Tristan Gonzales

Artist Statement
My interest in art started at a pretty early age. Growing up I always had a huge interest in film and animation specifically, and this led to me wanting to learn more about how those films were made. Hearing about many of the artists that conceptualize and create most of what you see on screen got me excited about the possibility of working in a creative field. Over time this interest grew towards other subjects such as illustration, art history, photography, just about anything related to art. When it came time to decide a major for college, graphic design seemed like the best option for me, being able to work with a variety of mediums to create something memorable and eye-catching. My inspirations come from a multitude of sources, whether they be from professional photographers to film covers from the Criterion Collection. Although one designer that I've taken note of is Saul Bass, who, along with creating logos for various companies, designed many film posters and title sequences for movies like Vertigo, Anatomy of a Murder, The Shining, just to name a few. His work certainly has its own unique style, often simplifying figures to their most basic shapes, while still invoking the specific theme and mood that each project required. Being able to capture a project's intended idea with a variety of styles is something I would definitely aspire to make.
As far as my approach to work goes, I think trial and error is a good practice to start with. As long as you have a first draft of something to show, you can always work with that and try to build on it further, revising and improving as you keep going. When I'm not working directly on a current project, I enjoy finding inspiration while I'm taking a break. Whether it's watching a movie and seeing an interesting composition, or seeing some impressive posters and illustrations on Instagram, admiring the work of other artists always helps me discover more about how I'd like to approach my own work. I think it's always good to find ideas from all kinds of places and absorb as much as you can. And as for the goals I have with my work, my only hope is that it can spark a reaction in someone. There are honestly many ways you could use art and design to impact a viewer, whether its using your talents for storytelling and entertainment, or an appealing advert that catches someone's attention. I think as long as my work influences someone or has something that impresses them, I would be satisfied.