MULTIMEDIA ARTIST: RANDY D ROSARIO

Los Angeles based Multi-media artist Randy D. Rosario creates fun, playful and whimsical multimedia circus of art that continuously evolves to delight and surprise his audience.

The Artist is also the creator of Panda Rabbit- a mixture of stop-motion, animation, live action and puppetry. He also created Glow the Unicorn, an animated character he created which evolved to becoming a sticker app.

In this exclusive interview, read through and discover the well rounded artist’s processes in creating his art, where he gets his inspirations from, and learn more about his multiple projects.

Randy D. Rosario. Portrait provided by the Artist

Tell us a bit about your background. Where did you grow up? Did you come from an Artistic family? Art Background?

I was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. I didn’t come from an artistic family, in fact coming from a Filipino family I was always pushed in pursuing medicine. I really enjoyed art growing up so I knew I would be happy pursuing this when I got older. I graduated with a Bachelors of Arts degree but wasn’t sure where that would take me. I knew I wanted to do something relating to digital media and storytelling.

When and how did Art start for you?

Quicky after college I found a job as a photo retoucher working on commercial and advertisement projects. I was around so many creative people and began art directing a lot of projects for them. Those projects were fun but I wanted to take things a step further. I thought it would be a great to invest in a camera and start working on my personal work.

How would you describe your art?

I’d describe my work as a circus since there is so much going on. It’s fun and whimsical and has a little bit of everything. One week I’m shooting, the other week I’m animating and maybe ill be drawing and collaging. It’s a mixture of everything and I’m learning and always trying to introduce something new. (www.randydr.com)

When did you learn to manipulate images and transform them into playful works of art?

The university I attended allowed us to try many mediums of art. I was able to take life drawing, illustration, computer graphics courses that shaped my style of work today. I think I have a fun sense of humor so naturally it comes off as playful.

What inspires you?

I’m such a loner most of the time and I think alone time is very important in how I work. I get the most inspiration when I’m doing a daily walk or really late at night when it’s quiet. When I walk it really clears my mind and ideas pop up in my head. Being outside and looking at the sky or nature clears a lot of clutter and it allows me to recharge. Traveling also inspires me and I love experiencing different cultures, cuisines, architecture, and vibrant colors.

What’s the best thing about playing and having control with multimedia when you create art?

The best thing is obviously mixing it up and not being so tied down on one thing. I used to compare my work to others and when I see how consistent and amazing their work was I would always beat myself up about it because I felt I could never focus on one thing. I have learned to block out all the noise and focus on me and my skills. Everyone has their niche and path and I’m grateful to work with clients who look for artists with multiple skill sets like myself. Being able to balance freelance and personal projects is amazing.

Walk us through your process of image-making from conceptualization to execution. Do you usually have a process or do you just go with the flow of the moment?

I am big on planning. First I have the idea in what I want to do and I set the deadline so I am on track. I then start to storyboard things so I know roughly how the project will look like. When I have multiple projects I divide my time so I’m not just doing one type of work. This also allows me to have fresh eyes so I’m not drained out on one thing. I always remind myself that every second I spend on something is progress and eventually it will get done. Each project will never be perfect to me so I’m constantly finessing it. I need a deadline to say, “STOP!”

Tell us more about The Panda Rabbit. What is it about and what inspired you to create it?

When I graduated I landed a full-time job at a small company and eventually the work became very redundant. I wanted to create a project that was a combination of everything I loved so I can go home and be stimulated and excited. The Panda Rabbit is a mixture of stop-motion, animation, live action and puppetry. The film is about digital media or social media and how too much of it can make us go insane! It’s good to take breaks and when you do there is so much you can discover. This project is very special to me because it really taught me discipline. I started the film in 2010 and finished it in 2011 as a solo project. I then self published The Panda Rabbit book and it has been such an amazing experience and portfolio piece that will always be with me. (www.thepandarabbit.com)

Nikita Dragun for Gaytimes. Artwork provided by the Artist

What’s the proudest moment of your career so far?

I think the proudest moment is bringing my imagination to life. Over time I’ve learned how to animate and even though it’s still a work in progress, I am proud of my determination. Right now I am developing more characters. The newest is Glow the Unicorn @glowtheunicorn. I managed to organically grow her social media and fan-base to now having thousands of loyal followers. I also launched my first sticker app which placed top five apps, beating many Disney apps. I was very proud of that! Glow The Unicorn is so much fun to work on and I can’t wait to share more soon! (www.glowtheunicorn.com)

Dream Project.

I would love to do more to better our world and community. I have the opportunity to travel parts of southeast Asia with my friend Niccolo Cosme to help with his project “Become”. The Become project will be a photo book and documentary that catalogs the dreams of 100 children across the world. I am excited to see more of Asia and to hopefully inspire and be inspired by the kids and the locals.

If you’re not creating images, what else keeps you busy?

I’ve been cooking more! My mom is an amazing cook and I always enjoyed seeing her prepare dinner as a child. I’m all about smart eating and self-care so not only is it fun to cook, it’s better for you too! The internet has endless information and recipes. Cooking requires gathering colorful ingredients, and there is a design aspect and formula that I enjoy a lot.

If you were a book, what book would you be and why?

I’d be The Panda Rabbit book because I created it! It is my first self-published book that I self-funded and mass produced and has my blood, sweat and tears so of course it holds a special place in my heart.

Check more of Randy's work here