Meet Josh Sunga

Today we’d like to introduce you to Josh Sunga.

Josh, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
When you draw a line on paper it translates your energy. When challenged to draw a straight line most people will grip the pen, focus and drag the point across the page. The attempted lines range from crooked to straight, but there is another dimension to the line. Even amongst straight lines there are ones that feel slow and scrutinized – even too straight. On the contrary, there are imperfect lines that are confident and decisive, and thus, feel straight. Drawing can reveal a depth of character even in the first mark that hits the page.

I drew a robot named “Fan Man” once. It’s the first image that comes to mind when thinking about the start of my career. My five years old self was oblivious at the time. A robot with big arms ending in canons inspired by the family floor fan ended up inspiring me back. The robot helps remind myself (in the simplicity a child can understand) that every idea needs the spirit of inspiration.

Today the films and games industry demand imagination – and a lot of it. A concept artist has to be skilled and creative both to survive. Most artists have high standards and far reaching goals already and it’s in our nature to resist being satisfied. Young artists struggle with this. With what’s on the page and what’s in your head. Drawing becomes a pain. It doesn’t look like what you imagined. It doesn’t look good. It sucks, you suck and you’re not creative… On top of an artist’s doubts the ghosts of starving artists haunt your path.

As a kid, deciding early to be an artist made it seem the odds were naturally against me – therefore I never cared too much for the odds in general. This helped me immensely. There is an air of rebellion about sticking to your guns. Grit in not relenting. That got me started when I was younger. I laugh now when I think about what drives my silly drawings. Still, when I draw I let the stories develop and just keep the pen rolling – that’s important. Some think they have to have a unique style or voice beforehand. Some think they have to train their skills first. Learning that the character of an artist is tangible and developed through art is what defines my early journey as an artist.

Has it been a smooth road?
In my early childhood, my mom worked hard to take care of three children. I grew up quiet and observant. As the youngest, I didn’t know much – I could understand a sense of struggle though. I was exposed to the great lows of life pretty early on. Growing up in a household of faith helped. Those quiet days ended up helping too. It’s a source of things I want to share that drive me creatively today. I make art because I enjoy it, and also because there are stories to tell and lessons to teach.

In a competitive, ever-evolving industry, artistic ideals aren’t always the driving force. The initiatory struggles of becoming a concept artist for the business has its pitfalls. I wrestled with the curriculum and the culture throughout my school career.

First, caffeinated nights, sleepless beds, and short deadlines make quick work of students unsuspecting. Stress and anxiety are communicated through small talk and insecurity is present on campus. Paranoia of rival schools and that one artist working through the night to take your future job exists. Artists are obsessive creatures – hopes of more sleep are dreamt of during the day. What I romanticized about honing my craft in school was being quickly turned. I’m an artist today not because I never stopped drawing, but that I never stopped drawing for the joy of it. I didn’t fit into the culture of droning productivity.

The artist I wanted to be didn’t fit into a curriculum either. New tools and skills are constantly being developed in the creative realm and I struggled with that. Worries that I would not be efficient enough or fit into the correct pipeline or have a wide enough skill set would get to me sometimes. But explanations of how I wouldn’t make it prompted me to once again reaffirm what made me an artist in the first place. I never chose to be an artist to increase the odds of me getting a damn job. In high school it was a relief to go against the odds – and I am very fond of all the stubborn moments where my path seemed so vividly clear against the alternatives. I was learning about myself. I dropped out of school eventually – but I never grew as much as a person or artist beforehand. I met good friends and learned the importance community firsthand.

We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
Characters, guns, swords, spaceships, new places, old ruins, galaxies, aliens – different dimensions, monsters, dungeons, myths and legends. Making the likes of these already more fun is my job as a concept artist. I specialize in generating ideas. The entirety of my career is based in my sketchbook. The point is coming up with a lot of quick ideas. My work is mostly pages of thumbnails. Artists get to physically explore their imaginations when they draw and it’s literally a different way of thinking!

Art taught me that I don’t do art to just “be myself” but to become myself. Then it wasn’t just self-expression, but exploring: coming up with new ideas, learning, training, talking, meeting new people, working, moving, creating. I was slowly moved to experience these things and learned that this kind of growth exists in community. What I’m most proud of was being able to be a part of one in my own workshop: Creative Sketching and Ideation. I got to talk about creativity as a craft and not a talent. The underlying reasons that make training our skills worthwhile. When an artist uses their imagination and reacts to what comes out of the page they develop their own creative process. With enough dedication, the ability to solve problems and come up with our own ideas is what makes artists truly creative! Skills make a good artist, creativity makes a unique one! I want to continue teaching and let artists know the journey should be as enjoyable as it is difficult. I’m motivated to live creatively and train my imagination further, and closer by sharing it with others!

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I love Pasadena because it is a creative place and there are great sketching places all over Old Town. The sunny days are the best there. I’d say trying to park there is the least favorite aspect, but I bike anyways 🙂

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sungajosh/?hl=en

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