![Joshua Mateo s5225553.jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/78ee15_346469099f504f94bd8e7dbb39204edd~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_323,h_484,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/78ee15_346469099f504f94bd8e7dbb39204edd~mv2.jpg)
WHO IS THIS???
Heyo! My Name is Joshua Mateo, but I prefer to go by my middle name, Zach! I graduated from Griffith University with a Bachelor of Animation and a major in Art Direction in 2022.
My earliest memories have been drawing places and objects that interested me. One instance was when my kindy teacher asked persmission from my mother if she could publish in the school's weekly newsletter a drawing I made of our local train station. What was impressive about that drawing according to my teacher was that I drew it with a sense of perspective, which was quite advanced for a four year-old kid. I was also dubbed the best artist in my class by both teachers and other students throughout my early school life and that was the beginning of my artistic journey.
I have always found it fascinating that I can bring the characters and stories in my imagination into life. My source of inspiration? All the cartoons and games that I grew up with - Sonic the Hedgehog, My Little Pony, Pokémon and Looney Tunes, just to name a few. They further fuelled my desire to learn more about animation and its various forms and applications. It has become my passion. Whenever a piece of media captures my interest, it is the art direction that intrigues me the most, such as the character designs, environments, drawing techniques and how striking and uniquely appealing they are. I have always aspired to be a part of the industry that made my whole life more interesting and filled my mind with wonder, and I want to use my art skills to create characters and places to make epic stories and inspire others.