Hey Brandon! I was wondering if you could help me with something. I’m going to school for animation, I love it..but I can’t seem to bond with other animation students. I always feel left out based on my style and art interests. I’m not an anime/Steven Univ

Oh yeah, of course.

It’s something I’m still often struggling with. Feeling distanced from people who do the same thing that I do.  on the flip side of that I’ve met a lot of artists who have very different interests than I do who I’ve been able to learn a lot from and really click with as people. 

– mentioning Steven Universe, that show has some really amazing people working on it. Rebecca Sugar, Lamar Abrams and Angie Wang are all really great cartoonists who I found to be real cool as people . –

(here’s a cool drawing Angie did)

 and I get that you’re talking about younger artists still working through influences and maybe doing derivative stuff. 

So yeah, It can feel really weird to not click with other people who do what you do, I’ve had moments where I was surrounded by people who make comics where I felt completely alienated. I feel like belief systems and values are maybe much more important than art style. Like does someone’s ideas on their work either click with how you see what you do, or maybe just interest you? Do they treat other people well?

but maybe I’m thinking about it too much and you’re just in a class with a bunch of turds, Either way it’s good that you love the school and the work you’re doing. I hope you find some people who do what you do that you can click with– if anything it makes those people all the more valuable to have in your life when you meet them.