Meet James Peay | Animation Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with James Peay and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi James, why did you pursue a creative career?
I have always been drawn to the art world ever since I saw the 1980’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon. I was so obsessed I started drawing from that point on and the rest is history.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’d like to think that what sets my art apart from others is how dynamic my art tends to be with bold action and intense colors. Coupled with the fact that my art lives in the realm of realism/cartoony it tends to stand out. My style is what broke me into the art world professionally but what keeps me employed is hard work and being versatile with the craft, meaning I can switch in and out of styles and tackle different subject matter using various design tools whether its illustration, motion graphics, graphic design, character design, bg design, etc.

Like any working professional, I’ve had to overcome obstacles. I think the best advice I can give in order to overcome most obstacles is to one, practice your craft to the point where you become undeniable to employers in regard to getting a job done well. Always be willing to take on new opportunities, and last but definitely not least, make real connections and develop friendships because those bonds tend to lead to future opportunities. I cannot stress how many times a friend recommended me for a job and then my talent and hard work are what got me the job.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If I was back in New York, we’d start around Bowery street off the J line and then just bar crawl our asses all the way to Union square down 2nd Ave. In California, we’d hit up Venice beach one day for the boardwalk, good beer, and food. We’d have to do Joshua Tree for hiking and camping. If you feel like life is too much at the moment, Joshua Tree is the place to be to reset your clock.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My family has been the biggest supporter in pursuit of my art career. I include my friends under the umbrella of family as well. I’ve had so many things inspire me but some of my biggest inspiration came from Image comics titles such as PITT, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Spawn, Savage Dragon, Marvel comics Marvel Masterpiece edition 1 card set, Frank Frazetta, and Drew Struzan. I can go on and on but I’ll keep it short.

Website: https://www.jamespeaystudios.com/

Instagram: @jamespeay https://www.instagram.com/jamespeay/

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/jamespeaydesign

Twitter: jpeay11818

Image Credits
Dogs vs Babies : Warner Bros. Property created for Teen Titans Go!! T.I. : Property of Netflix created for Rapture.- Created at Cynosure Creative Agency.