We recently had the chance to connect with Michael Francis and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Michael, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: What is a normal day like for you right now?
A normal day for me is waking up and starting my day by going for a walk and stretching. Then I usually cook up some food, make some coffee and then sit down at my desk. Sometimes I’ll jump right into creative work, sometimes I’ll knock out some boring admin work. Either way I’ll work for a few hours before I take a lunch break. Then get a few more hours of work done. I’ve started working out recently so I’ll do that a few days a week before I eat dinner and relax for the evening.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am Michael Francis, a Kiowa illustrator working in entertainment. I specialize in visual development for animation and games but have worked on live-action films, graphic designs for live events and illustrations for print. I’ve worked with clients like Sony and The Bureau of Indian Affairs in the past and currently I am freelancing while working on personal projects. I’m inspired by impressionist painters like Monet as well as golden age illustrators like Norman Rockwell. I started drawing and painting with traditional tools and techniques and I implement those into the digital work that is now my main medium of choice. I try to inspire hope and awe with the artwork I make.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
My need to be perfect has held me back. Perfectionism is apart of being an artist, all creative’s want to make the best stuff we can. If I was given the time, I would work on a single piece forever until it’s perfect. That would mean I wouldn’t get much work done. It’s always a balance trying to make the best work I can while being able to say, “I’ll stop here, this is finished.”. Finished not perfect. Doing things like pleinairpril and getting back into my sketchbook habit have helped me put aside the desire for ‘perfect’ and embrace finishing work.
When did you last change your mind about something important?
For the longest time I intended to solely focus on becoming a visual development artist. It’s what I studied in college and that was the reason I went to school in the first place. I wanted to work in animation and I wanted to be apart of a large studio. As times have changed and I’ve grown as an artist what I want to do has evolved. I still like working on animated projects and plan to keep that up. I’ve really been enjoying making my own stuff. Now I’m less concerned with getting hired into a major studio (though I would love to work with one again soon) and more concerned about having a fulfilling career.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
In a world where AI chatbots are rampant on social media how I portray myself online is shifting. There was a time where the online version of myself was my unfiltered thoughts. As I began to grow as an artist and become more knowledge about the internet I decided to more carefully craft my online presence so it was like 50% authentic. I wanted to stay true to myself but I kept out things that I didn’t want to associate with ‘my brand’.
With the rise of AI I’m shifting back to being as authentic as I can and just expressing my human thoughts and emotions. Nothings off limits anymore. If I want to share something I will. However I’m still trying to craft what I share in a way that tells the story of my life overall. Not every little detail is being shared but everything I do share is real and authentic to me. It’s a balance.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. When do you feel most at peace?
The place I’m most at peace when I got out and hike. The second place I’m most at peace is when I’m drawing haha. Honestly when I’m out in nature and exploring the world is when I am at peace. I grew up in Alaska and it was basically required to be outside at all times (even when there was snow on the ground lol). Alongside it being a great exercise it helps restore my mind when I get out in the wild. Sometimes I’ll even bring my sketchbook out there with me and capture what I see.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.michaelfrancis.art
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michael.fran/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@michael_fran
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@michael_fran.art (tiktok)
Image Credits
All images are owned by Michael Francis.
