Life & Work with Jimmy Taylor

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jimmy Taylor.

Hi Jimmy, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today. 
I’ve always loved cartoons growing up, but my deep love for cartoons and animation started with early 2000s era cartoon network, Toonami, and shonen jump manga I would check out from the library. To be honest, I didn’t know how viable a career-making cartoons was for a long time, but once I was hooked, it didn’t matter. I figured if it looked cool enough, my stuff might show up in a library or on a TV screen one day, and come 2nd grade, I started drawing my own comics. I spent all the way up to middle school creating comics, then shifted gears a bit in high school. My high school art teacher taught me the importance of honing foundational art skills alongside creating my own thing, especially if I wanted to go to college and seriously pursue making a career in art, so I spent my high school years buckling down to seriously hone my foundational skills.

In 2014, I would go on to attend the Cleveland Institute of Art, where I would graduate in 2018 and get my BFA in animation for my thesis film April, which would get me a Finalist for the Just Be You Performing Arts Film and Theatre Festival. In 2022 I took the biggest leap of faith of my entire life and moved out of my hometown in Cleveland, Ohio to Los Angeles to fully pursue a career in animation. Over the past 2 years, I’ve done background design work for the Disney Channel series Saturdays, did some freelance design work for smaller studios, and did animation and BG design work on The Opener, a 12-minute animated short film that plays at the first part of Niles Abston’s 1-hour comedy special Household Name. It’s been a roller coaster ride in LA so far to say the least.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely hasn’t been the smoothest road. I’ve learned that the industry requires you to be a bit nomadic, and it’s not always easy to find work, and that’s scary, especially when you see yourself making artistic strides. I’ve dealt with a lot of self-doubt in my art journey, sometimes I still do. I’m starting to learn that sometimes you just have to breathe and realize a lot of times, industry rough patches are not uncommon but it never lasts forever, do what you have to do to pay the bills, but keep improving. As an artist, also remember to create for yourself, not just geared towards the companies, and network, make friends with your art peers, especially if you live in Los Angeles. They’re so many people out here who are just as friendly as they are talented in the animation industry, if you allow yourself, you meet some really great people out here.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a Background Designer, Illustrator, and Comic book artist; I create background art environments primarily for animated TV.

When I’m not doing that I also create illustration art prints that I’m starting to sell on my online store on Inprint, as well as creating my own Webcomic Spitter Man, a story about a 27 yr old aspiring meme soundcloud rapper striving to thrive in L.A, whose life takes an interesting turn of events when a former highschool classmate seeks to hire him to help him get revenge on his former bullies. I plan to have that coming out in May.

Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the COVID-19 crisis?
Hmmm, I guess you don’t take human interaction and going outside and touching grass for granted?

2020 through 2021 was not a fun time.

Pricing:

• Graphic Illustrations – $80
• https://www.inprnt.com/search/products?q=jimbotheartist

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jimmytaylordraws.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jimbotheartist/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmy-taylor-99b9abb9/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jimbotheartist