Today we’d like to introduce you to Wesley Elefritz.
Wesley, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
When I was in high school, the projects I enjoyed most were the ones in which we were given creative freedom. I loved art and design classes and knew that I wanted to be involved in a creative line of work one day, though I still wasn’t quite sure what. After high school I attended community college where I began taking graphic design courses.
My classes were really small so each one was a very involved and engaging experience. Working so closely with other students was amazing because I became familiar with the creative process not only as an individual, but as part of a team. I discovered that while I thoroughly enjoyed graphic design and the creative processes therein, graphic designer wasn’t the exact title for me. Having had a passion for film for as long as I can remember, I knew that I wanted something more than static graphics. I wanted to captivate with motion. It was at this time that I began developing a more specific skill set.
I invested a lot of time teaching myself additional computer programs, enthralled by the idea that information on anything you want to learn is right at your fingertips. I taught myself Adobe After Effects and became familiar with various disciplines such as editing and compositing and I also used Blender to learn the fundamentals of 3D modeling. By the time I graduated with my associate’s degree in visual communications, I was armed with a terrific tool belt of knowledge. I lived in Oregon for a few more years until I found the opportunity I had been waiting for: The chance to work for a motion graphics studio specializing in broadcast design and network branding. I saved up and moved down to San Diego where I began work at Drive Studio. I’ve been here for over a year now. I’m a valued member of an outstanding team and the work we do is exceptionally exciting and rewarding. I couldn’t be happier!
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
My medium is pixels! The work I produce is almost entirely digital. Working at Drive gives me the opportunity to utilize my skills in a productive way as we work towards creative design solutions in a number of unique projects. Each of us has strengths in certain areas. While I help with a number of tasks spanning multiple software’s, I am particularly strong in 3D. The application of these strengths truly runs the gamut. I have worked on everything from using Cinema 4D for simple modeling and texturing to using the Unreal game engine to produce visualizations of different kinds while utilizing virtual reality to create an immersive experience. As a team we work to establish a network’s brand & identity. We deal primarily with sports networks and their respective events and broadcasts. As such, we aim to truly encapsulate the spirit and passion of these events while producing a graphics package that is captivating and exciting. As an individual I have a fondness for optically perplexing designs. I also have an inordinate fascination with holograms and LED displays. My personal projects typically involve an amalgam of the two.
How can artists connect with other artists?
Absolutely! There has never been more opportunity to connect and interact with artists than there is today. We live in a time where we are connected through all manner of media making it easier than ever to experience each other’s art. Artists of all kinds can share their work on social media for all to see and they can interact with their following. Follow the artists whose work you enjoy and reach out to them! It’s an immensely satisfying feeling to let an artist you admire know that you appreciate their work. I believe this kind of positive affirmation to be wonderfully beneficial for everyone and that it helps to perpetuate a creative energy that we can all share. Social media is filled with encouraging communities. Artists don’t have to be lonely at all!
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
While I’m not quite fully-fledged as an individual artist yet, Drive’s work can be seen on almost any TV with sports on. It’s pretty neat to go out for drinks and have someone ask “What do you do?” and be able to simply point up at the football game on tv laden with graphics produced by Drive.
Contact Info:
- Email: welefritz@gmail.com
Image Credit:
Mike Croxton, Nate Sjogren
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