0:01

I hope everybody's having a fabulous holiday season.

0:02

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0:05

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0:21

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0:26

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0:34

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0:36

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0:39

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1:03

Now let's get into this episode.

1:04

It's

1:04

so

1:32

funky. Welcome to another edition of small doses.

1:35

We are continuing with our artist series.

1:37

We're talking to Oliver types of visual artists specifically.

1:40

So this week we are treated to an animator, which I feel like animators don't get enough love.

1:48

And there's a certain level of patience that comes with being an animator.

1:54

I feel like you have to have a certain type of personality to be an animator because it's a lot of just like sitting there and doing small increments of things to create a bigger picture, which is why I am not an animator.

2:07

I don't have that kind of patience, but somebody who I was very fortunate to become in contact with.

2:13

So my partner, who, by the way, my man be knowing good ass people.

2:18

And that's, I feel like a good Testament to the goodness of my dude, because everyone he's introduced me to has not only been cool, but they've been on point and professional.

2:27

And that is what brought me to Andress.

2:29

I just pronounce your last name.

2:31

You can say solar, is that the American way of what's the proper way.

2:35

Thank you.

2:37

So, and I'm blessed, you know, I was telling Devon and I was like, you know, I really want to do an animated open for this web series.

2:47

I'm doing views from inland. He's like, oh, you should talk to Andres.

2:49

And I was like, I was like, oh, where?

2:53

And he's like, yeah, you got cool shit.

2:54

He sent me time.

2:56

Joyce's Instagram, which is the way a N D R E S S O L E R.

3:02

And I went to the Instagram was like, oh, honestly, I'm not going to lie.

3:05

I thought he was going to send me somebody who instigated it was going to be janky, but this is really dope.

3:11

And y'all, I called on dress.

3:13

We had a maybe eight minute conversation and he sent me back the version.

3:21

I think we may have made like two minor changes, but Andreas, you sent me back the intro to views from Amanda land.

3:28

And it was what I loved about it was that it was something that I never would have done myself, Never

3:36

Thought of the show on dress, a graphic artist, animator, Xtrordinair, et cetera, based out of Houston.

3:42

And this is the first time that I am getting to like visually see, and you match exactly how I envisioned you in my mind.

3:51

I think I imagined you with a curly fro, but that's fine.

3:55

That's fine.

3:56

So,

3:56

you

3:56

know,

3:56

like

3:56

I

3:56

was

3:56

saying

3:56

before,

3:56

animation

3:56

is

3:56

such

3:56

a

3:56

specific

3:56

art

3:56

form,

3:56

you

3:56

know

3:56

what

3:56

I

4:06

mean? Like, I feel like it's not something that anybody just like lands in.

4:10

So talk us through, first of all, how did you even get into the art space?

4:15

Like, were you always artists?

4:17

Were you that kid that was always doodling or was it like one day you were drawing and somebody was like, Hey, you should be on No,

4:23

I was always that our kid, I was in school.

4:28

I remember in elementary school, I would just have a knack for art.

4:32

So we would have like an assignment in class and I would just be drawing because I was a really shy kid and in school and I would be quiet.

4:39

I wouldn't talk to anyone and I would be drawn the assignment and then a kid would walk by my desk and then they would just be like, whoa.

4:47

And before, you know, it, the whole class would be at my desk and that's how it was.

4:53

And then from that day on, everyone would know me as the artist and that would happen every year And

5:00

so high school. And so were you like, I want to do this as a career or was it still just like, oh, it's just this thing I do, To

5:09

be honest. No, I don't. It was just something I was good at and something that came naturally to me, but I didn't really think about it as a career.

5:16

I was just having fun, you know?

5:20

Okay. Why do you think you didn't think about it as a career?

5:22

Like, I feel like so, like I have an immigrant parent and I feel like I had a different kind of immigrant parent because my mom actually like encouraged entertainment.

5:32

Whereas I have other friends who had immigrant parents and they were like, yeah, no.

5:37

And then I have friends whose families had like family businesses.

5:43

I actually have immigrant parents too.

5:45

So my dad is from Argentina and my mom is from Mexico.

5:50

And

5:50

so

5:50

they

5:50

always

5:50

supported

5:50

me,

5:50

but

5:50

are,

5:50

you

5:50

know,

5:50

growing

5:50

up

5:50

in

5:50

the

5:50

nineties,

5:50

art

5:50

was

5:50

kind

5:50

of

5:50

like

5:50

something

5:50

that

5:50

wasn't

5:50

a

5:50

profitable

6:06

thing. I feel like, you know, it wasn't always seen as like you're gonna make money off of this shit.

6:10

You're just, it was just kinda like, I didn't see it as a profitable career.

6:15

I guess that's probably why I didn't really see a future in it.

6:18

And you know, for the longest time and after high school, I actually stopped doing art.

6:23

I didn't even animate anymore for a long time.

6:26

Say you were animating in high school. I started animating since I was like, I don't know, 13 years old or something like that.

6:30

And

6:30

this

6:30

was,

6:30

this

6:30

was

6:30

a,

6:30

I

6:30

don't

6:30

know

6:30

if

6:30

you

6:30

remember

6:30

new

6:30

grounds

6:30

or

6:30

something

6:30

like

6:30

that

6:30

back

6:30

in

6:30

the

6:38

day. But I was, I was always on the internet as a kid and that was my space to really explore the world, I guess.

6:46

And so I was in martial arts for a long time, and that was a really big passion of mine.

6:52

I was in TaeKwonDo and I used to love the art form of it.

6:58

I love the acrobats of it, and I just loved everything about it.

7:03

For some reason, it just looked fun to me.

7:04

And it wasn't until like I had an older cousin that would always show me the cool stuff going on.

7:10

I was big into gaming back then and he showed me this and he showed me this video.

7:17

It was like a stick figure video.

7:18

And it was really simple and they would just be fighting with each other.

7:24

I don't know why that attracted me to it so much because it was something attainable to me.

7:30

It wasn't such a high production value Disney movie that I thought I could never do.

7:33

It was something that it was just basic black SIG fear, orange stick figure, fighting in a white background.

7:38

And I thought that was the coolest thing in the world.

7:41

And that made me want, I wanted to control them.

7:44

I wanted to make them move in my own way and I wanted to make them myself.

7:48

So I started, you know, go on a line and back then you're going to have YouTube tutorials.

7:53

You didn't have all that.

7:55

So, you know, I just went on forums.

7:57

That's where you find the communities.

7:59

And I would just ask people and I would find these other animators and study their work.

8:04

And I would literally stop frame by frame and just, and just copy them and just kept doing that for a long time.

8:12

And so then it just expanded in terms of like you finding new methods and new like technology For

8:23

back then, it was all flash animation and yes, Flash,

8:27

because I remember like with websites, that was the big thing.

8:29

Like, does it have flash? Does it have, Yeah,

8:31

so flash was basically the, it was like essentially the video online flavor at the time, because this is before YouTube was really a big thing.

8:40

It was just like the web-based platform for graphics, I guess, Because

8:46

remember, we'd always get like the alert, like you need to update your flash player So

8:50

annoying, but that's basically what it was back then.

8:55

I don't know if it was meant for animations, but kids used to just use it for an emission because it was primarily meant for advertising for like putting an ad on your website for a company, whatever.

9:05

And that's really what I use.

9:07

I found a way to crack it.

9:08

You know what I mean? That's how my whole career started is cracking a program, piracy, you know what I mean?

9:14

I'm

9:14

ready

9:14

to

9:16

go. I'm not going to.

9:18

And so like, when did the transition happen to you feeling like, okay, I'm doing more with this than just playing around And

9:28

have until after a high school.

9:30

Because for the longest time I remember when I got to middle school, you know, life changes.

9:38

You start, you know, you're into girls, you're into sports, you're into other things.

9:42

So animating in my room, wasn't really something I wanted to do anymore.

9:45

And I kind of stopped for a while and it wasn't until high school.

9:51

I, I, I fiddled around with it here and there.

9:54

I actually, I won a contest by the cataracts.

9:58

I don't know if you remember them.

9:59

They had a contest back in the day.

10:02

And it was like for a thousand dollars, something like that, a gift card.

10:05

And they, they picked mine and I won it and it took them like six months to send the goddamn gift card.

10:13

And I had to remind them too. I was like, guys, I won that contest.

10:15

We're

10:15

going

10:15

to

10:15

get

10:15

this

10:15

gift

10:18

card. And they're like, yeah, whatever here it is.

10:20

Anyway, it wasn't until I was in the art Institute where Devon went to actually, And

10:27

I see seen, because you went from, I'm not doing this shit anymore to winning a gift card, to go into the art Institute, but something had to get you to the art Institute because I just know that the journey for an artist, it's not the same as others because it's not as charted.

10:43

Like the course isn't as clear.

10:45

Like, I feel like when you're in med school, it's like, this is the course.

10:48

You got to do this finance, same thing.

10:50

But for artists, every one we have on this show has a very different windy road to how they were like, let me look more into this.

10:59

You know what I mean?

11:00

And sometimes it may be as basic as like a girl is like, I really like that drawing.

11:05

And you're like, It

11:10

was actually, I didn't go to art Institute for animation at all.

11:13

Actually I actually went for what Devon went for.

11:15

It was a auto engineering at the time.

11:18

So did you go right out of high school or did you take a break and then decide, let me just tell that I,

11:22

I pretty much fucked around the high school.

11:24

I didn't know what I was doing. I didn't apply myself to any colleges.

11:27

I didn't know what I wanted to do.

11:29

And so in high school I found music.

11:32

I learned how to play guitar and that's something I thought I wanted to do at the time.

11:35

And so I was like, I want to get into studios and stuff like that.

11:39

And you know, I downloaded programs.

11:41

I self taught myself everything. I know.

11:43

And I got into the art Institute and that's really big for my mom.

11:48

Cause she wanted to go to the art Institute when she was younger.

11:50

She never had the chance.

11:52

And so she kind of pushed me for It,

11:54

but she wanted to go for art. Yeah.

11:56

And she wanted to go forward. And I think that's where I'd probably get my talent from it's for her because she was a really great painter, really great artists.

12:02

And so that's probably where that comes from.

12:04

So I basically was going for auto engineering and I had to take an internship class at the time.

12:11

And I remember this owner of the studio down in Houston came by and he was like, Hey, you know, I need some animators because we're doing this app and whatever.

12:18

And I'm like, damn, well, I don't need that, but I want auto engineering.

12:22

You know what I mean? I want to get into that studio that you got.

12:24

He's like, no, we're full. We don't need any audio engineers or whatever.

12:27

I'm like, all right. Well, I guess I only have one way.

12:30

And I sent them that video I did for the cataracts and he's like, combines, can you just set up an interview tomorrow?

12:36

You know what I mean? Cause He loved it.

12:42

And so I went in and I basically got the internship and I later got the job there and that's kind of where I realized, like I actually didn't want to do auto engineering.

12:53

Cause I saw Devon doing that shit.

12:56

And I was like, man, that's not what I want to do.

12:58

And

12:58

it's

13:00

global. I have watching someone do take after, take after take and like not for math.

13:05

I was like, yeah, I don't think it's going, gonna work out.

13:08

So that's where I kind of honed in on my skills as an animator and kind of went from there.

13:14

But animation is still like, I feel like if you ask any independent animator, it's at least for me, it's not something that I could say.

13:22

It's like a true passion of mine because I don't think I'm going to do this for the rest of my life.

13:26

I don't think I want to do this forever.

13:29

I know that it's something I'm good at doing.

13:31

And then I want to, I do enjoy aspects of it.

13:34

But like you said, it does require a lot of patients.

13:36

And sometimes as patient, as I am as a person, this is where I run out of patients sometimes just it's it's a lot sometimes, you know, You

13:48

also do graphic art though.

13:50

I do. I do. I do. As I design and graphic arts and sometimes illustrations and stuff like that Because

13:55

graphic arts, let me just tell you, because there's a video that we'll talk about later, but working with graphic artists just know it's just as hard working with people and people hate working with graphic artists.

14:08

It's a very contentious relationship, but I wonder when you say like, you know, this, isn't your passion in terms of animating, do you still feel like visual art is where your passion lies?

14:23

Maybe it would be in the more idea side of things because I like coming up with ideas and the thing about my career is that I've never really had anyone else in it.

14:36

So it was kind of just been me because like how many animators do you really know?

14:39

And it's really not that common.

14:41

I mean like graphic designers are everywhere, but animators are far and few in between, especially as someone that is a really skilled animator, you know what I mean?

14:50

And so I just feel like for me in Houston, I haven't found that many animators and there are some don't get me wrong.

14:59

There are some good ones, but I just haven't found that many.

15:03

And I've always felt like I was kind of a big fish in a small pond.

15:06

I feel like.

15:07

And Houston.

15:08

So I've just kinda been working by myself most of my career.

15:12

And I didn't really have anything to go off of like what I should charge for a client, what I, how they work, you know what I mean?

15:18

I didn't have anyone else, you know, like my fiance he's over typographer and like photographers everywhere.

15:23

I know like 10 photographers. I know 10 drummers.

15:25

I know so many, but animators I'm the only one, you know what I mean?

15:30

I probably know one other artists and like I don't have any contact with them.

15:41

So, you know, the year's ending holiday season is upon us.

15:45

I know for a lot of folks that is a lot of stress.

15:47

I definitely struggled with seasonal depression for a long time.

15:51

And also with just, you know, the impending anxiety of like, what is expected of this holiday and you know, you're supposed to do this and you're supposed to be with these people.

16:01

You're supposed to have this good of a time, et cetera, et cetera.

16:03

And sometimes, you know, it can really just be overwhelming and you need someone to talk to.

16:07

And that can be very hard to find, but I want to put you all on to Talkspace, listen, our podcasts about self-help and wellness and you know, a lot of other things too, but like at the core, it's really about like making sure that you are doing what's best for you.

16:20

So you can be your best self in this world.

16:22

And that is oftentimes attached to therapy and Talkspace it's really ready to help you start feeling better with a single message.

16:29

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16:38

Talk about what you're trying to do, your goals, et cetera.

16:41

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17:02

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17:08

And I get triggered by this person and this person, this person, how can I handle it?

17:12

All of these things are possible with therapy and with therapy on Talkspace.

17:15

I am a big proponent of therapy and especially Talkspace because it's also more affordable and it also is more accessible than I'd love to therapist for a lot of folks.

17:25

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17:30

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17:36

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17:42

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17:44

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18:03

It's the winter time. I know y'all all like Amanda, you live in California.

18:05

What are you talking about? But let me tell you, it does get like chilly here.

18:10

And so thus in the chilliness, you put on the heat, it's toasty, but then you're like, okay, it's hot.

18:16

Cause I want the room to be toasting, but then I don't want to be like sweating in the sheets.

18:19

Like how do I regulate this attitude?

18:21

That's how y'all know us, where by these sheets.

18:24

That's why we keep bringing them back in these ads where they show.

18:27

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18:32

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18:38

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18:43

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18:45

I swear by them. And I really got to tell you, like, they feel like little brewery.

18:50

They feel like luxury, but I didn't pay luxury prices.

18:53

And that's like my whole thing. I want you to definitely be able to like, think that I'm giving you like Superfly luxury head to the floor, but not knowing that like no I've put together pieces in here that are very sustainable and that are very affordable.

19:03

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19:05

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19:47

Newman, you're off in some comfy ass luxury.

19:51

Okay.

19:51

So

19:51

when

19:51

you

19:51

said

19:51

that

19:51

you

19:51

like

19:51

the

19:51

idea

19:51

phase

19:51

of

19:51

stuff,

19:51

like

19:51

tell

19:51

me

19:51

more

19:51

about

19:59

that. Like what do you consider that to be It's?

20:01

Well, it's the most challenging part actually, because animation is just problem solving.

20:05

I think that's what art is essentially.

20:07

It's just problem solving. Tell me more about that.

20:09

And I see say some shit like that. He's not going to let you move one.

20:12

Like

20:12

that's

20:12

a

20:12

gem

20:12

right

20:16

there. What I have to do is when a, when a client gives me their direction, I have to figure out how I can deliver something to a certain level.

20:27

I think I have a general sense of what is going to be perceived well and maybe what has been, not perceived well, and I have to Taste.

20:34

Yeah, I guess, and I have to figure out a way to deliver it in a way that is feasible and that I can do it in a timely manner because a lot of times clients don't know what they're asking of and they think that it's easy.

20:49

You know, the thing is just a ten second video, 22nd video.

20:52

And it's like, okay, well, what you're asking me is to do all this and this and this, and this is going to take me months to do, and I need to figure out a way to deliver this in like two weeks or whatever that your timeframe is, you know?

21:02

And so that is a problem solving aspect that I have to do.

21:06

And like that's also one of the most challenging things I feel like, because I'm literally in this room walking around thinking about how can I do this?

21:13

And I, that, that is mentally exhausting after a while, you know, definitely.

21:17

No,

21:17

it

21:17

doesn't,

21:17

it

21:17

doesn't,

21:17

I

21:17

guess,

21:17

cause

21:17

I've

21:17

been

21:17

getting

21:17

better

21:17

at

21:17

it,

21:17

but

21:17

at

21:17

the

21:17

same

21:17

time,

21:17

it's,

21:17

it's

21:17

always

21:17

mentally

21:17

exhausting

21:17

after

21:17

a

21:31

while. I feel like the problem solving thing is partially just because it's the nature of doing art and commerce.

21:39

I agree. Definitely.

21:40

Cause if it's just, for me, it's a lot more relaxed, but even then I have some personal projects coming out and they were challenges on that too.

21:49

I just need to hear it be considered an ex ex cause challenge and exhausting are two different things, right?

21:55

Because I feel like when something is exhausting, it's draining you, you know, it doesn't feel like it's giving back to you when something's a challenge though, it's strengthening you, even if it's difficult.

22:04

Right. And I feel like when it comes to working with a passion, once that passion starts to feel exhausting, it's so like, it becomes like, Ugh, I don't even want to do this anymore.

22:16

Like I had to quit. I had to quit music because I was in the music business and the business of it had become so exhausting that I was like not liking music.

22:28

And it's like, how are you doing?

22:31

And that happens in animation a lot.

22:33

And that's why I actually took up real estate.

22:35

And I mean, not many people know that about me, but I'm actually a real estate agent as well.

22:42

It's true. Those come out true dollars, come out on small doses.

22:45

People always are like, I don't really say this much, but I'm saying to you, But,

22:50

and I, I didn't, I feel like in real estate people don't join real estate because they love it.

22:54

They joined it because that's kind of what they had to do at the time.

22:58

Yeah. But if you pass that test, I mean, those tests are not, It's

23:03

really hard and that that's not also a passion of mine either, by the way, that's something that I wanted to do exactly.

23:08

But my brother-in-law was open up his real estate farm.

23:11

And I was at a time where I just quit my job.

23:13

It was not at five. It was really toxic.

23:15

And I didn't have any animation clients at the time and it's just something I did for money.

23:19

And it's now that has allowed me to not have to rely on animation so much because before I had to take clients that it was just, you know, Wait,

23:32

tell me about that side. When is, when is it a client that like, what is the type of stuff that will come across your desk that makes you be like, damn like this isn't really my jam.

23:42

Well, first of all, it's a hundred dollar budget, a twenty-five dollar budget.

23:45

And they look at my videos and they're like, I want that three minute video could do this $50.

23:49

And I'm like, I don't even respond anymore.

23:53

I'm just like manage. So it wasn't pain for a while it wasn't paying the bills And

23:58

barter with you, see, you can't really barter with artists.

24:03

Well, it just takes so much time.

24:06

Yeah. And it just, the nature of animation is that it will take time.

24:09

And if I'm going to spend full time for two weeks or a month on this, how is a hundred dollars going to help me out?

24:16

You know what I mean? How is that gonna really pay my bills?

24:19

I can't even pay my phone bill with that.

24:21

So it's just like something that I did.

24:23

So now I'm at the point in my career where I'm trying to, I want to get to the point where I want to work with certain people.

24:28

I want to work with, you know, who I want to work with, or if you can't afford it, I'm just going to do real estate.

24:33

That's what I gotta do.

24:35

I'm sorry. Like I don't have to rely on this anymore to do this.

24:38

So How does that feel?

24:40

Like, does it feel empowering to be able to have this other outlet so that you don't have to like put your work, like your art up on the top?

24:47

It's a sense of relief. I guess it does help also because when I do get a client I'm inspired by them and the work comes better because if I'm not inspired, it's going to be difficult to make good work as that's always the case.

25:00

And so if it's inspiring, it's always easier and it flows better.

25:04

And that's why I'm able to deliver your, your show.

25:08

Your, your, I mean, when you're talking about these other people, I'm like, he ain't talking about me.

25:13

I was like, I paid the rate.

25:15

I didn't ask for no short.

25:17

Oh, that was a good challenge because I wanted to do a different style with your intro.

25:23

So that was a good opportunity for me.

25:25

So one Of the type of projects that inspire you, Everything

25:30

Well, no, clearly not because you said that there's certain stuff that comes your way.

25:34

Isn't really the money that just kills it.

25:37

Well, yeah, that's a big reason.

25:40

I'm sorry to say that, but I mean, we got Andrew,

25:45

your art is of worth and a value.

25:49

It's a big motivator, but what inspires me?

25:51

It like, man, I dunno, I'm really inspired by this artist, rough mercy.

25:56

He's really, really someone I look up to right now.

25:59

I'm really When a client comes to you and is like, this is what I want you to do.

26:03

What kind of projects do you feel like light a fire under you?

26:11

You know, if it's just something that I'm into, you know, like I do get a lot of bands asking me for work and some of them are really great, but it's also what they're asking of.

26:20

And I guess what I like about an artist is the ability that they gave me to allow me to do what I feel.

26:28

I think like it's a more collaborative effort.

26:30

I think that's what really inspires me because when an artist is like, I want you to do this and this and this and do this and this and this.

26:36

That's when I, I get like, oh man, like I don't have any room for any improvisation or anything like that.

26:42

And that's what, cause the way I animate is more experimental and it's all, a lot of it is improvised on the spot.

26:48

And so I think when I'm not allowed to do that, I don't feel I can do my best.

26:55

You said that a lot of stuff you do is on the spot.

26:57

So tell me more about like your process.

26:59

Like once you do get in the mix of animating, I mean, I guess I just assumed that like you had it all planned out, but that's apparently not the case.

27:06

I

27:06

mean,

27:06

and

27:06

your

27:06

shit

27:06

is

27:06

trippy

27:06

as

27:10

hell. So I'm like, does he take something before he does this?

27:15

So people say, that's what people say, but no, it's actually not true.

27:18

I, I don't, I mean, I'm not opposed to taking anything, but I have a knack for going a trippy route.

27:24

I dunno why that's just something I've always done.

27:28

And it just always felt more natural to me.

27:32

I don't know why my process is very, like I said, experimental, I never know what I'm going to do.

27:37

And that's also kind of a scary thing because especially when there's a deadline and I'm like, oh man, how am I going to, how am I going to do this now?

27:45

But I guess the process is more, I, first of all, I look up inspiration all the time.

27:50

I need a visual to go off of.

27:53

And sometimes it happens.

27:54

I get an idea in my head where I'm like, okay, I think this style will work better.

27:58

Like for your intro, I wanted that collage style.

28:02

I don't know why something came into my head.

28:04

And I was like, this is gonna look dope. And I, and I appreciate your, your initial.

28:07

And

28:07

I

28:07

do,

28:07

I,

28:07

that

28:07

really

28:07

helped

28:07

me

28:07

a

28:07

lot

28:13

actually. But see, I was worried that that was going to get in the way, because I didn't want you to feel like I was trying to tell you, like I didn't visit the, this.

28:20

It was just kinda like here's a guy.

28:24

No, no, that, that actually helped me out a lot.

28:26

And I appreciate that.

28:27

So I guess what I do is I try to take it as a challenge and I want it cause I've never done that style that way.

28:35

And there was an artist that I, I really was inspired by at the time and his name was blink or something like that.

28:42

And he's on Instagram, really, really good artists to check them out and you'll see the inspiration that, that was there.

28:47

But that kind of was a challenge for me to just like, let's see if I can do it this way.

28:53

And then like you just start playing around with it.

28:56

And then as I start working, that's when I started developing ideas and I'm really not good at planning, animations out.

29:04

And that's something I've been trying to work on because I know some clients expect a draft or they expect a treatment or something like that or an animatic.

29:12

And, and it's kind of hard because when I do that, I can deliver that.

29:17

But then as I'm working, I get these ideas and like, oh, this is going to be so much better.

29:20

But then I show that to them and they're like, well, this is different than what you told me you were going to do.

29:26

And I'm like, oh man. But I just, I got to go where I'm going.

29:28

You know what I mean? If I don't then it's just not gonna, you know, I don't know.

29:32

I have a book called small doses where I talk about just like art and commerce in one of the sections and how it can be difficult.

29:41

Exactly. That like, as an artist, like our processes are very different than necessarily like the finite steps that may be the normal process, like for submitting a spreadsheet, right.

29:52

Or a report. And it's like, you have to really challenge yourself a lot of times to like find ways that you can still give them some appeasement, like give the client some level of comfort, but also like creating space for yourself.

30:08

And so like, I will literally say like, this is where I'm at right now.

30:12

Don't get married to this.

30:14

I'm just letting you know that this is the step that I'm at in the process.

30:19

Now, if you don't like anything about this, you need to tell me now.

30:23

But

30:23

if

30:23

you

30:23

do

30:23

like

30:23

this,

30:23

great,

30:23

but

30:23

just

30:23

know

30:23

this

30:23

is

30:23

the

30:23

direction

30:23

it

30:23

could

30:31

change. I used to do commission paintings and you know, I would send them like, okay, this is what I think I'm going to paint.

30:39

Yeah. Don't fucking get married to this shit.

30:44

Okay. Like you gave me, you gave me like a concept, you know?

30:48

Like I want like someone that said they wanted different musicians and representing different types of black music.

30:55

And I'm like, okay.

30:57

And so then I sent them a mock-up and they were like, oh, that's cool.

31:01

And I said, but just know that like, this is a mock-up and the mock-up is where my creative vision is at.

31:08

But the more I think about this, and then once we go from, this is a mock-up with marker.

31:13

Once we get to the paint, it may move me differently, but I'm going to keep it as close to this as I can.

31:18

And I feel like just by being that honest with folks, like they were more open, you know, to being like, okay, you know?

31:25

And then I think it also like makes people feel like they're being an artist too.

31:29

Right? So like, you know, so like come along, this artists ride with me and they're like, oh, okay, I'm on the ride with you.

31:34

But you know what?

31:36

As far as like the clients and stuff go, I feel you because, and this may seem like a stretch of a reference, but I used to do Airbnb and I used to host and I would be still in the apartment.

31:46

So like I had a duplex, so the person would live on the bottom and I live on the top.

31:50

And I could tell from the first correspondence, whether or not I need to have this person at the house or not.

31:57

And I feel like it's the same with clients when it's dealing with an art project.

32:02

Because if someone comes off top with all these questions, and I know some of y'all are like, why can't I have questions?

32:09

It's the types of questions I am so curious, Andrea is what are the type of shit that people ask you that make you just be like, God damn it.

32:18

Here we go again.

32:21

Oh my God. I know one of them is, how long is this gonna take?

32:23

Oh yeah, I get that all the time. And they're shocked at how much it is sometimes.

32:28

And they always, what program do you use all this?

32:31

Like, I guess how long is it going to take?

32:34

Yeah, that, that's the common one. I get a lot.

32:36

I mean, Are people respectful of how long it takes Generally?

32:41

Yes. And I've been fortunate enough to work with clients that are really have allowed me to let me do my thing and be collaborative.

32:48

And I'm really grateful for that because in the past year or two, it's been nothing but those clients, so I've been really fortunate.

32:57

Really? What do you think is the change?

33:00

Well, I don't know. I think it's because I don't have to rely on this anymore, I guess.

33:08

And also like the people like I reach out to, or they reach out to me, like I don't want to work with anyone in anyone, like, just because they can afford it.

33:17

You know what I mean? Unless I'm getting Well, then maybe I'll I'll think about it, but What's

33:25

the longest animation project you've done.

33:29

Actually, it was for a personal one that I just did as for a, I hate to say this because I feel like everyone says this, but I, for some of my music and I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

33:41

But I feel like everyone does music now and it's so annoying, but, but you know, I I've been doing this shit for a long time and this is this a project I've been working on with a friend of mine is called promenade.

33:53

And I just animated for the first single that we're going to do.

33:59

And it took me about four or five months and I wasn't going to pay for that.

34:04

I was just doing that for myself. And that's something that was a passion project of mine.

34:07

Cause I wanted to, I've always wanted to do something that I was involved in the audio aspect and with the visual aspect.

34:14

So I feel like I got that done. And then we got Like

34:17

three minutes. That's About yeah, three.

34:19

You actually know it's four minutes, four minutes long.

34:21

And it is a long video, but hopefully when it comes out, you can check it out and see what you think.

34:26

But, Well,

34:30

it's funny, you said about the audio because for those who don't know my partner, Devon did the theme music for views Roman land.

34:36

He produced the theme music. And I remember you were like, what's the music going to be?

34:40

Because I can imagine, you know, so correct me if I'm wrong.

34:45

But a lot of animating is about the rhythm of things.

34:47

And if you're animating to music, like there needs to be a certain beat to it.

34:53

I know when I edit things, if I'm editing with music, I'm editing to the beat.

34:57

It like drives me crazy. When people don't edit to the beat and cuts are happening, like white people trying to clap, it just drives me bonkers.

35:04

I'm like this.

35:07

Yeah. It's the same thing. It's the same thing. There's always a rhythm join anything.

35:09

And you're essentially editing when you're animating as well.

35:11

You know, it's all a part of it.

35:14

You're an editor, you're a director, you're an animator.

35:15

You're especially independent animators cause animators that maybe work for a big company or Disney or something like that are just animating.

35:22

They're just drawing someone else's artwork and they're doing the frames and that's it.

35:26

But independent animators, if you're like, we have more of a input, a creative input that we do, which is just like the creative, the concept, the character design, like, and I'm just one guy.

35:36

I don't anyone else helping me out. And it just happens literally in this room.

35:39

And so it's just me and I do the whole thing.

35:45

So Yeah.

35:56

So like prior to this pandemic, I feel like, you know, I was giving you a stiletto.

35:59

I was giving you the ethos of I'd rather look good and feel good.

36:03

Like, you know, it was really just worth the exchange of comfort for Flyness.

36:08

Since it's endemic, I'm really not about that life.

36:15

Like I'm like, where can I go? That I'm wearing a sensible shoe?

36:17

And if I have to wear a bra, can it be a comfortable bra?

36:21

And now there's this company, Harper Wilde.

36:24

That's giving you the most comfort in a bra that you can get.

36:27

See, they put comfort first.

36:28

Their core collection of quality basics includes the base.

36:31

I lightly lined everyday bra and a range of nudes that won't show through your shirt and the bliss, a bralette, my favorite kind of bra that provides lifts while feeling like a second skin so I can pull up the bralette in the sense that, you know, I still feel support, but I know some folks may not feel that way because of the size of their boobies, but they have other options because that's, what's so dope about Harper Wilde.

36:54

I liked the bralette because it's a nice fit.

36:57

It is smooth. It gives me some shape and doesn't show through the shirt, but it also of course keeps me together.

37:04

You feel me keeps me secure.

37:06

And they've got a whole like lounge collection, which is perfectly relaxing and sleeping.

37:10

They have a new Luxe collection when you want something a little more as special.

37:14

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37:15

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37:18

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37:20

They've made the act of shopping for bras, painless, just like their bras.

37:24

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37:30

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37:36

Okay. They thought of everything. They're making everything about bras better.

37:39

So stay in your comfort zone, go to Harper wilde.com/doses today.

37:43

So you can get 20% off your first purchase because the only thing better than a comfortable bra is getting a discount just for being a small dose is less than that.

37:51

That's 20% [email protected] slash doses assist your titties up, right?

38:03

Jingle bells, jingle bell stamps.com.

38:05

Oh yeah.

38:07

Y'all know what it is that she means.

38:09

Empty check. All he had put you on on stamps.com you know, stamps.com.

38:12

You really been doing the damn thing with promoting on this podcast.

38:15

So they understand that our listeners, they take care of folks.

38:18

They send stuff out to folks, not just because they liked folks, but also because they got businesses, et cetera, et cetera, and stamps.com can help you compare rates, print labels, and access to exclusive discounts on ups and USP services all year long.

38:30

So it just makes sense.

38:32

Especially if you got a business that sends more mail and packages during the holidays and listen, real talk like what were you selling online and running the office side hustle, whatever stamps.com can save you a hell of time, money, stress during the holidays, you ain't got to go to the post office and stand in line or crazy or whatever.

38:48

You still get discounts that you can't find anywhere else.

38:51

Like 40% off USP, us rates and 76% off ups.

38:56

That's crazy. 76% off might as well be practically free.

39:00

So instead of the Google post office, you can go to stamps.com and you get all these discounts, like tell me where the problem is.

39:07

You know what I'm saying, Amanda, what you think?

39:09

Well, y'all know what I think. Cause I'm repping for stamps.com for a long ass time here on this podcast and in real life.

39:14

Cause I use it as a service. It really is practical and that helps me and my efficiency.

39:18

So I mean one, not exactly.

39:20

So yeah, I'm seeing, seeing your money.

39:23

This holiday season was stamps.com.

39:24

Sign up with promo code doses for a special offer.

39:28

That includes a four week trial free postage and a digital scale.

39:32

No long-term commitments or contracts.

39:34

Just go to stamps.com, click the microphone at the top of the page and enter code doses.

39:41

I'm just saying like, I don't see why you wouldn't do this because it just makes sense.

39:45

It's like supporting black women it's dumb easily.

39:56

So we have a segment on the show called the script where we give our guests this a little supplementary materials to help them along the way in the conversation.

40:05

And so is there any, like, I mean, you did name a couple of artists.

40:09

Are there any artists you follow any animation books or programs or anything that inspires you or that you felt like will help them on their journey to either discovering or furthering their animation?

40:19

I mean, if you're, if you're an animator, I guess YouTube tutorials now I still look up YouTube tutorials every day.

40:27

Every, especially when I'm working on a project, it never stops.

40:31

It's never like, oh, I learned everything I'm done.

40:33

It's you will always keep going to this day.

40:36

I look up each of the tutorials for the program that I've been working in for the past, over, you know, 15 years or whatever it's been, I was using flash, which is now Adobe animate.

40:47

And now I use primarily Photoshop from animations and stuff and after effects and there's a lot and these programs are very complicated.

40:55

You're not going to know everything about them and there's always room to learn more about it.

41:01

So YouTube tutorials are everything and utilize them the best way you can.

41:06

And if you've got money to pay for some tutorials and I would say do it because it helps as far as artists, a rough Mercy's a big, big, one of my inspiration of mine right now.

41:18

But I'm also inspired constantly by different artists all the time.

41:21

So it'll change.

41:23

But that's the one I'm on right now for years I was doing with, with blink.

41:27

He was really inspirational for me.

41:33

And yeah, I don't know. I don't, I hate to say this, but I don't, I don't read as much as I should, but I just, I'm more visual, I guess.

41:45

So,

41:48

So we have started this little thing where I have artists walk us through some of their work and just talk to us about just the different processes they went to or what inspired them.

42:01

And I want you to take us on a little walk about with Mr.

42:05

Andre Sola.

42:08

So hold on one second.

42:11

I don't know why this isn't happening.

42:13

Okay.

42:13

So

42:13

this

42:13

is

42:13

an

42:18

oldie. Oh yeah. That's all. Oh my God.

42:20

That is, But

42:23

what I love about this one is I like that.

42:28

It's like, it's basic, you know what I'm saying?

42:31

But it's still vibrant.

42:33

So I know this is an old D so talk us through, like, when did you do this?

42:37

Why didn't you do it all that good stuff.

42:39

That was one night. And I was feeling very creative that night and I just wanted to do something and post it.

42:45

And that's what I did. And I tell them that is me.

42:48

Yeah,

42:48

it

42:48

is

42:51

basically. Yeah. That's when I had really, really long hair back in the day, longer than this.

42:56

But yeah, that was just something I was inspired.

42:58

I was inspired by a video.

43:01

I can't think of the name right now, but it was a really tribute video.

43:04

And I guess I have a knack for trippy things and I just wanted to do something like that.

43:10

And that was one night of work. And I was just, So

43:14

was that one of those times where you just come up with something off the fly and you're not even like researching or you're not even looking for like inspiration, it's just like, let me just see what my skills can do.

43:24

Yeah. How often do you do that?

43:26

Not that much anymore. Honestly, because that was before I had any type of animation career.

43:31

I wasn't doing it for the money or anything like that, or just doing it for myself.

43:35

And that's kinda what I miss sometimes about animation because sometimes animation can get too career oriented where it's like, oh, well, no, this is a job for me now when sometimes I kind of miss it as a hobby, you know?

43:47

And that's kind of where I feel like it's the most fun.

43:49

That's where I can enjoy animation more than anything, I guess.

43:54

Well, that speaks To this video.

43:58

Oh yeah, yeah, yeah.

44:05

Oh my God.

44:09

So please tell us about this video.

44:16

So y'all this, you said it was for the Giphy film contest and it's a story about the life of a graphic designer and dealing with those pesky.

44:29

I, I love comedy and I love, you know, as you can see my earlier videos, I do a lot of comedy skits and that one I like entering contests and times, and they're a fun motivator for me to see if I win anything.

44:42

And that one, I thought it would be funny to incorporate some experience I've had with clients and make a joke out of it.

44:48

And so the joke is that, oh, is this that's the baby in the womb?

44:53

Yeah. So the, the mother is birthing this man.

44:56

Who's just a graphic designer automatically.

44:58

And this client comes out of nowhere and this is a short life of a graphic designer, I guess.

45:02

And then it says, make it bigger. And it kills him and his mother.

45:08

I know you hear the sound in the bag.

45:13

So It feels like that.

45:15

Not seeing people aren't listening, like I'll come in and be a graphic designer.

45:19

I mean, it's cool. It is cool.

45:22

I feel like I'm talking to so much of about clients and they're, they're cool.

45:25

They're not all bad. They're, they're great. I have a lot of good clients a lot.

45:27

In fact, a lot of my clients are great. Tell

45:29

me what makes a good client Understanding,

45:33

being understanding of how long it can take and not trying to steer this.

45:38

Cause it's the way I see it. For me, it should be a collaborative effort.

45:42

You came to me with this project, I'm a give you my input and then we're going to make this thing together.

45:48

And that's the thing for me.

45:50

Like I said, I hate it when it's like, I want to only this way.

45:53

And it can only be this way. And I've worked for corporations that have been like that.

45:58

And that by that just, I can't do that for so long.

46:01

I can only do that for so long. Like that's, that's just going to get on.

46:04

So a client that's a really open client understanding, you know, is accepting of like, what is, you know, what it takes Now.

46:12

I've had people tell me that it also helps when you are able to know what you like and what you don't like.

46:20

That's why I sent you the debt. Cause I wanted to try and be like, okay, these are the things that I'm into because I've had graphic artists say like, when you don't have any level of guidance, then what ends up happening is a trial and error where it's like, we're just back and forth, back and forth.

46:38

And who has time for that? That can happen.

46:40

Or that, that has happened to me before.

46:42

So like it does help to give a direction.

46:45

And that's really, all I need is a direction, but sometimes clients are like, just do what you want.

46:50

And that kinda is like, okay, well I appreciate that.

46:53

But then it's like, then I give them this.

46:56

And they're like, that's not what I wanted. I said, do what you want.

46:59

And this is what I did.

47:01

I did what I wanted.

47:04

Well, let's go to this last one.

47:11

So we've been making reference and, But you also did the intro for a bedtime tea.

47:23

And that was, y'all need to understand.

47:27

That was literally like, I just sent Andre.

47:30

It's like, Hey, this is what it was.

47:34

Can you make me fall into a Tika?

47:39

And you sent it back.

47:41

And it was exactly what I wanted.

47:43

It was very similar. And I think part of the reason why, and this is something for those of you guys who are listening, who may not be a creative, but may want to work with a creative.

47:52

I went to, Andrea's already liking his style.

47:55

So it wasn't like trying to ask you to do something else than your style.

48:00

Like, I feel like that saved me. I've had to learn that lesson myself.

48:03

Like, don't go to just someone who can animate and be like, can you do this?

48:07

Like see what they already do? Do they do the style of animation that you want?

48:12

So when you got my deck and you said, okay, I like this guy, blink style.

48:19

How did you then?

48:21

Cause then you like put my face on a seals body.

48:25

I had to, you know what I mean? It was, it was the obvious, obvious thing to do was the right thing to do.

48:32

It just seemed fitting, you know?

48:34

I mean, where does the end come for you?

48:39

Like I know, like you said, it takes a long time, but like in my case for this video, there's so many different elements.

48:45

When did you know it was done? Let me send it to her.

48:49

Well, I had a high school art teacher that always said, you're never done in art or you never finished in art, which is, I guess it's true because it always is a decision you make, because I can go on forever on a video.

49:01

But I guess it was when I had enough impression.

49:05

Cause I have to, it has to have some kind of impression on me before I can send it to you because if it doesn't have any one on me, it most likely will not have one on you.

49:13

And so if it gives me any type of feeling or impression like, oh, this is going to be like, they're going to see this.

49:18

They're going to be like, oh yeah. Like if it doesn't give me that feeling, then I'm not done.

49:23

It's just not going to work. I can give you an update on that and be like, this is the direction.

49:29

And if you get a vibe and like, yeah, I love this deep going, like, then I know then I'm almost done.

49:33

Like I'm almost to the finish line Impression.

49:38

Well, you did a great job on my views from Midland intro.

49:44

And you know, I think that the conversations that we've been having with artists have much in part been about them also being in commerce, just because I've been fortunate enough to talk to artists who have been able to make a living out of their art.

49:56

And I think a lot of folks really aspire to being able to make a living off their art.

50:01

I know that I feel very lucky to make a living off of my art, but I know that I've also had to like come to decision points of like how much I want my living to be made off of my art.

50:13

And so I think it's really interesting to hear you talk about just realizing like, I don't want to completely live off of animation.

50:19

It's like, you need to preserve some of it.

50:22

Yeah. I mean, unless someone was paying me a million dollars a year to make one animation, then yeah, that'd be great, but obviously that's not going to happen.

50:29

So I do want to preserve it as a, more of a hobby, because like I said, I feel like that's when I felt the most joy from animating, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to take clients if it comes my way and especially ones that I want to work with, because that is also an inspiring thing for me as well, Taking

50:47

clients. I mean, if, if it's something like really awesome, a content I want to work with and that's going to inspire me and that's going to also motivate me to complete the project, you know what I mean?

50:55

Well, congrats on completing your video for your music for promenade.

51:03

So I'll be looking out for that And

51:08

I'll let Lemonade,

51:11

okay. My fault, my fault, my fault.

51:14

And thank you because I know you were like, I'm not, I, you know, this isn't really like talking, is it my shit?

51:18

But you did a great job. Thank you. I appreciate it.

51:20

You did a great job and I will be coming back to you with more animation work that hopefully will inspire for those of y'all who are listening and want to check out more of Andreas's work.

51:30

You can go to the Aandra Solera.

51:32

So that's T H E a N D R E S S O L E R on Instagram.

51:38

Is there anywhere else, folks to see your work That's

51:40

really the spot that I post On.

51:43

Okay. So check it out. It's trippy.

51:46

It's unique. I actually had one more question because you do a lot of stuff with collage, and that seems to be like a thing that you're doing, but then what is this?

51:54

Like, this is a whole different style than the other stuff that you've been doing.

51:58

Yeah. That was a very experimental video again for Brandon Jenner that I did.

52:03

I had no idea what I was going to do for that video.

52:05

I was scared of that because he asked me and he gave me such a short timeline and it was like, I need this in a week.

52:12

And I'm like, oh my God, I don't know what I was thinking.

52:14

Honestly, I was in a really crazy mindset and that, and so I just kinda, I was like, I'm just going to go off trippy right now.

52:21

And I'm going to do some crazy shit.

52:23

And I developed some kind of lyrical thing and it had the lyrics worked out and he loved it.

52:27

So it worked out. And I'm so happy that this time, because I had no idea.

52:32

Does it bring you more confidence every time you find yourself in that place of like, I don't know how I'm going to do this and then you somehow do it.

52:39

Yes, It does. I dunno how I pull it off oftentimes, but it does.

52:43

I'm like, okay, well I've done it before, so I can do this again and I'm going to do it.

52:47

And I know I can do it because I have done it before and it's like a loop.

52:51

And so somehow I do it and it does take some late nights and some hours in.

52:57

And, but it happens, you know, The

53:01

last

53:06

Well kudos, because I think that's something that all of us artists need to remind ourselves.

53:10

I was like, oh, I've done this before.

53:12

Yeah. Because every new project can feel like a new obstacle or it can just be like a new, like we said, a new challenge and it's like, oh, I've, I've climbed this hill before I can climb this hill again.

53:24

Yeah. So keep climbing, Andress, keep climbing.

53:27

And thank you so much for talking to us today.

53:38

A podcast network. I hope everybody's having a fabulous holiday And if you're not, I hope that it ends very quickly and we get into this new year. And shot to everybody who has been signing up for our newsletter at Smartphone in Black. We are really working to get in connection with our fans. And why don't you guys hear Smart is to also be a part of this because, you know, it's all a part of the smart funny and black ethos of creating smart funny black content. And we have got this incredible newsletter that has not only just information about what we're doing with our platforms, etcetera. We also got commentary from our Smart Money and Black staff about movies around pop culture, our around business, around beauty. We also got a book review in there. We've also got our headlines, and we've got, of course, a word from yours truly. So in order for us to continue to connect with y'all and get around these algorithms, etcetera, we got this newsletter popping. It comes out once a month and all you got do is go to smartphone and black dot com to sign up, and we can stay in tune with each other outside of the metaverse. You heard me. Over to smart for indian black dot com and sign up for newsletter called The Union and be part of our Union of Smart Funny Blackness. Now, let's get into this episode. Soler funky. Welcome to another edition of small doses. We are continuing with our artist series. We're talking to Oliver types of visual artists We're talking to all different types of visual artists specifically. Soler week, we are treated to an animator, which I feel like animators don't get enough love. And there's a certain level of patience that comes with being an animator. I feel like you have to have certain type of personality to be an animator. Because it's a lot of just like sitting there and doing small increments of things to create a bigger picture. Which is why I am not an animator. I don't have that kind of patience. But somebody who I was very fortunate to become in contact with Soler partner, who by the way, my man, be knowing good ass people. And that's I feel like a good testament to the goodness of my dude. Because everyone he's introduced me to has not only been cool, but they've been on point and professional, and that is what brought me to Andres. Hi. Let's pronounce your last name. You could say solar. Is that the American way or what's the proper way? Soler. Thank you. So, and I'm blessed, you know, I was telling Devon and I was like, you know, I really want to do an animated open for this web So Yeah. Andres. Solar. Andres, you know, I was telling Devon, I was like, you know, I really wanna do an animated open for this web Seales. I'm doing views from Inland. He's like, oh, you just talked to Audrey. And I was like, I was like, oh, word. He's like, yeah. He got cool shit. So he sent me to Andres' Instagram, which is, by the way, ANDRESS0LER. And I went to his Instagram and was like, oh. Honestly, I'm not gonna lie. I thought he was gonna send me to somebody's Instagram, it was gonna be janky. This is really dope. And y'all, I called We had a maybe eight minute conversation. And he sent me back the version I I think we may have made, like, two minor changes. But, Andres, you sent me back the intro of use from Amandaland, and it was What I loved about it was that it was something that I never would have done myself. Oh, never. Okay. Thank you. Thought of the show on dress, a graphic artist, animator, Xtrordinair, et cetera, based out of Graphic artists, animator, extraordinaire, etcetera based out of Houston. And this is the first time that I am getting to, like, visually see on it, and you match exactly how I envisioned you in my mind. Really? I think I envisioned you with a curly froth but that's fine. That's fine. I wish I had a curly product. That'd be cool actually. So, Andres, you know, like I was saying before, animation it's such a particular art form. You know what I mean? Like, I feel like it's not something that anybody just like lands in. So talk us through, first of all, how did you even get into the art space? Like, were you always artists? Were you that kid that was always doodling? Or was it like one day you were drawing in somebody was like, hey, you should be ours. No. I was always that art kid. I was in school. I remember in elementary school. I would just have a knack for art. So we would have, like, an assignment in class, and I would just be dry because I was a really shy kid in in school. And I would be quiet. I wouldn't talk to anyone, and I would be on the assignment, and then a kid would walk by my desk. And then they would just be like, Whoa. And before you know it, the whole class would be at my desk. And that's how it was. And then from that day on, everyone would know me as the hardest and that would happen every year. Really? Until high school. Until high school. Yeah. And so were you, like, I wanna do this as a career? Or was it still just like, oh, it's just this thing I do? To be honest, no. I I don't it was just something I was good at. And something that came naturally to me, but I didn't really think about it as career. I was just having fun, you know, Why do you think you didn't think about it as a career? Like, I feel like Soler, like, I have an immigrant parent, and I feel like, I had a different kind of immigrant parent because my mom actually, like, encouraged entertainment, whereas have other friends who had immigrant parents, and they were like, Yeah. No. And then I have friends whose families had, like, family businesses. Do you have some I actually have immigrant parents too. Where are you? Parents from. Soler dad is from Buenos Aires, Argentina, and my mom is from Mexico. What's new? Buenos Aires. That's it. And so they always supported me. Mhmm. But art, you know, growing up in the nineties. Art was kind of like something that wasn't a profitable thing. I feel like, you know, it wasn't always seen as like, you're gonna make money off of this shit. You're just it was just kinda, like, I didn't see it as a profitable career, I guess. That's probably why I didn't really see a future in it. And you know, for longest time and after high school actually stopped doing art, I didn't even animate anymore for a long time. Oh, so you were animating in high school? I started animating since I was like, I don't know, thirteen years old or something like that. What? How? Hi. This was this was a yeah. Know if you remember new grounds or something like that back in the day, but I was I was always on the Internet as a kid and that was my space to really explore the world, I guess. And so I was in martial arts for a long time, and that was a really big passion of mine. Which one? I was in check window. Okay. And I still love the art form of it. I love the Acrobat's of it. And I just loved everything about it. For some reason, it just looked fun to me. Mhmm. And it wasn't until, like, I had an older cousin that would always show me the cool stuff going on. I was big into gaming back then. And he showed me this. Yeah. And he showed me this video. It was like a stick figure video. And it was really simple and they would just be fighting with each other. And I don't know why that attracted me to it so much because it was something attainable to me. It wasn't such a high production value dissing the way that I thought I can ever do. It was something that it was just basic, black figure, or orange figure fighting in a white background. And I thought that was the coolest thing in the world. And that made me I wanted to control them. I wanted to make them move in my own way, and I wanted to make them myself. So I started, you know, going online and back then you're gonna have YouTube tutorials. You you didn't have all that. So, you know, I just went on forums That's where you found the communities. And I would just ask people, and I would find these other animators and study their work, and I would literally stop. Frame by frame and just and just copy them. And I just kept doing that for a long time. And so then it just expanded in terms of like you finding new methods and new, like, technology? So For back then, it was all flash animatorgraphic yeah. What is flash? Because I remember, like, with websites, that was the big thing. Like, this is a flash. This is a flash. Yeah. So Flash was basically the it was, like, essentially, the video online player at the time because this is before YouTube was really a big thing. It was just, like, the web based platform for graphics, I guess. Because remember we'd always get, like, the Like, you need to update your flash player your That was so annoying. So annoying. But that's basically what it was back then. I don't know if it was meant for animations, but kids used to just use it for animation because it was primarily meant for advertising, for, like, putting an ad on your website for a company whatever and that's really what use. I I found a way to crack it. You know what I mean? That's -- Right. -- how my whole career started is cracking that program. Privacy. You know what I mean? Way to go. I'm not gonna lie. And so, like, when did the transition happen to you feeling like, okay, I'm doing more with this than just playing around. It didn't happen until after high school because for the longest time, I remember when I got to middle school, you know, life changes, you start you know, you're into girls, you're into sports, you're into other things, so animating, and my room wasn't really something I wanted to do anymore. Mhmm. And I kinda stopped for a while. And it wasn't until high school. III fiddled around with it here and there. I actually I won a contest by the cataracts. I don't know if you remember them. They had a context back in the day, and it was, like, for a thousand dollars or something like a a gift card. And they they picked mine, and I won it, and it took them, like, six months to send a goddamn gift card. And I had to remind them too, I was like, guys, I want to get this gift they're like, yeah, whatever it is. Anyway, It wasn't till I was in the audience to where Devon went to actually. Okay. Back up. Skyscurt. And I see seen, because you went from, I'm not doing this shit anymore to winning a gift card, to go into the art Institute, but something had to get you to the art Institute because I just know that the journey for an artist, it's not the same as others because it's not as I see and I see because you went from I'm not doing this shit anymore. To winning a gift card to go into the art institute. But something had to get you to the art institute because I just know that the journey for artists it's not the same as others because it's not as charted. Like, the course isn't as clear. Like, I feel like when you're in med school, it's like, this is the course. You gotta do this. Finance same thing. But for artists, every one we have on this show has a very different windy road to how they were like, Let me just look more into this. You know what I mean? And sometimes, maybe as basic as like a girl is like, I mean, like that drive. You're like, you know what? Let me go and draw some more. It was actually didn't go to art and Soler animation at all, actually. Actually went for what the bot went for was auto engineering at the time. And so did you go right out of high school, or did you take a break and then decide. Let me just No. III pretty much fucked around up in high school. I didn't know what I was doing. I didn't apply myself to any colleges. I didn't know what I wanted to do. And so in high school, I found music. I I learned how to play guitar, and that's something I thought I wanted to do at the time. And so I was like, I wanna get in studios and stuff like that. And you know, I downloaded programs. I Seales taught myself everything I know. Wow. And I got into the Orange two, and that's really big for my mom because she wanted to go with the Orange two she was younger. She never had the chance. And so she kinda pushed me for it. Did she wanna go for art? Yeah. And she wanted to go for I think that's where I probably get my talent from. It's for her because she was a really great painter, really great artist. And so that's probably where that comes from. So I I basically was going for auto engineering, and I had to take an internship class at the time. And I remember this owner of the studio, Danny Houston, came by, and he was like, hey, you know, I I need some animators because we're doing this app or whatever. And I'm like, damn. Well, I don't need that, but I want engineering. You know what I mean? I wanna get into that studio that you got. He's like, no. We're full. We don't need any autoengineers or whatever. I'm like, alright. Well, I guess I only have one way, and I sent them that video I did for the cataracts. And he's like, combines he just wish that an interview tomorrow. You know what I mean? Because he likes I like this impersonation. Oh, good luck. Yeah. And so I went in and I basically got the internship and I later got the job there. And that's kinda where I realized, like, I actually didn't wanna do auto engineering because I saw Devon doing that shit. And I was like, man, that's not what I wanna do. Boy, I guess And it's global, like, watching someone do tick after tick after tick and, like, It's not for me. I was like, I don't think it's gonna work out. So that's where I kind of honed in on my skills as an animator. And kinda went from there. But animation still, like, I I feel like if you asked any independent animator, it's at least for me, it's not something that I could say it's like a true passion of mine because I don't think I'm gonna do this for the rest of my life. I don't think I wanna do this forever. I know that it's something I'm good at doing, and then I wanna I do enjoy aspects of it. But like you said, it does require a lot of But like you said, it does require a lot of patience And sometimes as patient as I am as a person, this is where I run out of patients sometimes. It just it's it's a lot sometimes, you know. Soler you also do graphic art though? I do. I do. I do graphic arts and sometimes illustrations and stuff like that. Because graphic arts me just tell you, because there's video that talk about later. But working with graphic artists, just know. It's just as hard. Gravagitis hate working with people. People hate working with Gravagitis. Yeah. It's a very contentious relationship. Yeah. It is it is. But I wonder when you say, like, you know, this isn't your passion in terms of animating. Do you still feel like visual art is where your passion lies? I maybe it would be in a more idea side of things. Mhmm. Because I like coming up with Seales. And the thing about my career is that I've never really had anyone else in it. So it's kinda just been me because Like, how many animators do you really know? And it's really not that common I mean, like graphic designers are everywhere, but animators are far in few in between, especially at someone that is a really skilled animator. You know what I mean? And so I just feel like for me, in Houston, I haven't found that many there are some don't get me wrong. There are some good ones, but I just haven't found that I've always felt like I was kind of a big fish and a small pond if you're like -- Mhmm. -- and Houston. Soler I've just kind of been working by myself, most of my career, and I didn't really have anything to go off of, like, what I should charge for a client? What I how they work? You know what I mean? didn't have anyone else, you know, like, Well, I can't say he's a photographer and, like, for talking bridge everywhere. I know, like, ten photographers. I know ten dramas. I know so many. But animators, I'm I'm the only one. Know what I mean, I probably know one other artist and I don't have any contact with them. So, you know, the year's ending holiday season is upon you know, the year is ending. Holiday season is upon us. I know for a lot of folks that is a lot of stress. I definitely struggled with seasonal depression for a long I definitely struggled with seasonal depression for a long time. And also with just, you know, the impending anxiety of like, what is expected of this holiday and you know, you're supposed to do this and you're supposed to be with these And also, with just, you know, the impending anxiety idea of, like, what is expected of this holiday and, you know, you're supposed to do this and you're supposed to be with these people. You're supposed to have this good of a time, et cetera, et You're supposed to have this good of a time, etcetera, cetera. And sometimes, you know, it can really just be overwhelming and you need someone to talk and sometimes you know, it can really just be overwhelming and you need someone to talk to and that can be very hard to find, but I wanna put you all on to Talkspace. Listen. Our podcast is about self help and wellness and, you know, a lot of other things too, but, like, at the core, it's really about, like, making sure that you are doing what's best for you. So you can be your best self in this you so you can be your best help in this world. And that is oftentimes attached to therapy and talk space. It's really ready to help start feeling better with a single message and they are a place where you can connect with licensed therapists, schedule a set mission. Talk about how you are feelings. Talk about what you're trying to do, your goals, et talk about what you're trying to do, your goals, cetera. And Talkspace is the number one online therapy platform for you to do and Talkspace is the number one online thing therapy platform for you to do that. There are thousands of licensed therapists available for you to match with across dozens of specialties, including anxiety, depression, and relationships and more. Talkspace works around your schedule, at your convenience with live video sessions and unlimited messages with your dedicated therapist. So you can set goals with your Talkspace Soler, you know, you can set goals with your Talkspace therapist. You can develop techniques to cope in difficult times like yo, I'm about to go to this dinner with these family You can develop techniques to cope in difficult times like, Yo, I'm about to go to this dinner with these family members and I get triggered by this person and this person, this person, how can I handle it? All of these things are possible with therapy and with therapy on All of these things are possible with therapy and with therapy on Talkspace. I am a big proponent of therapy and especially Talkspace because it's also more affordable and it also is more accessible than I'd love to therapist for a lot of I am a big proponent of therapy and especially Talkspace because it's also more affordable and it also is more accessible than I'd love therapists for a lot of folks. And at the end of the day, for particularly our black women listeners, it can be very difficult to find the black woman at the end of the day, for particularly our black woman listeners, it can be very difficult to find a black woman therapist. And this is yet another outlet for you to be able to find one that you can match with that you can work through your issues and this is yet another outlet for you to be able to find one that you can match with, that you can work through your issues with. So if you need little support to help you through the end of the year, or just wanna start building towards a better year? Talkspace is here to help match with a licensed Talkspace is here to help. Match with a licensed therapist when you go to talkspace dot com and get a hundred dollars off your first month with the promo code doses. That's one hundred dollars off when you use code doses at talk space dot com. Do something for yourself. Give yourself the gift of wellness. It's the winter the time. I know y'all all like Amanda, you live in I know y'all like a man you live in California. What are you talking What are you talking about? But let me tell you, it does get like chilly But let me tell you it does get like chili here. And so thus in the chilliness, you put on the heat, it's toasty, but then you're like, okay, it's And so thus in the chilliness you put on the heat, it's toasty, but then you're like, okay, it's hot. Cause I want the room to be toasting, but then I don't want to be like sweating in the hot I want the room to be toasty, but then I don't wanna be like sweating in the sheets. Like how do I regulate this how do I regulate this? attitude? That's how y'all know us, where by these That's how. You all know us wear by sheets. That's why we keep bringing them back in these ads where they That's why we keep bringing them back in these ads for show. Cause I love them now, unlike cotton and tude is made from bam, show because I love them. 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What I have to do is when a when a client gives me their direction, I have to figure out how I can deliver something to a a certain level. think have a general sense of what is gonna be perceived well and maybe what is gonna not perceived well. And I have to Meaning, you have taste. That's what Yeah. I guess, and I have to figure out a way to deliver it in a way that is feasible and that I can do it in a timely manner because a lot of times clients don't know what they're asking of and they think that it's guess. You have taste. And I I have to figure out way to deliver it in a way that is feasible and that I can do it in a timely manner. Because a lot of times, clients don't know what they're at asking of. And they think that it's easy, you know. They think it's just a ten second video. Twenty second video. And it's like, okay. Well, what you're asking to me is to do all this and this and this and this is gonna take months to do. And I need to figure out a way to deliver this in, like, two weeks or whatever that you your time frame is, you know. And so that is problem solving aspect that I have to do. And, like, that's also one of the most challenging things I feel like because I'm literally in this room walking around, thinking about how can I do this? And I that that is mentally exhausting after a while, you know? You it doesn't get easier? No. I mean, it it doesn't. It doesn't, I guess, because I've been getting better at it. But at the same time, it's it's always mentally exhausting after a while. I feel like the problem solving thing is partially just because it's the nature of doing art and I feel like the problem solving thing is partially just because it's the nature of doing art and commerce. Yeah. IIII agree. Definitely. Because if it's just for me, it's a lot more relaxed. But even then, I have some personal projects coming out, and there were challenges on that too. It's interesting to hear it be considered an because challenge and exhausting are two different things. Right? Because I feel like when something is exhausting, it's draining you. You know, it doesn't feel like it's giving back to you. When something's a challenge though, it's strengthening you even if it's difficult. Right? And I feel like when it comes to working with a passion, Once that passion starts to feel exhausting, it's Soler, it becomes like, ugh, I don't wanna do this anymore. Like, I had to quit I had to quit music because I was in the music business and the business of it had become so exhausting that was like not liking music. It's like, how you don't like music? And that happens in animation a That happens in animation a lot, and that's why I actually took up real estate. Not me not many people know that about me, but I'm actually a real estate agent as well. Yeah. They might need some Trues hours come out. Trues hours come out on small doses. You all it like don't really say this much, but I don't say a beer. But and I I didn't I feel like a real estate people don't join real estate because they love it. They joined it because that's kind of what they had to do at the They join it because That's kinda what they had to do at the time. Yeah. But if you pass that test, I mean, those tests are not easy. Yeah. It's it's is really hard. And that that's not also a passion to my music, by the way. That's something that I wanted to do exactly, but my brother-in-law was open up his real estate firm and I was at time where I just quit my job. It was nine five. It was really toxic. And I didn't have any animation class at the time. And this is something I did for money, and it's now that has allowed me to not have to rely on animation so much because before I had to take client set, It was just That's funny. Wait. Tell me about that side. When is when is it a client that Like, what is the type of stuff that will come across your desk that makes you be like, damn? Like, this isn't really my jam. Well, first of all, it's hundred dollar budget. A twenty five dollar budget. And they look at my videos, and they're like, I want that three minute video to do this fifty dollars. Oh, wow. And I'm like, how don't you respond anymore. I'm just like I'm like, managed. So it wasn't paying for a while. It wasn't paying the Seales. So they try and barter with you. Yeah. All the time. So you can't really barter with artists. Well, it just takes so much time to add what I should say. Yeah. And it just the nature of animation is that it it will take time. And if I'm gonna spend full time for two weeks or a month on this, how is a hundred dollars gonna help me out? Do you know what I mean? How is that gonna really pay my bills. I can I can even pay my phone bill with that? So it's just like something that I did. So now I'm at the point of my career where I'm trying to wanna get to the Soler. I wanna work with certain people. I wanna work with, you know, who I wanna work with. Or if you can't afford it, I'm just gonna do real estate. That's what I gotta do. I'm sorry. Like, I don't have to rely on this anymore to do this. So How does that feel? Like, does it feel empowering to be able to have this other outlet so that you don't have to like put your work, like your art up on the Like, does it feel empowering to be able to have this other outlet that you don't have to, like, put your work, like, your art up on the chopping block. It's a sense of relief, I guess. It does help also because when I do get a client, I'm inspired by them and the work comes better. Because if I'm not inspired, it's gonna be difficult to make good work. That's always the case. And so if it's inspiring, it's always easier and it flows better. And that's why I'm able to deliver your your show, your your I mean, I I when you're talking about these other people, I'm like, can't you talk about me? I I was like, I paid the rate. I didn't ask for no shorts. Oh. That was good challenge because I wanted to do a different style with your intro. So that was a good opportunity for me. So What are the type of projects that inspire you? Everything. Well, no, clearly not because you said that there's certain stuff that comes your way. Is it really the money that just kills it? Well, yeah. I that's a big reason. Right. And I'm sorry to say that, but, I mean, we got a list. So I just got a list. know? You're you're are is of worth and of value. That is a big motivator, but what inspires me, it's like, man, I don't know. I'm really inspired by this artist, Ralph Murphy. He's really, really someone I look up to right now. I'm really But when a client comes to you and he's like, This is what I want you to do. What kind of projects do you feel like light a fire under you? Man. You know, if it's just something that I'm into, you know, like, I do get a lot of bands asking me for work. And some of them are really great, but it's also what they're asking of. And I guess what I like about an artist is the ability that they gave me to allow me to do what I feel. I think, like, it's a more collaborative effort. I think that's what really inspires me because when an artist is like, I want you to do this and this and this and do this and this and this. That's when I I get like, oh, man. Like, I I don't have any room for any improvisation or anything like that. And that's what because the way animatorgraphic more experimental. it's all a lot of it is improvised on the spot. And so I think when I'm not allowed to do that, I I don't feel I can do my best. You said that a lot of stuff you do is on the spot. So tell me more about like your process. Like, once you do get in the mix of animating, I mean, I guess I just assumed that, like, you have it all planned out, but that's apparently not case. No. That is tricky. mean, your shit is trippy as hell. Soler, you know, I'm like, does he take something before you guys? There's left. That's what that's what people say. That's what people say. But, no, it's actually not true. I, I don't, I mean, I'm not opposed to taking anything, but I have a knack for going a trippy I don't I mean, not opposed to taking anything, but I have a knack for going a trip around. I don't know why. That's just something I've always done, and it just always feel more natural to me. I don't know why. My process is very, like I said, experimental. I never know what I'm gonna do. And that's also kind of a scary thing because especially when there's a deadline. And I'm like, oh, man. How am I gonna how am I gonna do this now? But I guess the process is more I first of all, I look up inspiration all the time. I need a visual to go off of. And sometimes it it happens I get an idea in my head where I'm like, okay. I think this style will work better. Like, for your intro, III wanted that collage style. I don't know why something came to my head. I was like, this is gonna go. And I and I appreciate your your initial I made him a deck. And I do. I that really helped me a lot actually. But see, I was worried that that was going to get in the way, because I didn't want you to feel like I was trying to tell you, like I didn't visit the, I was worried that that was gonna get in the way because I didn't want you to feel like I was trying to tell you, like, I mean, this is this. It was just kinda like, here's a guide. No, no, that, that actually helped me out a No. That that actually helped me out a lot, and I I appreciate that. So I I guess what I do is I I try to take it as a challenge and I want it because I've never done that style that way. And there was an artist that III really was inspired by at the time. And his name was Link or something like that. Mhmm. And he's on Instagram. Really, really good artist. You check him out, and you'll see the inspiration that that was there. But that kind of was a challenge for me to just, like, let's see if I can do it this way. And then, like, you just start playing around with it. And then as I start working, I that's when I start developing ideas. And I'm really not good at planning animations out. out. And that's something I've been trying to work on because I know some clients expect a draft or they expect a treatment or something like that or an that's something I've been trying to work on because I know some clients expect a draft or they expect treatment or something like that or automatic, and and it's kinda hard because when I do that, I can deliver that. But then as I'm working, I get these ideas and like, oh, this is going to be so much But then as I'm working and I get these Seales, I'm like, oh, this is gonna be so much better. But then I show that to them and they're like, well, this is different than what you told me you're gonna do. And I'm like, oh, man. But I just, I got to go where I'm But I just I gotta go where I'm going. You know what I mean? If I don't, then it's just not gonna you know, I don't know. I talk about I have a book called small doses where I talk about just like art and commerce in one of the sections and how it can be I have a book called small doses where I talk about just like art and commerce in one of the sections and how it could be difficult because exactly that. Like, as a artist, like, our processes are very different than necessarily, like, the finite steps that may be the normal process, like, for submitting a spreadsheet, right, or a report. And it's like you have to really challenge yourself a lot of times to, like, find ways that you can still give them some appeasements, like, give the client some level of comfort, but also like creating space for yourself And like, I will literally say, like, this is where I'm at right now. Don't get married to this. I'm just letting you know. That this is the step that I'm at in the process. Now if you don't like anything about this, you need to tell me now. But if you do like this, great. But just know this is the direction. It could change. I used to do commission paintings. And, you know, I would send them, like, okay, this is what I think I'm going to paint. Yeah. Don't fucking get married today. Okay? Like, you gave me you gave me, like, a concept, you know, like, I want like someone has said they wanted different musicians and representing different types of black music. And I'm like, okay. And so then I sent them a mock up And they were like, oh, that's cool. And I said, but just know that, like, this is a mock up and the mock up is where my creative vision is at. But the more I think about this then once we go from this is a mock up with marker. Once we get to the paint -- Yeah. -- it may loathe me differently, but I'm gonna keep it as close to this as I can. And I feel like just by being that honest with folks, like they were more open, you know, to being like, okay, you know. And then I think it also, like, makes people feel like they're being an artist too. Right? Soler feels like -- Yeah. -- you know, so it's like come along this artist ride with me and they're like, oh, okay. I'm on the ride with you. But you know what? As far as, like, the clients and stuff go, I feel you because and this may seem like a stretch of a reference, but I used to do Airbnb and I used to host. And I would be still in the apartment, so like I had a duplex. So the person would live on the bottom and I live on the top. And I could tell from the first correspondence whether or not I need to have this person at the house or not. And I feel like it's the same with clients when it's dealing with an art project because If someone comes off top with all these questions, and I know some of you are like, why can I ask questions? It's the types of questions. I am so curious, Andres, what are the type of shit that people ask you that make you just be like, goddamn it. Here we go. Oh my My god. I know one of them is how long is this gonna take. Oh, yeah. I get that all the time. And they're shocked at how much it is, sometimes and that you always what program do you use all this? Like, I I guess, how long is it gonna take? Yeah. That that's the common one I get a lot. I mean, Are people respectful of how long it takes? Generally, yes. And I've been fortunate enough to work with clients that are are really have allowed me to let me do my thing and be And I I'm really grateful for that because in the past year or two, it's been nothing but those plants, so I've been really fortunate. Really? What do you think is the change? Well, I don't know. I think it's because I don't have to rely on this anymore, I I think it's because I don't have to rely on this anymore. So So the energy you're putting out is, like, attracting different Maybe I don't I guess. And also, like, the people, like, I I reach out to or they reach out to me, like, I don't wanna work with anyone and anyone, like, just because they can afford it. You know what I mean? Unless I'm getting book the bags. Well, then maybe I'll I'll think about it. But What's the longest animation project you've done? Actually, it was for a personal one that I just did. It's for I I had to say this because I feel like everyone says this, but I feel some of my music. And I'm sorry. I'm I'm sorry, but I feel like everyone does music now and it's so annoying. But but, you know, I I I've been doing this shit for long time and this is just a project I've been working on with a friend of mine. It's called Promenade, and I just animated for the first single that we're gonna do. And it took me about for five months. And wasn't gonna pay for that. that. I was just doing that for was just doing that for myself and that's something that was a passion project for mine because I wanted to I've always wanted to do something that I wasn't involved. In the audio aspect and with the visual aspect. So I feel like I got that done and then we got How long is that? Like, like, three minutes? That's About yeah, yeah. There actually, no. It's four minutes. It's about as long. It is a long video, but hopefully, when it comes out, you can check it out and I don't know what you think, but Yes. Well, it's funny you said about the audio because for those who don't know my partner, Devon, did the theme music for views from He produced the theme music. And I remember you were like, what's the music gonna be? Because I can imagine, you know, so correct me if I'm wrong, but a lot of animating is about the rhythm of things. And if you're animating to music, like, there needs to be a certain beat to it. I know when I edit things, if I'm editing with music, I'm editing to the beat. It, like, drives me crazy when people don't edit to the beat and cuts are happening, like, why people trying to clap. It just drives me bonkers. Bocker. I'm like, this is off right now. This is off right now. No. It's the same thing. It's the same thing. There's always a rhythm to anything, and you're essentially editing when you're animating as well. You know? It's all a part of it. You're an editor, you're a director, you're an animator. You're especially independent animators cause animators that maybe work for a big company or Disney or something like that are just you're especially independent animators because animators that maybe work for a big company or Disney or something like that are just animating. They're just drawing someone else's artwork and they're doing the frames and that's it. Independent animatorgraphic feel like we have more of a input creative input that we do, which is just like the creative, the concept, the character design. Like, And I'm I'm just one guy. I don't have anyone else helping me out, and it just happens literally in this room. And so it's just me and I I do the whole thing. So Yeah. It's the whole thing. So like prior to this pandemic, I feel like, you know, I was giving you a like, prior to this pandemic, I feel like, you know, I was giving you a stiletto. I was giving you the ethos of I'd rather look good and feel I was giving you the ethos of I'd rather look good than feel good. Like, you know, it was really just worth the exchange of comfort for Like, you know, it was really just worth the exchange of comfort for Flyness. Since it's endemic, I'm really not about that Since this dynamic. I'm really not about that life. Like I'm like, where can I I'm like, where can I go go? That I'm wearing a sensible that I'm wearing a sensible shoe? And if I have to wear a bra, can it be a comfortable bra? And now there's this company, Harper And now there's this company Wilde. That's giving you the most comfort in a bra that you can that's giving you the most comfort in a bra that you can get. See, they put comfort first. 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They send stuff out to folks, not just because they liked folks, but also because they got businesses, et cetera, et cetera, and stamps.com can help you compare rates, print labels, and access to exclusive discounts on ups and USP services all year they send stuff out to folks, not just because they like but also because they got businesses, etcetera, etcetera, at stands dot com, can help you compare rates, print Seales, and access to sponsored discounts like you EPS and USPS services all year long. So it just makes So it just makes sense especially if you got a business that sends more mail and package during the holidays. And listen talk, like, what were you selling online and running the office side hustle, whatever stands at conferences, like, hell time, money rest during the holidays, you won't gotta go to the post office and stand in line or crazy whatever. You still get discounts that you can't find anywhere You still get discounts that you can't find else. Like 40% off USP, us rates and 76% off like forty percent or USPS rates and seventy six percent ups. That's That's crazy. Seventy six percent off might well be practically free. So instead of the Google post office, you can go to stamps.com and you get all these discounts, like tell me where the problem So let's set it up to post office. You can go to dot com, and you're getting all these discounts, like, tell me where the problem is. You know what I'm saying, Amanda, what you know what I'm saying? what you think? Well, y'all know what I y'all know what I think? think. Cause I'm repping for stamps.com for a long ass time here on this podcast and in real Because I'm stamps dot com for a long ass time. I'm here on this podcast and in real life because I use it as a service that really is practical and that helps me and my efficiency. So I mean one, not Soler why not? Exactly. Soler, I'm saying save money. This holiday season was This holiday stamps.com. Sign up with promo code doses for a special dot sign up for promo code doses for a special offer that includes a four week trial, free postage, and a digital scale. No long-term commitments or No long term commitments or contracts. Just go to stamps.com, click the microphone at the top of the page and enter code go to stamps dot com. Click the microphone at the top of the page to enter code doses. I'm just saying, like, I don't see why you wouldn't do this. Because it doesn't make sense. It's like supporting black women. It's dumb easy. The script. easily. So we have a segment on the show called the script where we give our guests this a little supplementary materials to help them along the way in the we have a segment on the show called The Script, where we give our guests just a little supplementary materials to help them along the way in the conversation. conversation. And so is there any, like, I mean, you did name a couple of so is there any, like, I mean, you did name a couple artists, brother. Any artists you follow, any animation, books, or programs, or anything that inspires you or that you feel like help them on their journey to either discovering or furthering their animation? animation? I mean, if you're, if you're an animator, I guess YouTube tutorials now I still look up YouTube tutorials every if you're if you're an guess YouTube tutorials now. I still look at YouTube tutorials every day, especially when I'm working on a project. It never stops. It's never like, oh, I learned everything. I'm done. It's you you will always keep going. To this day, I look up YouTube tutorials for the program that I've been working in for the past over, you know, fifteen years or whatever it's been. What program is that? I was using Flash, which is now Adobe Amandaland now I use primarily Photoshop, firm animations, and stuff, and after effects. And there's a lot, and these programs are very complicated. You're not gonna know everything about them. And there's always room to learn more about it. So YouTube tutorials are everything and utilize them the best way you can. And can. And if you've got money to pay for some tutorials and I would say do it because it helps as far as artists, a rough Mercy's a big, big, one of my inspiration of mine right if you got money to pay for some tutorials, and I would say do it because it helps. As far as artists, Ralph Murphy is a big big one of my inspiration to mine right now. But I'm also inspired constantly by different artists all the time. So it'll change. But that's the one I'm on right now. For years I was doing with with Blayne. He was really inspirational for me. And, yeah, I don't know. I don't he says, but I don't I don't read as much. I should. But I just I'm more visual, I guess. Mhmm. That makes sense. You know? Yeah. That's okay. Soler have started this little thing where I have artists walk us through some of their work and just talk to us about just the different processes they went to or what inspired them. And I want you to take us on a little walkabout. With mister Andres Soler. Soler hold on one second. I don't know why this isn't opening. Okay. So this is an oldie. oldie. yeah. That's old. Oh my gosh. That is all. Yeah. But what I love about this one is I like that it's like it's basic, you know what I'm saying, but it's still vibrant. So I know this is an oldie, so talk us through, like, when did you do this? Why did you do it? Or like a stuff? That was one night, and I was feeling very creative that night. And just wanted to do something and post it, and that's what I did. Is this him? That is me. Yeah. It's a self portrait. Yeah. It is basically. Yeah. That's when I had really, really long hair back in the day. Vlogging this. But yeah. That was just something I was inspired I was inspired by a video. video. I can't think of the name right now, but it was a really tribute I can't think of the name right now, but it was really true big video. And I guess I have a knack for trippy things. And I just wanted to do something like that and that was one night of work and that was just for fun. So Was that one of those times where you just come up with something off the fly and you're not even, like, researching or you're not even looking for, like, inspiration? It's just like, let me just see what my skills can do. Yeah. How often do you do that? Not that much anymore, honestly. Because that was before I had any type of animation career. I wasn't doing it for the money or anything like that or I was just doing it for myself. And that's kinda what I miss sometimes about animatorgraphic sometimes animation can get two career oriented words like, oh, well, no. This is a job for me now. When sometimes kinda miss it as a hobby, you know. And that's kinda where I feel like it's the most fun. That's where I can enjoy animation more than anything, I guess. Well, that speaks to this video. video. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Oh my gosh. Soler please tell us about this video. Soler this, you said, was for the Gifi film contest, and it's story about the life of a graphic designer and dealing with those ski co op. I I, I love comedy and I love, you know, as you can see my earlier videos, I do a lot of comedy skits and that one I like entering contests and times, and they're a fun motivator for me to see if I win love Amandaland I love, you know, as you can Seales my earlier videos, I do a lot of comedy skits And that one, I like entering contests sometimes, and they're a fun motivator for me -- Mhmm. -- to see if I win anything. And that one, I thought it would be funny to incorporate some experience I've had with clients and make a joke out of it. And so the joke is that Oh, is this that's the baby in the womb? Yeah. So So the, the mother is birthing this the mother's birthing this man who's just a graphic designer automatically and his client comes out of nowhere. And it's a short life of a a graphic designer, I guess. And then since Megan figurine Seales him and his mother. No. You hear the sound in the back, like The planet wide. Yeah. Soler It feels like that. Now Seales people are listening like, fuck. I'm not gonna be a graphic either. Shit. This designer. mean, it's cool. It is cool. I cool. I feel like I'm talking to so much of about clients and they're, they're like I'm I'm talking so much about clients, and they're they're cool. They're not all bad. They're they're great. great. I have a lot of good clients a have a lot of good clients. A lot, in fact, a lot of my clients are great. Tell me what makes a good client. Understanding, Understanding, being understanding of how long it can take and not trying to steer understanding of how long it can take and not trying to steer this because it's the way I see it for me, it should be a collaborative effort. effort. You came to me with this project, I'm a give you my input and then we're going to make this thing You came to me with this project. Give you mind put, and then we're gonna make this thing together. And that's the thing. For me, like I said, I hate it when it's like, I want it only this way and it can only be this way, and I work for corporations that have been like that. And that like, that just can't do that for so long. I can't really do that for so long. Like, that's that's just gonna get on. So a client that's a really open client understanding, you know, is accepting of, like, what is, you know, what it takes to do it. Now I've had people tell me that it also helps when you are able to know what you like and what you don't like. Yeah. That's why I sent you the deck because I wanted to try and be like, okay, these are the things that I'm into. Because I've had graphic artists say, like, when you don't have any level of guidance, then what ends up happening is a trial and error where it's like we're just back and forth, back and forth, and who has time for that? That can happen. That that has happened to me before. So, like, it does help to give a direction, and that's really all I need is a direction. But sometimes clients are like, just do what you want. And that kinda is like, okay. Well, I appreciate that. But then it's like, then I give them this. And they're like, that's not what I wanted. Okay. Or you said do what you want. And this is what I did. did. did what I wanted. Oh, you know. Well, let's go to this last one. Soler we've been making reference, and But you also did the intro for bedtime tea and tea. And that was, y'all need to that was y'all need to understand. That was literally, like, I just, like, sent Andres, Andre. It's like, Hey, this is what it like, hey, this is what it was. Can you make me fall into a tea cup? And Tika? And you sent it you sent it back and it was exactly what I wanted. wanted. It was very was very similar. And I think part of the reason why and this is something for those of you guys who are listening who may not be a creative, but may wanna work with a creative. creative. I went to, Andrea's already liking his I went to Andres already liking his style. So I wasn't like trying to ask you to do something else. Than your style. Like, I feel like that saved me. I've had to learn that lesson myself. Like, don't go to just someone who can like, can you do this? Like, see what they already do? Do they do the style of animation -- Yeah. -- that you want? want? So when you got my deck and you said, okay, I like this guy, blink So when you got my deck, And you said, okay. I like this guy, blank style. How did you then because then you, like, put my face on the Seales body. had to. You know what I mean? It was it was the obvious obvious thing to do. It was the right thing to do. Because just same fitting, you know. I mean, it makes sense. Where does the end come for you? Like, I know, like, you said it takes a long time, but, like, in my case for this video, there's so many different elements. elements. When did you know it was did you know it was done? done? Let me send it to me send it to her. Well, I had a high school art teacher that always said you never done an art. Are you never finished in there? Which is, I guess, is true because it always is a decision you make because I can go on for everyone in a video. video. But I guess it was when I had enough guess it was when I had enough impression because I have to it has to have some kind of impression on me before I can send it to you. Because if it doesn't have anyone on me, it most likely will not have one on you. And so if it gives me any type of feeling or impression, like, oh, this is gonna be like, they're gonna see this and they're gonna be like, Oh, yeah. Like, if it doesn't give me that feeling, then I'm not done. It's just not gonna work. I work. I can give you an update on that and be like, this is the give you an update on that and be like, this is a direction. And if you get a vibe and, like, yeah, I love his deep going. Like, then I know that I'm almost done. Like, I'm almost finished line. Impression. Well, you did a great job on my views from Midland intro. And You know, I think that the conversations that we've been having with artists have much in part been around them also being in commerce just because I've been fortunate not to talk to artists who have been, like, able to make a living out of their art. And I think lot of folks really aspire to being able to make a living off their art art. I know that I feel very lucky to make a living off of my art, but I know that I've also had to like come to decision points of like how much I want my living to be made off of my I know that I feel very lucky to make living off my art, but I know that I've also had to, like, come to decision points of, like, how much I want my living to be made off of my art. And art. And so I think it's really interesting to hear you talk about just realizing like, I don't want to completely live off of I think it's really interesting to hear you talk about just realizing, like, I don't wanna completely live off of animation. It's like you need to preserve some of it. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, unless someone was paying me a million dollars a year to make one animation, then yeah, that'd be great, but obviously that's not going to I mean, unless someone was paying me a million dollars a year to make one animation, then, yeah, that'd be great. But obviously, that's not gonna happen. So I I do wanna preserve it as more of a hobby because, like I said, I feel like that's when I felt the most joy from animating. But that doesn't mean I'm not gonna take clients if it comes my way, especially ones that I wanna work with because that is also an inspiring thing for me as well. Taking clients? I mean, if if it's something like really awesome a client that I wanna work with and that's gonna inspire me and that's gonna awesome motivate me to complete the project. You know what I mean? Well, congrats on completing your video for your music. Thank you. So for for promenade, promenade. So I'll be looking out for that I'll be looking out for that. And You say a promenade. So Oh, my bad. My oh, my lemonade. Is that Promenade. Okay. okay. My fault, my fault, my fault my fault. And thank you, because I know you were like, I'm not you know, this isn't really, like, talking isn't my shit, but you did a great job. Thank you. Appreciate it. it. You did a great job and I will be coming back to you with more animation work that hopefully will inspire for those of y'all who are listening and want to check out more of Andreas's did a great job. And I will be coming back to you with more animation work that hopefully will inspire. For those of y'all who are listening and wanna check out more of Andres' work, work. You can go to the Aandra can go to the Andres Soler. Solera. So that's T H E a N D R E S S O L E R on So that's THEANDRESS0LER on Instagram. Is there anywhere else folks in Sierra work? No. That's that's really the spot that I post on. Okay. So check it out. It's trippy. It's unique. I actually had one more question because you do a lot of stuff with colage. Mhmm. And that seems to be like a thing that you're doing. But then what is this? Like, this is a whole different style than the other stuff that you've been doing. Yeah. That was a very experimental video again for Brandon Jenner that I did. I had no idea what I was gonna do for that video. I was scared of that. Because he he asked me and he gave me such a short timeline. He was like, I need this in week, and I'm like, oh my god. I don't know what I was thinking. Honestly, I was in a really crazy mindset and that. And so I just kinda I was like, I'm just gonna go off trippy right now, and I'm gonna do some crazy shit. And I I developed Soler kind of lyrical thing and it it the lyrics worked out and he loved it, so it worked out. And I'm so happy that sound because I had no idea. idea. it bring you more confidence every time you find yourself in that place of, like, I don't know how I'm gonna do this and then you somehow do it? Yes. It does. I don't know how I pull it off sometimes, but it does I'm like, okay. Well, I've done it before can do this again, and I'm gonna do it. And I know I can do it because I have done it before and it's like a loop. And so somehow I do it and it does take some late nights and some hours in, but -- Mhmm. -- it happened, you know. The last dose Well, kudos. Because I think that's something that all of us artists need to remind ourselves of. It's like, oh, I've done this before. before. every new project can feel like a new obstacle or it can just be like a new like we said, a new challenge and it's like, oh, I've I've climbing this hill before I can climb this hill again. Yeah. So keep climbing on dreads. Keep climbing, and thank you so much for talking to us today. Well, thank you for having me. A podcast A podcast podcast network.