Today we’d like to introduce you to Victor Ruano.
Victor, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I am a multi-disciplinary graphics artist. As a kid, while growing up in El Salvador, I started painting with both dry and wet mediums such as charcoal, graphite, oil, and acrylic. Later, I studied Graphic Design and worked for several years in Central America designing and producing commercial billboards, in large and small formats, for both analog and digital printing.
In 2000, thanks to an unexpected scholarship opportunity from The Savannah College of Art & Design, I moved to Savannah, GA to study Computer Art, with a specialization in Motion Graphics. The school allowed me to extend my scholarship and I completed an additional MFA, this time in Film & Television.
After college, I started working as a 2D/3D Motion Designer for NBC Olympics. So far I have been with them for six Olympic Games: Beijing ‘08, Vancouver ‘10, London ‘12, Sochi ‘14, Rio de Janeiro ‘16 and PyeongChang ’18. I have also won three sports Emmy Awards thanks to NBC and The Olympics.
At the same time, I made dozens of experimental short films and two personal features films that have taken me to several film festivals around the world. The feature films are: El Cadáver Exquisito (2011) and El Puma de Quelepa (2017). Both of them deal with my memories from El Salvador.
Lately, I have been exploring the language of analog & digital collages, 3D illustrations, and video editing, and continuing to pursue travel opportunities with new commercial work. I have had the privilege of traveling a lot over the years; 42 countries and counting!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It depends on who I compare my life experience with. I do feel that I have no complaints about the obstacles and opportunities that life has thrown me.
Here are some of the situations and events that have shaped me the most:
-Growing up during the Salvadoran civil war from 1980 to 1992.
-Emigrating to a new country.
-Learning a new language as an adult.
-Becoming a US citizen – dealing with the immigration process of this country.
-Getting injured while traveling in a remote area of the Amazon jungle.
-Living and working in Dubai, UAE; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Sochi, Russia; San Salvador, El Salvador.
Each one of those experiences, on different levels obviously, have had their dose of difficulties and opportunities, but regardless of the notion of being positive or negative, they were long lasting and deeply transformative experiences. In sum, I believe that I have been very fortunate.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Santasombra – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
Santasombra is my website which is a direct reference to my nickname, Sombra. In Spanish, ‘Sombra’ means ‘shadow,’ and ‘Santa’ means ‘holy.’ Incidentally, one of my favorite films is Santa Sangre by Alejandro Jodorowsky, which is partially the inspiration for my brand name. At Santasombra, I do a little bit of everything, from fine art to graphic design, experimental films to motion design, from 2D/3D animation to video editing, and analog collages to digital illustrations.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
Making more films, traveling to new countries, mastering Houdini, and reading more books.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.santasombra.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/santasombra
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/santasombra
- Other: www.ello.co/santasombra
Image Credit:
Sombra/Victor photo by Danilo Meulens, T-shirt by Chad Wys, El Cadáver Exquisito poster photo by David Ulloa, El Puma de Quelepa poster photo by Fred Ramos, all images by Santasombra.
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