Today we’d like to introduce you to Jamir Milton.
Hi Jamir, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My parents bought our first home computer when I was around five years old, and a couple of years later, they signed us up for dial-up internet. Everyone in my family would always be fighting for time on the computer, so I’d say I grew up in a technology household.
I was already into video games, so I eventually discovered online games and their message boards. I used to play games like Runescape, Gaia Online, and MapleStory; these games had huge online communities in the mid-late 2000s.
Back then, I learned how to use Photoshop to create and post images of my in-game avatar on these games’ message boards. Other players saw my creations and would ask me to create similar images for them, which lead to me developing my skills and techniques with Photoshop over the years.
I dove pretty deep in the online gaming rabbit hole, even as far as to get into game development myself, but it wasn’t until college that I even began to see my work through an artistic lens. Being surrounded by and connecting with other profound creatives was instrumental in my journey.
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?
I wouldn’t say it’s been a smooth road, but I would also hesitate to say it’s been tumultuous for me. Similar to others who embrace the platforms and technologies of today’s age, I feel like we’ve run out of paved roads and we only have unpaved dirt paths in front of us. Positions such as “influencers,” “content creators,” and “NFT artists” are products of our generation.
They didn’t exist before us, yet they continue to impact and shift today’s landscape. We can learn and study from those who came before us, but ultimately, we are the ones responsible for breaking barriers and pushing envelopes to pave new roads in our modern space.
This challenge manifests itself in different ways for different people. For me, I would say the challenge has been myself. I’ve never had formal art education, so there have been periods where I’m not unsure of my work or where I’m not confident in my abilities.
Simultaneously, I’m in a perpetual competition with myself where I’m constantly trying to outperform or keep up with myself. The struggle is overcoming these thoughts of self-doubt feeling unmotivated, and not let them deter me from creating and elevating my craft.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I would say, I wear many hats: an animator, video editor, web designer, digital illustrator, etc.; but to encapsulate everything, I tend to describe myself as a multimedia designer or digital creator. I specialize in 2D and 3D animations, and I’m most known for my retro video game “pixel art” aesthetics.
My style is a manifestation of my childhood and upbringing which I believe is what sets me apart from others who work in similar spheres. I use my technology & creative curiosities to create things the younger me would find cool.
I don’t really concern myself with outside noise and I think my work speaks to that.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
As I mentioned before, I don’t have a traditional art background. I never went to art school or took any art classes. Everything I’ve learned is a result of years of Youtube videos, random art blog tutorials, and Google searches.
I used to see this as a weakness of mine, but after a recent conversation with a friend, they helped me see the silver lining and how my lack of formal training allows me to be more experimental with my approach.
Contact Info:
- Email: me@hackjammer.online
- Website: https://www.hackjammer.online
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hackjammer
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hackjammer.rpg
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/_hackjammer
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEE6VVd8hvcYFSvPzoSCwbw
Image Credits
Marquise McKine, Kabrea Hayman
