Today we’d like to introduce you to Kyle Crumbaker.
Hi Kyle, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
Hey! So, my story started with me making my YouTube channel where I started making stop motion lego films back in 2012. I then went on to making short films and vlogs and played a lot of video games on my wii which inspired my creativity. After my YouTube phase, I took a couple year break because I was in a very awkward time of my life 8th grade and 9th was horrible for me. But in 10th grade, I got really into music and I mowed lawns to get a decent computer which I started making rapper edits and glitch art which I gained a lot of attention from that and some of my videos blew up. I also started making money at this time. Then in covid, my life changed because I got into 3d and had so much free time to just learn. I was inside all day every day just creating and creating. 2019-2020 changed my life. I learned so much in such a short time it’s insane. But in 2021 I had a fall back I got into a creative block and I started doubting myself and my abilities and got depressed. You can see it in my art where everything just didn’t really have that hype that my previous art had. I had to do something big so I got an internship at Digital Brew (a motion design studio downtown), went to Valencia College, and also broke up with my ex of 3 years. This phase of my life was extremely hard and pushed me out of my comfort zone but it paid off. That internship taught me so much. Everyone there is so cool, even though I was so awkward because I spent the last 2 years pretty much isolated haha so being around that much people at once made me so anxious but everyone was so helpful and nice and I grown so much from that. I’ve suffered from social anxiety (not diagnosed I just get very anxious with new people) since middle school and this really helped me. Biggest thing I learned from there though was I never want to work at a studio job 9-5 ever. I found it very difficult having to work at those times and seeing everyone just put out work for huge companies with no light at the end of the tunnel. I want to always be working toward something, not just making consistent work like a robot. I don’t want that to be me so I am very glad I experienced that. The typical 9-5 studio job is just not for me. I just feel like I am meant for something wayyyy bigger than that. After the internship, I hoped I would get the job there but I didn’t get hired. So, I started freelancing consistently and am making the most money I’ve ever made before. I’ve soared past my expectations it’s crazy. I also dropped out of college recently because I gotten too busy for it. So, now this is present time. I am freelancing, working on my new car, building my new personal art style, growing my socials while trying to figure out life and what I want.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
It most definitely was not a smooth road. The challenges started in 8th grade, I started realizing I was different from everyone in my school and I tried fitting in but just didn’t really fit in with any group. I was on the basketball team throughout school so that was the only thing that made me feel like I belonged. But I was very anxious and just hated school. High school just got worse, I hated it I didn’t fit in really. Everyone were clones and they all liked the same stuff and threw shade on those who were different. Thankfully I had respect only because I was on the basketball team so I didn’t get teased but I tried to fit in but I just didn’t connect with anyone. I have my art to escape, so that got me through. Pretty much all my struggles I experienced and currently are social related. Once I get passed that I will experience my full potential. I used to not want to talk about my struggles in school because I fear I would get judged by those who I went to school with. But their opinions don’t mean nothing to me now. I am onto bigger things.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a 19-year-old 3d motion designer. I create 3d visualizations both animations and renders. I feel like I am known for expressing my feelings and emotions I get from music in a unique 3d/CGI hyper-realistic way. I am proud of how far I came and how I keep pushing myself out of my comfort zone. I am also proud of how I haven’t let anyone change who I am. I am always going to be my weird randomly motivated self. The qualities that I feel sets me apart is I have gone through a lot of art styles and am so versatile to capture any feeling or vibe that I experience so I am able to capture that exactly in a visual form and I get extremely inspired and hyper about some projects that I become so involved and creative which those projects end up being my best work.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
My dad and mom helped me so much by helping me get my first computer by bring me to yards to mowe to teaching me to always have compassion for others to putting up with my huge CRT tv bringing back and forth to each house every week (for my glitch art phase) haha and teaching me how to have self-discipline. My parents are my biggest role models. My papap and uncle inspires me to keep pushing boundaries and to think big. My grandma is my biggest supporter she always is proud of me and makes sure to celebrate every big moment of my life. All my art friends and supporters online keep me inspired and give me an amazing community that one day I will experience that community in real life. The younger me reminds me to always be curious and to make him proud.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://kylec.media/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kylec3d/
- Youtube: youtube.com/channel/UCw-O5hjFCutlxIswZ2g_ALg
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@kylecrummy?lang=en
