Daily Inspiration: Meet Tamilyn Ayabe

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tamilyn Ayabe.

Hi Tamilyn, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Growing up, I was pretty much surrounded by art since I could remember. Both my grandmothers were artists, one is an oil painter, and the other was a seamstress at Neiman Marcus. I can still recall being enticed by the pretty dresses sitting on the mannequins or the canvas being left out to dry in the backyard. As a kid, I was pretty impressionable, so obviously I wanted to see if I could do the same. I’d drape myself with blankets in hopes of making a beautiful gown, or even attempting to paint with dried out paint tubes. Even though I had ups and downs, something about creating just kind of stuck, and I was hooked.

I was later gifted a DS and I became enamored with it. I believe that this was the moment I realized that I wanted to do something within the entertainment industry. I fell in love with the way both games and film were able to bring worlds to life, and I wished to bring the same experience I had to others.

Years later, I began seriously considering how to turn this passion into a career. It was daunting since most people around me at the time had their paths carved out for them in STEM. But my father was one of my biggest supporters. He had once dreamed of attending art school but wasn’t able to. With his encouragement and the support of others, I took the leap and applied to art school.

I ended up working towards a BFA at Otis College of Art and Design. During my time in school, I had met some of the most amazing people ever, both friends and mentors, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything else. I’ve learned so much there and I believe that I’m more ready than ever to take on whatever awaits me after grad!

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I really wish I could say it was, haha. I had to face lots of challenges and obstacles along the way, but I wouldn’t say that I regret it 100%. I feel like for many artists and people alike, challenges are something that helps them grow. I’ve learned so much from these challenges, and I don’t think I’d be the same person without them. However, I’d say that my biggest struggle would definitely be my own critique. People say that “you are your biggest critic”, and that does happen to be something I deal with often. I am a bit of a perfectionist and I don’t mind completely redoing something that I don’t think is quite there yet. But over time, I began to learn how to deal with it. I found a way to balance my own critique during my work process and how to move on when the piece can no longer be altered. I’ve grown to document what I’ve learned from my past struggles and how I can improve on them for the next piece.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a character concept artist and illustrator for games and animation. I’m constantly immersed in research for my character designs, especially the fashion. Looking up different clothing and trends from a variety of different eras is something I love to do and I’m always interested in learning more. I’m also comfortable in a variety of styles, so I have no problem switching up rendering and line work for any project.

Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
The little moments. Moments where I’m either sitting and working at my desk at the break of dawn or even going to run errands with friends, I find myself cherishing these moments a lot. I can’t exactly say when I started to appreciate these moments the most, but I feel it has to do with my goals. I’m happy knowing that I’m pursuing what I love, and it honestly makes even the mundane enjoyable. My friends and I are all in the same boat trying to pursue our greatest passions and it makes the journey feel even more fun. So being able to slow down a bit and enjoy every bit of time of either working till my hands fall off or yapping with friends for hours, it’s something that does genuinely make me happy.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://tamilyn-ayabe.squarespace.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/temiii_ko/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamilyn-ayabe-b0b72a239/
• Other: https://linktr.ee/tamilynayabe