Meet Xiangrui Chen

We were lucky to catch up with Xiangrui Chen recently and have shared our conversation below.

Xiangrui, thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?

Creativity, to me, means curiosity, execution, and perception of life. It’s like the air I breathe—when I feel creative, it fuels my energy.

To keep it alive, I do a lot in these three areas. For curiosity, I choose not to hold myself back from trying and experimenting with new tools, whether it’s 2D to 3D or typography to illustration. I enjoy experimenting with my ideas, turning them into something real, and not being restricted by them. For execution, I make sure to set aside time for exploration and self-expression, taking small steps each day toward long-term personal projects. For my perception of life, I do a lot of journaling and sketching, even if they’re not shared publicly. I also draw life comics and keep records of my dreams—these practices help me understand who I am and what my story is.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I’m Ray Chen, a motion designer and illustrator based in NY, an adult for being an artist, and a toddler for being in NY. Growing up, I’ve always had a passion for creating and storytelling, My earliest creative memory is spending entire days drawing while my mom gave music lessons to her students in the same space. I started officially taking art classes in high school, then majoring in graphic design in College. After that, I did not feel enough storytelling with still images so I started learning animation for my graduate.
Animals and nature have always been a source of inspiration for me. In my artist’s universe, the dog is a significant symbol, deeply rooted in my childhood experiences. I explore the connection between dogs and women’s identities through visual narratives, delving into the subconscious aspects of womanhood from a female artist’s perspective. My graduate thesis film INU-BOND centers on the story of a girl with a shadow, and how she grew from loss and encounters. Recently I’ve also been working on a new short film discussing female adolescence in my spare time, which will be the next chapter of my graduate film.
Additionally, I enjoy experimenting with new tools and graphic languages, as well as exploring logos and graphics that I come across in daily life. I take pleasure in thinking about how they could be animated, finding excitement in bringing static images to life in a fun and engaging way.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Three qualities:
Self-driven, Curious, Consistent

Three skills:
learning new stuff, connecting with people, and having self-connection.

Advice:
Savor the journey, achieve wisely, and put well-being first.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

Hi my future creative folk, thank you for your attention if you stop by! As I said I’m a passionate design-driven animator that could be grounded and creative.

For potential illustration needs:
I’m an ideal fit for your project if you’re seeking dreamy, poetic visuals with a strong narrative and psychological depth. I’m also skilled in editorial illustration and poster design.

For potential animation needs:
I’m passionate about logos! Send me yours, and I’ll bring it to life. I’m also open to music video projects, where I can enhance illustrations through animation, additionally, I can do both!

You can commission me via Instagram at @ani_ray21 or email me at [email protected].

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Shuyi Qiu

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