monkey King and Ne Zha. They were the “superhero” I grew up with. Now I just draw anything as long as I have a pen in my hand. But the characteristics of Monkey King and Ne Zha can still be seen in a lot of characters or stories I design: the rebellious, relentless, and fierce beings that are never afraid of powerful foes and that ultimately always find peace within themselves.
From the initial client idea to the final work: What goes through your mind, and what is the method you use when starting a project? Could you describe it?
In general, I outline the keywords of the premise first, and then I start to do research/brainstorm from there. I usually provide several thumbnail sketches as options. Once the client then chooses what they prefer, I do more color variations, emphasizing a good value structure, a good first and second read, and the emotion that needs to be conveyed. After the client chooses a color option, I proceed to refine the final piece from there.
What is your process in creating your art and what are your favourite tools?
When I work on my own personal projects, the process is much more spontaneous. I come up with an image, random words, or even just a moment with two characters confronting each other in my head. Then, I develop a whole set of stories and I world-build around it. Sometimes though it's the other way around: I have an idea for a world and then I design the characters that live within it. Both approaches are fun. I usually use Photoshop to do all my art but lately, I am trying to go back to the old roots: doodling on paper. It's more relaxing and fun that way, and when, so to speak, a happy accident happens, that can actually give me new ideas for the project.
What part of the creation process is the most fun and easy and what part is the hardest?
The most fun part for me is definitely the brainstorming stage. You can think of all the possibilities and potential for the stories. It is also pretty relaxing to just paint. The hardest part for me sometimes is the refining stage.
What is a typical day for you, and who are the people you work, collaborate, or share your creative time with?
When I was at Warner Brothers, I usually started with a team meeting. And then the rest of the day is me in front of Photoshop painting and designing. Our visual development team determined the whole look of the show, so it is very important to stay consistent with the style. Each team member was very important to the production. We were always learning from one another.
What projects have you worked on in the past and what are you working on at the moment (if you can tell us)?
I worked as a background painter for the second season of "Solar Opposites". On that show, I was mainly doing paintings that would end up directly on the final screen, but sometimes I would also do color design to determine the visual look of the characters/props.
During my time at Warner Bros Animation, I was a visual development artist on the new Gremlins animation show. I was mainly focusing on designing and painting the background of the show while sometimes doing some prop designs. I have also worked for Steadman Design studios on several of their theme park projects. Right now, I am a concept designer working for Facebook Reality Labs.
Do you have a long-term career goal? What would your dream project be?
I feel so fortunate to have been able to work on so many top productions. In the future, I would like to create a graphic novel and direct my own animation project. I also dream about opening my own animation studio one day.
What advice would you give to an artist who is dealing with an artist’s block? How do you boost your imagination and keep yourself creative?
Art blocks are not something I'm unfamiliar with, and in fact, I have dealt with them several times. When they happen, I usually try to do something else other than art such as spending more time with my friends and family, taking a walk by myself, playing with my pet, watching movies, going to gallery shows, or reading books to keep myself inspired. As an artist, we are constantly making "output" of art to the world. But such endeavor can drain our creative juices. To keep them flowing it's crucial to take a break from time to time and accumulate some helpful “input” and inspirations.
Concept art, animation, illustration, comics, you name it. There are so many careers and when you are very young, sometimes you know only one thing: you simply love to draw. In your opinion, what should a young person take into consideration to make the right decision when choosing an artistic path?
The most important thing is to keep an open mind and always challenge yourself. You have a greater potential than you think so never be afraid to try stuff that is out of your comfort zone. It may result in some magic that would help shape your artistic language and let you know who you are. It is also essential to accumulate knowledge from all kinds of fields. Don’t just look at art or concept art.
Who are the artists who inspire you the most today and what are some of your favorite designs out there?
I love Tatsuya Terada, Moebius, H.R. Giger, Kazuma Kaneko, Ami Thompson and Yoshitaka Amano etc. Most recently I fall in love with the art of the Netflix show "Arcane". Every painting and design in that show is spectacular!
We have a soft spot for hand-drawn animation, what is your opinion about the future of this art form?
I think there will always be a place for hand-drawn animation in this industry. Growing up watching 2D animations, I personally would always have a soft spot for them. And I think a lot of people feel the same way. The animation industry nowadays is embracing different kinds of styles and techniques. And a lot of rising new independent studios are doing 2D animations. Even though the animation industry is still heavily 3D oriented, the fact that they are trying to mimic 2D quality through 3D technology means people would always be drawn to animation with hand-drawn quality.
Finally, where can we see your art online and get in touch with you? How can we buy your creations and support your work?
You can check out my portfolio and reach out to me by visiting my personal website at ( kningart.com ). If you want to keep up with my latest creations, please feel free to follow me on Instagram at ( instagram.com/longneck_kai ).
Thank you, Kaining :)
