Today we’d like to introduce you to Lei Chen.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Lei. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I have been drawing since I was a child.
It started when my mother was preparing for her accounting exam and I could sit quietly beside her and doodle it for three or four hours. So later, my mom sent me to drawing lessons, During my childhood, I tried many hobbies, but painting was the only one that I persisted. Later in junior high school, I studied with a painter and went all the way down.
In college, I chose the environment design major, however, it didn’t make me happy. Those four years let me know that what I really want to do is painting, simply enjoying the process of painting and the thoughts and breakthroughs it brought me. So I want to persuade my education, however, I do want a major that could lead to a decent job. In the end, I found the animation program.
Great, 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?
In fact, when I entered the university, I was not really understand the whole picture. In terms of major selection, I chose the design major. At that time, I thought that I could reflect my personal ideas through design. Later I discovered that the design industry is largely serving someone else. And it has little to do with painting.
In the relaxed environment, I was a little slack and thinking of just letting it go. But there’s one time, a meeting with teacher, I suddenly realized that I could continue my studies and pursue what I liked. I still young and have that ambition.
So about the second year, I began to research about graduate majors, and then I discovered the animation major. Why didn’t I expect it before. I think this major is a balance between art and professional in a perfect sense. Then I began to prepare a portfolio, the animation industry is relatively developed in the United States.
The process of preparing a portfolio is a hard job but not too anxious. After all, I have always liked painting very much, which is a process of creation and refinement. Of course, for calarts, I just give it a try. When I received the interview email I couldn’t believe it.
Please tell us more about your art.
JM is the capital of JuMo, it’s a pen-name I design when I was a kid, we have three best friends to form a little group. We want to make comic some day, so we designed pen-names all with Mo in it. Mine is JuMo, I never change it and always use it as a symbol of friendship.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
When I was a kid, my dad was very keen to collect a set of toys for me. At that time, McDonald’s has some big toys. Every time you buy a Happy Meal. There was a part of the toy in it. There were different themes at different times. I remember once it was a huge pirate ship. There are about 8-9 parts. Dad and I drove around the city in order to make up the entire boat because some parts of McDonald’s are different. Finally, I held a big pirate ship, the back seat of the car was full of uneaten happy meals, and in the aroma of food smell, I returned home with immeasurable satisfaction and happiness.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.leichenjm.com/
- Phone: 6615106759
- Email: [email protected]
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