Alex Ross
Chicago, IL USA
"My getting to where I am is based upon some good fortune, but a lot of it is taking advantage of every opportunity and putting the pedal to the metal."
Career Roadmap
Alex's work combines: Art, Design, and Being Creative
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Take Roadmap QuizSkills & Education
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Art/Art Studies, General
American Academy of Art
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life has been direct
1.
Has been drawing his own comics for as long as he can remember.
2.
Went to art school for two years and entered the workforce at age 19.
3.
Worked a 9-to-5 job every day, then stayed up late into the night drawing his own comic one page at a time.
4.
Published first comic just before he turned 20; admits he rushed it so he could say he'd been published as a teenager.
5.
Eventually "felt comfortable enough to jump"; gave up his day job, drew his comics full-time.
6.
Says he started out with low self-confidence socially, but his confidence in his work never faltered.
7.
Whenever he was rejected, he used his anger and frustration to drive him forward, inspire his art.
8.
Chalks up some of his success to luck, but the vast majority of it to seizing every possible opportunity.
Defining Moments
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
I was terrible socially, I had no self esteem as a person. So my personal side of life was bankrupt. [But] nobody could knock me down with my self esteem about my work, because I felt like I know it's good.