Meet Renn Kennedy

Pathways: Tell us about your background. Where are you from and what are you studying?

RK: I’m from a little town called Montvale, in Bedford County, which is about an hour away from here. I plan to graduate next spring from the Creative Technologies program at the College of Architecture and Urban Studies and the School of Visual Arts.

Pathways: Anyone who has worked with you can tell you love creating animation. What got you interested in that medium?

RK: I’ve always loved art and storytelling. All my life, I’ve been trying to tell stories through writing and comics. Animation was the perfect integration of both. It allowed me to bring to life all the little things I could see in my head.

Pathways: Animation allows you to work with some really cool tools and technology. What is your favorite way to work?

RK: Drawing digitally is my favorite. I use an XP-Pen stylus and drawing tablet, which is a screen I can draw directly on and then use Photoshop for my main software. I also use Procreate on my iPad, which is a $10 program that has minor animation capabilities, but it’s super easy to use. I can take it and draw anywhere I go: car rides, waiting for a flight, taking notes in class, wherever.

Pathways: We see animation constantly - videos, advertisements, and social media - but I don’t think people realize how labor intensive it is to create. How long does it take to create original animation?

RK: My first animation assignment took me an entire semester to do a one-minute video with audio that was completely colored and shaded. One minute of animation can take at least 20 hours of work. You start with a sketch, you move on to the line art to make it look clean, then add color, and if you have time, shading and light. That can take weeks; it’s very labor intensive.

Pathways: What would you like to do after graduation?

RK: I just want to continue to create. Whether it’s my story or telling someone else’s, I just want to be able to have creative freedom in my work.