Meet Ryan Lovett | Storyboard Artist

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

Hi Ryan, what makes you happy? Why?
Ya’know, I’ve been wondering the same thing. There are many things that make me happy – friends, family, a really good pastrami sandwich; but as it relates to my day to day the act of creating is what brings me joy. I get a certain sense of fulfilment from making things that I just can’t seem to get elsewhere. I’m a storyboard artist by trade, so that’s typically what I’ll make; but I’ve recently found joy in making Tiktoks, Youtube videos, or even baking some of my favorite desserts. The process for each of those is very different as you can imagine, but the love for the process remains the same with each.

I have always had an affinity for creating things. From making up a secret language on the playground as a kid, writing a new short story every week in twelfth grade, to now where I storyboard and make fun videos. Really letting yourself get lost in the process, making the story come to life, and seeing it all fall into place is what makes me happy. Not only is it fun, but a nice byproduct is being able to bring joy to others through the things I make! Which, in turn, makes me happy… good pastrami is a very close second though.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
There are a number of lessons I’ve learned so far on my journey as a creative. Currently, I work as a project manager and graphic designer while also doing some freelance storyboards as a way to bolster my portfolio in hopes to land that illusive industry storyboarding job. Breaking into in the animation industry has always been difficult; especially when the job market is as scarce as it is now. Applying to jobs can be exhausting when getting rejection after rejection, but with those rejections came the first lesson I learned – perseverance. It’s not enough to be good at your craft, you also need to be able to get up after being knocked down. If you’re passionate enough, if you want to succeed enough, the rejections won’t stop you. Don’t get me wrong it’ll still suck, but it wont be half as bad as the feeling of giving up on your dream.

Realizing we are all life long learners has been another lesson that has helped me. Especially in a creative field, there is a constant uphill battle to always better yourself. Learn from your faults, from the rejections, from people you admire. Study your work to see where the weak points are, focus on those to make the next step in your creative growth. Not only that, but to grow and thrive as an artist you really have to check your ego at the door. It’s important to admit when you’re stuck or need help because that’s when the growth starts. If you don’t know how to bake a cake you shouldn’t blindly mix up a bunch of different things and hope it comes out well; you should ask for help or look up a recipe. Same thing applies to art. Most people aren’t born knowing how to make incredible art; it’s something you work at and improve on your whole life. If you don’t want to spend money going to college, there is a whole world of art videos up on Youtube! It’s a free tool that allows you to dip your toes in the water to see if you actually want to start on the path of art while learning the basics.

I’m proud of all the work I’ve put out since starting my journey as a storyboard artist. I have a few different ideas cookin’ for my next couple boards but I’ve recently been trying out different mediums which has been very fun and exciting! In my off time I’ve been filming short form videos for Tiktok as well as longer form for Youtube. I began a couple weeks ago so I don’t have much to show for now, but the changing of mediums has me excited. That’s another lesson, I suppose. Try out different mediums and formats! That has been something I’ve used to keep creating while avoiding burnout.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I am very much a food driven person, as are a lot of my friends. So we’d have to go over to La Habra to visit Arthur’s which is my favorite breakfast spot I try to show folks when I get the chance. The food is great and the staff are lovely; the place gives a hometown type of vibe. It’s also relatively close to the Fullerton Arboretum – a wonderful little place to walk off that big meal and relax with your sketchbook. From there, we’d venture over Downtown Fullerton which is a fun area to explore with great shops and more importantly Made Coffee. Mama Hong’s in Burbank is another fantastic restaurant that you have to try; it’s also fairly close to some of the animation studios which are always exciting to see. Griffith Observatory is another must when visiting! Parking can be a nightmare (which is most of LA) but it’s worth it! To cap off the trip I’d like to take them to Rao’s in LA for some amazing Italian food then visit some of the lively bars in the area. I’d also pitch the idea of trying as many taco stands in LA as we can to rank them and see which we think is the best just because that sounds fun. Given it’s a week long trip, we’d pepper those in with the typical touristy spots you’d check out when visiting the area!

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?
Oh boy, how much time do you have? My love for storyboarding really blossomed when I started at Cal State Fullerton, so it only feels right to give some shoutouts to a few professors from my time there. Chuck and Wendy Grieb, Garrett Kaida, and Cliff Cramp were all instrumental to my growth as an artist. They are all a wealth of knowledge and truly care about the students they teach! I was also on the board of the Pencil Mileage Club while attending CSUF. PMC is such a great community for artists; more folks should join! I’d be remiss if I did not give the cheesy answer of shouting out my friends, family, and everyone in between. We are all just a collection of our experiences mashed together, so I can safely say I would not be the person I am today without everyone in my life – past, present, good, and bad.
Also shoutout to the 2011 DS game Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 2. It’s one of my favorites and doesn’t get enough love.

Website: https://lovett1123.wixsite.com/lovett

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lovett1123/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanlovett