Meet Ruoyu Wen | 2D artist

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

Hi Ruoyu, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
Hello, my name is Wen Ruoyu, and I’m from China. Two years ago, I graduated from USC with a Master’s degree in Animation and Digital Arts. Currently, I work in the animation art industry in Los Angeles, and I’m also striving towards building my own business and furthering my career.

I come from a traditional Chinese educational background. After completing the Gaokao (Chinese college entrance examination), I entered a decent STEM university based on societal and peer evaluations. Besides my beloved illustrations and doodles hidden in the corners of textbooks, I had never been exposed to any art-related education or environment until I graduated from college.

Until over twenties, I never imagined myself pursuing a career as an artist. It wasn’t until one day during my junior year when I was walking with my bike that I suddenly thought: “If I don’t pursue animation, I will regret it for the rest of my life.” From that moment, everything became clear to me, and I started self-learning animation and applied to USC’s animation program.

Having a STEM background for over twenty years undoubtedly left my artistic foundation and network incomparable to those who have always been immersed in an artistic environment. This transition was challenging but fulfilling because I no longer doubted my path—I was walking down the road I had chosen.

At the same time, I’m grateful for my STEM background as it instilled in me a rational way of thinking and the ability to approach things objectively. But most importantly, I’m thankful for the me from that day in my junior year who suddenly realized that not pursuing animation would lead to a lifetime of regret. It’s because of that moment that even though things have been tough since graduation, I am willing to persevere. I may have fears and worries about the future, but I am determined to keep fighting until the day my will and passion fade away completely. So, thank you to the me from that day in my junior year.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
As an animation artist, I’ve been in the industry for less than two years since graduating. Getting to where I am today has been quite challenging. What I’m most passionate about is traditional hand-drawn animation. In today’s economy and with the impact of AI, pursuing traditional hand-drawn animation is really tough. Moreover, I switched fields to animation after graduating from college, which required a lot of extra effort to catch up with others. Overcoming these challenges has been possible because of my genuine love for animation and the little bit of talent I cherish. I hope that in a few years, more people will come to understand the work and films I create.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
To be honest, if my best friend came to visit, the thing I’d most want to do is enjoy some drinks together and chat all day long. Additionally, I could take them hiking to see the entire city of Los Angeles.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are so, so many people and things to be thankful for, but without a doubt, the ones I’m most grateful for are my parents. My father, who has always been there to advise and push me, and my mother, who has been my number one fan since I was drawing on the floor at five years old. No matter what challenges I face, just thinking about my mother’s enthusiastic praises for the little airplanes I drew on the chalkboard when I was seven or eight, or her compliments for the doodles I barely remember creating, I find it truly difficult to put into words how much it means to me, but it’s the greatest encouragement I could ask for. I haven’t seen my parents in almost three years, and I miss them so much.

Website: https://www.ruoyuwen.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ruoyu1015/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruoyu-wen-4b96161a1/