Today we’d like to introduce you to Jordan Smajstrla
Hi Jordan, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
There was never a moment in my life (that I can remember) when I wasn’t an artist, I started drawing and coloring as soon as I could hold a crayon thanks to the encouragement of my parents, and somehow always knew that art would be my life. I began to take it more seriously in middle school, mostly improving my traditional skills and loving doing realistic drawings and paintings thanks to the attention to detail they required, which is still a clear characteristic of my work today. Around that time I also began to enter and place well in more competitions; however middle school, like it is for many other kids, also ended up being one of the toughest periods of my life. I experienced being the ‘new kid’ when we moved away from my childhood home, and when fitting in and making friends proved to be incredibly difficult I began to retreat back into my art by creating characters and stories. As I moved up into high school my characters and their worlds began to grow with me, I had the opportunity to leap into digital art, and I found my place amongst fellow creatives who fostered an amazing supportive atmosphere both for us as people growing up, and as artists. As any high school nerd will tell you, being an art student with an intense love of fantasy will always lead you to one thing: Dungeons and Dragons, and that was what really brought us all together, as well as inspiring us to pursue creative occupations. Absolutely positive that I had to land in the creative industry, I applied to a long list of colleges with good art programs and was astounded to hear back from the Savannah College of Art and Design. Not only had I gotten in, but as a call a couple weeks later would congratulate me on, I had received the Full Tuition Francis Larkin McCommon scholarship. It’s thanks to that scholarship that I’m 2 quarters away from graduating with a BFA in Illustration, having built a strong network and portfolio, and am beyond excited to achieve the dream that started all the way back in middle school.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Haha, it has absolutely not been a smooth road, but I definitely believe the bumps have been necessary. Middle school, like I mentioned, was a really dark patch, but it ultimately led me to discovering how much I enjoyed creating characters, stories, and their worlds. Freshman year of SCAD was incredibly tough too, so much so that I considered dropping briefly. It’s not for the faint of heart, and the workload, distance from home, and experiencing so much change all at once was definitely one of the biggest struggles along the way. Getting through that first year, though, taught me I was tougher than I thought, and trained me in hugely important life skills like time management in crunched schedules that I view as invaluable now as I face the challenge of senior level classes & entering the industry. I’m sure there will be way more struggles along the way in the future, but the more I overcome the more I feel prepared to face the next challenge.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m an illustrator with my sights set on working at fantasy centered studios like Blizzard, Wizards of the Coast, and Riot! I adore the challenge of creating storytelling illustrations with immense detail and striking compositions, and would love to create pieces for marketing/promotional purposes, card art, and game loading screens. I began my college journey positive I wanted to go into concept art, and still adore the process of researching, iterating, and creating characters and the worlds they live in, but I ultimately found that polished illustrations are my absolute favorite things to create. My Artstation Portfolio is full of these illustrations! I adore creating pieces that reward you the longer you look, and because of that one of my favorite pieces is “Monster Hunters”– a peek into the joyful chaos that is the oldest running D&D campaign I play in. As an individual, I’m driven and devoted to my craft– always pushing myself to take my art further and raise the bar of expectations. I have high standards for myself and others, and I strongly value dependability and integrity both as it relates to creating, and generally in life. I relish opportunities to learn and develop new skills, or further improve current ones, and I’m excited to make my mark in the industry!
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
A tough question, but ultimately I think authenticity matters most to me. Not only do I believe it’s paramount to be an authentic person, but also to extend that to your work, especially as an artist. The best art comes from being authentically excited about what you’re working on, and onlookers can feel that through the pieces or designs. If I could add a second thing that pairs with authenticity, I would add on insatiable curiosity. Inquisitiveness and wanting to learn about everything is the backbone of creativity, and when paired with authenticity is the best way to connect with others.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.artstation.com/jordansmajstrla
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jordans_artistry/
