Rudy Zumbi: Illustrating life from life's illustrations

Rudy Zumbi is a talented Production Artist and Designer who has dedicated his career to storytelling through visual arts. Currently, Rudy is working on ongoing entertainment projects, and you can find much of his work at his website- www.rudyzumbi.com - as well as on his Instagram. 

1. What did you want to be when you were younger?

At a very young age, I wanted to be a doctor. However, I quickly realized that it wasn't a good fit for me because of my hypersensitivity to certain aspects in the medical field. I am very empathetic by nature and would have a harder time detaching myself, emotionally, from harder cases.

Then around 7 or 8 years of age, I began sketching, through the influence of a childhood friend. I realized eventually that I had a natural gift toward illustration and would hone in my skills by watching animated TV shows and movies (especially Disney classics).

By the time I graduated middle school, I knew with certainty that I wanted to work in animation. My decision to pursue animation led me from my native country, the Congo (DRC), to settling permanently in the States.

As I learnt more about this industry, through college and even as I began my professional career, my passion and love for this art form has kept growing. Today, I strive to take part in projects that not only encourage me to keep tuning my skills set but that are also relatable and hopefully timeless. 

2. What barriers or hurdles did you overcome in trying to follow your dreams?

I am a foreigner. Uprooting from Kinshasa, Congo and moving miles away to another country was extremely challenging for me, especially economically. Integrating into the American system was rough, not because of the language (I grew up pretty much bilingual), but just because of my status as an outsider. However, I am grateful for the intense experience, it was much needed. It not only forged my character and taught me to move strategically, but it also made me hold on steadfast to my dreams and aspirations. 

3. What advice would you give someone following in your footsteps?

First, persevere. Genius is 1% talent and 99% hard work. You have to work at bettering your craft constantly, nonstop! You are going to encounter setbacks along the way, and a whole lot of no’s--they are part of the journey. Second, to not compare your race to someone else’s. So what if it takes you 5 years to achieve a goal that took someone else less than a year to attain? Do the very best you can with what you got, the rest will work itself out.