Meet Michelle Stanford | Storyboard and Comic Artist

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

Hi Michelle, Let’s talk about principles and values – what matters to you most?
Cliche as it sounds, the most important principle to me is staying true to yourself. That means knowing that the path to success is seldom a straightforward one, and not compromising your integrity or goals for someone else. There have been well-meaning friends and family who in the past advised me to change my artwork to fit a more profitable or popular niche, but compromising on my art is like compromising on my voice. If my heart’s not behind what I draw, I’ll be miserable, and if I’m miserable, what am I even doing here?

There are a lot of incredible people in the creative industry, but there are also a lot of people who don’t have your best interests in mind. When it comes to staying true to myself, I am grateful to my mom for teaching me that it’s okay to say “no”. Sometimes people ask too much of you and dangle promises of career advancement that never materialize, and some people are downright nasty if you don’t meet unreasonable asks. I work hard for good people, but I don’t put myself through the wringer for someone else’s gain, and I’m comfortable setting boundaries and knowing when enough’s enough. I’m happy to be out here doing what I love, and I’m grateful to be surrounded by good people; it’s something you have to curate for yourself.

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
I tended to stick out like a sore thumb throughout art school, especially at critique time, because there would be these lovely illustrations in colorful, whimsical, Pixar and Disney-inspired styles, and then oh, there’s Michelle’s realistic, offbeat, sometimes serious illustrations. I think it’s more accepted now, but I was often pinned as the “anime” artist, and that wasn’t seen as a favorable thing. A lot of people are surprised to find out I’ve seen about as much anime as I’ve seen any other kinds of animation, I just favor a more realistic art style in general (I will say that I adore the expressive style of Satoshi Kon!).

That’s probably been my greatest challenge– finding where I fit in when most U.S. animation studios want something more cute and shape-based. On the upside, I’ve done a ton of cool projects in live-action storyboarding, including working on Always Sunny in Philadelphia and the Jurassic Worlds Universal theme park ride. I’ve also done a bunch of commercial work, and it’s fun to point to a TV ad and tell family “I boarded that!”

Ultimately I’d love to find my way back into animation, and seeing that there’s a lot more projects coming out with clear anime influences, I think it’s a possibility. Until then, I’m very happy to be creating the kind of work I want to see in comics form.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would tell them to ask another friend! I’m a bit of a homebody who is happy to relax at home with my pets and play video games, but admittedly I also love a good reason to dress up. I will say, every friend who visits me will be treated to a visit at Lounge Ohjah, an easily-missed karaoke bar in Little Tokyo. My partner and I have been going there since around 2017 and they are truly like another family to us. I joke that the bartender Kei-san has ruined all other bars for me, because no drinks compare to his! I love a good karaoke spot, but I love Ohjah the most because I can go sing all my favorite Japanese songs (and there’s a lot of them!).

For a similarly chill, laidback time, I like to visit the Brickyard Pub in NoHo to shoot pool, especially on Thursday nights when there’s a discount. I’m not incredible at pool, but every once in a while I do manage to win a game! True to my homebody nature, I enjoy having my own little space in the back of the building where I can take my time, chat with friends, and attempt to hit a ball into other balls with a very long stick.

For something a little more noisy, I have a great time visiting at The Knucklehead in Hollywood. They host all kinds of fun events, including dance nights and art nights, where they typically DJ goth, industrial, metal, and punk music. If you want to see people dancing in the coolest alternative and underground fashion, definitely check out their events!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Oh no, do I have to pick just one? Well, I’m going to name three (sorry!):

My partner, Matt, for supporting me through the highs and lows of my continuing artistic career. Whenever I was ready to give up, he has always been there to pick me up from the floor and believe in me when I couldn’t believe in myself. He is also my storytelling companion, and I can’t think of a greater joy than sharing my ideas and stories with someone who speaks the same creative language.

My mom, for doing everything she could as a single parent to give me what I needed as a young artist. Buying me supplies, enrolling me in high school art programs, introducing my shy self to any artist friends she happened to work with. I can’t count the hours we spent commuting to and from my university (no way could I afford to live on or near campus!), her working retail while I was in classes. She has always believed in my ability, and I never take that for granted when I know so many artists didn’t get that same support from family.

And Chris Oatley of the Oatley Academy, who I first came to know as a podcaster, and am fortunate now to call a friend. His words are what encouraged me to refocus on myself at a time when I was spinning my wheels for my employer. Thanks to that, I worked up the confidence to embark on my comic Centralia 2050, which had been floating around as a vague concept for a few years. Today I’m still going strong making comics and am halfway to my first complete graphic novel!

Website: https://michellestanfordart.wixsite.com/storyboard

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michellestanfordart/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-stanford-792ba214/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/michelledrawz

Other: Comic: https://centralia2050.com/ Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/michelledraws