Today we’d like to introduce you to Wangjie Li.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
First of all, my name is Wangjie Li, and I’m a freelance concept artist and illustrator, here in Los Angeles. Hailing from a small town in southern China, I had nothing but art and video games, so I worked hard on my craft to break into the video game industry as a professional concept artist/illustrator. Eventually, I became an art director/lead concept designer in Shanghai in 2011. While I got to work on such video game projects as Darksiders, Saints Row 4, and the Elder Scrolls Online, my creative input there was minimal, producing small in-game assets and occasional illustrations. I knew to emigrate to the United States would allow me to work to my fullest potential, and so I moved there in 2013. Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to work with an array of entertainment companies.
Thus far, my clients as a professional illustrator include Wizards of the Coast, Mythgard the Game, and Stela. I’ve also never slowed down in my drive to constantly sharpen my skills as an independent artist, culminating in a Spectrum gold award for concept art, this year. To elaborate, Spectrum is the biggest publication of the year’s best artwork, as selected by a discerning jury. The pool of applicants spans the entire world, but only those of an elite caliber are distinguished in having their work chosen to appear in the book, and far fewer are honored with awards. Yet I know that despite the accolade for which I was honored to receive, my progress doesn’t stop there.
Has it been a smooth road?
No, never; I struggle with my work all the time in an endless pursuit to improve. As one progresses in art, the challenges become ever more difficult, and so I try and maintain a steady growth by constantly observing my surroundings and learning from nature, all the time.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Wangjie Li Art story. Tell us more about the business.
Currently, I work as a freelance illustrator/concept artist and am widely known for my figurative, digital art. My passion lies in the figurative work of female subjects, and I love traditional fine art. I’m doing my best to bridge the gap between that and a digital design pipeline for my entertainment design work.
Thus far, my digital paintings have been recognized by one of the world’s leading entertainment illustration magazines, ImagineFX, resulting in 3 tutorial publications.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I love our city because it is the entertainment center for the world. We got a great entertainment company here. Hollywood is here. All of these made me move all the way from China to LA.
It’s the entertainment hub of the world. All the great entertainment companies are located here, Hollywood is here, and living in this city affords me the ability to keep in touch with the pulse of the industry.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.wangjieli.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wangjie_li/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wangjie.li.56
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/wangjiel
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