Interview - Adam Winnik

Adam Winnik - Sheridan Illustration ‘11

Describe the kind of illustration work that you do:

Illustration wise - I’d describe my work as graphic clusters with minimal colour.  Fine art wise: abstract graphifitism. Topics I like to address are social or political with a little tinge of humour. I’ve always been keen on real-world impact through visual mediums.

You made the transition while you were still in school to focus on animating your work, why did you make the switch from producing static images to making them move?

I was heavily inspired by I Met The Walrus when I first saw it online in 2007. It was a beautiful mixture of digital and analog appoches to image-making with the new trendy approach of motion-graphics. I decided to get into motion-graphics purely for work reasons. I saw that there is more demand for it, but I also decided that in a growing digital age that technology is allowing us to explore new horizons.  

Your final thesis project, an animated video set to a recording of Carl Sagan’s Pale Blue Dot is amazing and single-tear down the side of the cheek producing!  You currently work at Smart Bubble Society, a not-for-profit motion graphic studio which produces videos to promote social justice, how much is the message behind your work important to you?

When I got into Sheridan I wanted to be the next big concept artist like Feng Zhu, but that was quickly extinguished when I began training as a visual communicator. Conceptual renderings became empty pieces of mass produced and mass-emulated work. I didn’t like the idea of shifting my work to fit the demands of an industry. Now that I work at Smart Bubble Society, I realized that it gave me a more pleasure than any paycheck could, to know that my time and efforts are being used for something bigger than myself. 

What did you do right after graduation?

I wanted to get into the industry right away, so I relaxed for 2 weeks, and started hitting the scene hard trying to make connections. I spent probably 3-4 hours alone per day searching on online job sites and applying/emailing just about everyone who had even the slightest involvement in illustration or animation. In retrospect I wish I saved and travelled, but hindsight is always 20/20. I found freelance animation/motion graphic work pretty steadily for 8 or so months. It is important to note that during this 8 month period I probably only did 1 or 2 still illustration drawings and my rate for animation was quite low which allowed me to keep busy while I lived with my parents.

How long did it take you after graduating to find illustration work and how did you find it?

I was lucky enough for my thesis video to go semi-viral on the vimeo community. I made a lot of connections through that video. People would approach me for work and landed my first gig out of school doing animated storyboards with a California studio for a pitch towards Will Smith.  

What do you do to promote yourself as an illustrator?  What are the things that have worked for you and what hasn’t worked for you?

Despite being out of school for over a year, I still have my postcard mailers in their box - awaiting the day they land in the hands of an art director. All of my promotional work was completed through “cold-calling” styles of tailored emails to potential clients, which had a reply rate of about 1 in 10. I also gained a lot of work through exposure of my thesis film, twitter, Tumblr, and Reddit. 

How do you feel your time at Sheridan helped you?

Sheridan was a great place to set roots and try and establish both friendships and business related connections. The faculty had endless support for their students and a competitive yet friendly environment put my skills in a pressure cooker. 

What would you have done differently while you were at school knowing what you know now?

Honestly, I wouldn’t change much. I knew that the more I put into my schooling the more I’d get out of it. I suppose I would have liked to have done some 3D work, but it is never to late!

Do you have any inspirational advice for the illustrators still in the Sheridan trenches?

I found a lot of people don’t mention this, but get involved in online communities. A real honest critique is hard to come by, and the online community is both a blessing and a curse. Sure, its good to share work on Facebook with friends, but friends don’t want to hurt your feelings. There is nothing more humbling than some stranger tearing into your work (whether it is legitimate critique or not is another story). I joined art forums when I was still in highschool and it forced me to defend my decisions and to build up emotional calluses toward my work. Also: don’t be afraid of doing things your way and be highly experimental in school (while you still can). 

Last but not least, what’s new and exciting in the future of Adam Winnik?  This is your moment to shamelessly plug yourself!!!

My main gig at Smart Bubble Society is the lead animator on the History series Crash Course History. We are also doing a mini-series on literature - which can all be seen on the Crash Course YouTube page: http://www.youtube.com/user/crashcourse
I also plan on having my first fine-art showing sometime in 2013 - stay tuned.
You can visit my website at www.adamwinnik.com
Twitter: @adamwinnik
Or email me personally: adamwinnik@gmail.com