Gentleman Scholar is a bicoastal U.S. creative production company drawn together by a love for design and an eagerness to push boundaries.
The company is proud to present this series of interviews with some of its amazing, emerging talents.
The first in this series by the company is a conversation with its LA-based production and marketing maven, CJ Sustello
Read below to discover more about this up and coming talent
Q> You are one of our many amazingly talented SCAD alumni. What led you on your journey from the Northeast to the Southeast?
Trisha Janovic> I feel so fortunate that I was able to go there! I think it's awesome how many graduates I've worked with and ran into after school. It's been so interesting to see how you cross paths with people you went to school with. It makes it feel more like a family, especially when you're working with your friends. SCAD actually came to my high school art class and did a presentation and I was really blown away by how modern it felt, and how many majors they offered that could lead to so many awesome careers. I didn't know what I wanted to do at that time, but I knew I loved art and wanted to do something creative. Even at that small presentation, SCAD showed how much they prepare you for the real world. I visited Savannah for their accepted students day, and seeing the city and the school's facilities, I knew I wanted to go there. They have a really special culture down there - inside the school and in the city itself. That was an awesome time and I learned so much, I'm absolutely planning a trip back soon.
Q> What was your biggest influence in helping you to pursue a career in art?
TJ> My earliest influences were definitely my grandparents. They were both painters that met in art school, and went abroad to teach painting and calligraphy at a university in Florence. I didn't realize when I was little just how incredible their drafting and painting skills were. I think being surrounded by that is what really made me want to pursue art. Seeing their interesting lifestyle and all the incredible pieces they created made me want to aspire to be even a little bit like them. My family has always been really supportive of me wanting to pursue a career in art.
Q> Do you have a specific style that you try and achieve with your work?
TJ> I think with my personal illustration I tend to have a style, but I like to be versatile in production work. It was an interesting transition, entering this industry coming from the illustration department at SCAD. There, we were encouraged to focus on a distinct personal style, but in motion graphics you get to switch directions depending on the needs of the project. With my personal work, I tend to gravitate towards a certain look, but I love utilizing different techniques with professional work. I never get bored, and I've found different painting and drawing techniques that have made their way into my side illustrations. Also, now that I'm working in animation, I feel my work has shifted into being more graphic. Lately I've been enjoying using simpler shapes and going bolder with my designs.
Q> What’s your favorite project you’ve worked on in your career?
TJ> There's such a huge range in projects and it's so nice to jump around and do different styles. Since some of my favorite jobs to work on are the more character-driven, I'd have to say the Provident "Imagine A Bank" spots stick out to me the most. We had a lot of freedom with the personalities of characters and environment design. The animation also brought it to another level, it's a really fun energetic spot. I've also really enjoyed doing character design on pitches. When the timeline is tight and the creative options are open, it's a fun change of pace to just flush out a range of characters. It's the best when the whole studio is involved in the process because you get this rush of creativity, and different personal styles coming through the characters.
Q> You are one of our many amazingly talented SCAD alumni. What lead you on your journey from the Northeast to the Southeast?
TJ> I feel so fortunate that I was able to go there! I think it's awesome how many graduates I've worked with and ran into after school. It's been so interesting to see how you cross paths with people you went to school with. It makes it feel more like a family, especially when you're working with your friends. SCAD actually came to my high school art class and did a presentation and I was really blown away by how modern it felt, and how many majors they offered that could lead to so many awesome careers. I didn't know what I wanted to do at that time, but I knew I loved art and wanted to do something creative. Even at that small presentation, SCAD showed how much they prepare you for the real world. I visited Savannah for their accepted students day, and seeing the city and the school's facilities, I knew I wanted to go there. They have a really special culture down there - inside the school and in the city itself. That was an awesome time and I learned so much, I'm absolutely planning a trip back soon.
Q> What was your biggest influence in helping you to pursue a career in art?
TJ> My earliest influences were definitely my grandparents. They were both painters that met in art school, and went abroad to teach painting and calligraphy at a university in Florence. I didn't realize when I was little just how incredible their drafting and painting skills were. I think being surrounded by that is what really made me want to pursue art. Seeing their interesting lifestyle and all the incredible pieces they created made me want to aspire to be even a little bit like them. My family has always been really supportive of me wanting to pursue a career in art.
Q> Do you have a specific style that you try and achieve with your work?
TJ> I think with my personal illustration I tend to have a style, but I like to be versatile in production work. It was an interesting transition, entering this industry coming from the illustration department at SCAD. There, we were encouraged to focus on a distinct personal style, but in motion graphics you get to switch directions depending on the needs of the project. With my personal work, I tend to gravitate towards a certain look, but I love utilizing different techniques with professional work. I never get bored, and I've found different painting and drawing techniques that have made their way into my side illustrations. Also, now that I'm working in animation, I feel my work has shifted into being more graphic. Lately I've been enjoying using simpler shapes and going bolder with my designs.
Q> What’s your favorite project you’ve worked on in your career?
TJ> There's such a huge range in projects and it's so nice to jump around and do different styles. Since some of my favorite jobs to work on are the more character-driven, I'd have to say the Provident "Imagine A Bank" spots stick out to me the most. We had a lot of freedom with the personalities of characters and environment design. The animation also brought it to another level, it's a really fun energetic spot. I've also really enjoyed doing character design on pitches. When the timeline is tight and the creative options are open, it's a fun change of pace to just flush out a range of characters. It's the best when the whole studio is involved in the process because you get this rush of creativity, and different personal styles coming through the characters.
Q> What’s your favorite project you worked on, outside of your career?
TJ> I've been pushing to do more personal illustrations. I've had a few ideas recently for a larger personal project or a series of shorts, but sometimes it's nice to step away from the screen for a bit and use traditional media. I love working with micron pens and ink. Sometimes, when doing personal work on a screen, it can be easy for me to get sidetracked since the unlimited internet is right there. When I'm drawing with just a pen and paper though I'm kind of forced to sit in one place for a bit and just draw. I've noticed that if I go too long without drawing on paper, I kind of lose my patience, so I try to make a point to sit down and do something handmade every once in a while.
Q> Are there any artists who you admire or that helped guide the style you strive for?
TJ> So many artists, from so many different backgrounds. I'm kind of all over the map when it comes to the styles I love. When it comes to illustration, I love the work of Tomer Hanuka, James Jean, Ralph Steadman, Mark Ryden, Anita Kunz. Tim Burton's sketchbooks are filled with crazy little drawings. KIKYZ1313 is an illustrator from Mexico that does incredibly detailed drawings. Jen Mussari is an awesome lettering artist. I also admire a ton of artists in this industry like Kim Dulaney, Ash Thorp, Rafael Mayani, and Elliot Lim.
TJ> I love looking for artists completely outside of the industry. Lately I've been obsessed with the fashion designer Iris van Herpen. She uses 3D printing and other materials to create the most incredible pieces I've ever seen. I know I just listed off about 50 artists, but I'd say I'm influenced by creative people who have a lot of passion for what they do.
Q> Is there something you would like to learn or a skill you would like to develop within your craft?
TJ> There are always so many techniques I want to learn but lately, I've really loved jumping more into 3D. It's such a useful tool and I've found myself using it more and more. I also think that since the process can be so different than drawing, it's a nice break to create work in a different way. There are a lot of awesome styles you can get with 3D that would be counter productive to do using 2d techniques. I definitely want to keep pushing myself in that direction.
Q> Do you have any hobbies outside of GS?
TJ> Hip Hop Brunch, being outside, hanging out with friends, live music, painting.... or being locked inside my apartment binge watching anything on HBO
Q> What’s your favourite thing about New York?
TJ> My favorite thing about New York is the unlimited access to everything. There's so much to do all the time, and so much to be inspired by. I love being surrounded by the museums, shows, live music, and amazing restaurants. It seems like every month I have 50 more things I need to do or try. There are so many different types of people living right on top of each other, and the diversity is something I definitely missed In smaller town.
Q> If you could live on any planet other than Earth, what would it be and why?
TJ> Neptune, for many reasons even though I would probably still get a sunburn.
Q> What’s a secret about you that we don’t know?
TJ> I went through a really long phase a couple years ago of only drawing distorted, old men characters. They had really gnarly joints, and terrible backs. Also, they almost always had a cat to go with them. I've been considering re-entering this phase. I think it'd be awesome to animate them and bring them to life, but also terrifying
