While most kids his age are drawing stick figures, freshman Michael Golminas is making an animated series. Golminas has spent many years working to improve his artistic ability, continuing his learning at DGS. While he is learning he is also teaching by posting on his YouTube channel How to Craft along with showing off his creative endeavors.

As he continues his channel, Golminas plans on taking numerous art classes while already taking drawing and painting one. Golminas looks back on his artistic journey and looks forward to the path ahead of him.

“I made [the channel] because I thought it would be cool. I continued to do it because it was fun and it forced me to keep working on improving my skills. Just looking at some of my drawings through the years on it you can see major progress,” Golminas said.

Golminas is largely self taught pursuing inspiration online.

“A lot of it was practicing on my own and learning different things, I mostly self taught and practiced very regularly. A lot of times I looked at other people on Youtube and I looked at what they can do and learn from them. My dad is also pretty good at art, so he was able to help me out with a lot of things,” Golminas said.

Throughout his journey, Golminas designed a uniform for a horse jockey, winning two competitions to have his art put into the Abraham Lincoln Library and Museum. A majority of drawings by Golminas are those of characters from various forms of pop culture. This has been Golminas’ style from the very beginning.

Visual arts teacher Laura Murphy had Golminas in drawing and painting. Murphy reflects on what makes Golminas stand out as an art student.

“Michael is naturally gifted in art, but more so he is really interested in learning about it and becoming better at it and becoming better at it. Generally it is hard to get people into to begin with especially if you’re already into it, and he does both,” Murphy said.

Murphy explains the important takeaways of art that Golminas has gleaned.

“Art is an essential component no matter what you’re doing because creativity is so in demand in every field so you’re going to take some of that creative critical thinking. Especially if you’re heading down an artistic path, learning how to pick up new skills. Michael learned that you need to keep learning,” Murphy said.

Along with creating stationary images and sculptures Golminas has expanded into animation. A personal project of his has been adapting the Arthur Conan Doyle book, “A Study in Scarlet,” into an animated mini series on his youtube channel.

Golminas does all the animation by himself for the series. The only help comes from his family who does voice acting for the characters brought to life.

“It’s very time consuming, it can take multiple hours or a few days to animate someone talking or it can take multiple hours to a week to animate someone walking,” Golminas said.

Golminas has the foresight to recognize this isn’t a project that can be completed right away with other things going on in his life.

“It’s just all in my freetime and I am aware it is going to take a long time. But when it is all over finished I can look back and be proud of the work I completed,” Golminas said.

Gallery • 5 Photos

Michael Golminas

Drawing of a dog.