Meet Antonio Thompson | 2D Animator & Digital Artist

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

Hi Antonio, why did you pursue a creative career?
I knew at a young age that I always wanted to pursue a creative career but I did not know which way I specifically wanted to go. I pursued a creative career because I wanted to be able to inspire others the same way I was as a child. I remember waking up super early before school to catch the morning cartoons before I had to catch the bus. I was so amazed (and still am) at how much care went into those shows and how passionate all of the creative minds were behind them. Later on, I realized that I wanted to be the one animating and drawing for these shows and studios. I want my art to have the same reaction I had when I was younger on the new generation that also wants to pursue an artistic career path.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a 2D Animator and Digital Artist. To be honest, I’m still trying to get to where I want to be at but right now I am enjoying working on my own projects as well as projects for others. I am most proud of the progress I have made since I have started. I didn’t think that my skillset would be where it is at today since I started off not knowing too much about animation. Going to a non-art school for this type of career is pretty difficult. To overcome these challenges, I had to work on my craft every day. There’s no other way around it, for me at least. I couldn’t rely on my classes to get better. Their wasn’t a huge focus on the area I was studying so I had to reach out to others that could help me and look up stuff online such as tutorials to help further my knowledge. Even though it was hard trying to learn a lot on your own time, I will say that I have a greater appreciation for the craft and those who do it. I’ve learned to be patient and practice on one thing at a time. Mastering one area and then moving on to something else you may need more work in is important. Knowing a little bit of everything but not being good in those areas isn’t as valuable as being an expert in one or two areas in my opinion.

I want people to know that it’s ok to not be good at first. Everything requires time and dedication to be great at. That’s a lesson that was always hard for me to learn because I would always see these fantastic artists on social media and get anxious to the fact that I would never get to that level in the timely fashion that I wanted. It took me a while to realize that things happen at their own pace. Until it is my turn I will work hard everyday and even when I reach my goal I will continue to work hard to keep it.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would say for breakfast we would go to either Thumbs Up or First Watch. Those are great places but on certain days and times they can be pretty crowded. For lunch, I’d probably take them to The Vortex because of how great the burgers and drinks are. Their are also some funny comedians who come very now and then to perform stand-up. For dinner, I would have to go with Paschal’s or Rosie’s Café which has some of the best food I’ve ever had. For dessert, I would say Marble Slab or Insomnia Cookies has some of the best ice cream and cookies. We would also visit either the Georgia Aquarium or the High Art Museum. The museum features new artists often that always keeps the place very interesting and interactive. The aquarium has always been a fun place to me because of how beautifully the place is designed as well as the different sections inside the aquarium for the aquatic animals. Piedmont Park also has a relaxing vibe to it when their isn’t an event going on. There are other places that I love to go to but these are just some of the places off the top of my head.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to thank my family first because they have always been supportive of me. They have always helped me and motivated me to always chase after what I want to do. I would also like to thank my girlfriend who has always had my back since the beginning and has shown nothing but love and care for me. Lastly, I would like to thank my close friends who have always had my back no matter what and the mentors in the industry who have given me unimaginable knowledge and advice to help me further my skillset.

Website: https://www.7heartsart.com/

Instagram: @7hearts.art