For an assignment in my Portfolio Presentation class we had to get an interview with a non-local professional. I emailed several of my favorite artists, and was lucky to get a great interview from exceptionally talented Animator and designer, Brittney Lee.
1. So, what first got you interested in design and animation artwork?
I have always been interested in drawing, but my love for the art of animation really solidified when I saw The Little Mermaid when I was very young. I used to draw scenes from the movie and send them to Disney just to show the people who worked on the film how much I loved it! The superior quality of the animated films of the 90s helped to keep my interest throughout my childhood and adolescence, and so when it came time for me to choose what I wanted to study in college, the choice wasn't very difficult.
2. There's not too much background on your blog, so I'm curious to know about where you went to school and where you are currently working.
I am originally from Pennsylvania, and I went to college at the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, New York. I studied animation at RIT's School of Film and Animation. After graduating, I moved out to San Francisco where I worked at a small online game company called Three Rings Design for two and a half years. I left Three Rings in February and have been working as a freelance animator, illustrator and designer since.
3. Are you a self-taught artist or was school a necessity?
School was certainly a necessity. I have been very fortunate to have had many gifted teachers who have taught me a great deal, but possibly more important has been everything that I've learned from my peers. My friends and classmates have always been and continue to be a HUGE source of inspiration for me. Without school, I would never have met some of my greatest friends and teachers.
4. What projects are you currently working on? Anything freelance?
I'm currently juggling several different projects, but I'm not sure that I can say much about any of them. I just finished illustrating a Plug 'N Play book for Leapfrog, and have a few more book projects in the works. Prior to that I was doing some game design and animation, some packaging design for a toy company, and some ride concepts for theme parks.
5. What tools do you use?
When I work digitally (which is what I end up doing for most of my freelance work) I paint in photoshop and I animate mainly in Flash.
When I work on commissions and original artwork, anything goes. I usually paint with some combination of watercolor, acrylic, gouache, and/or ink. The paper sculpt work that I do consists of acid-free papers and cardstocks with painted details on top. For those, the main tools I use are my scissors, X-Acto knife, cutting board, permanent acid-free glue, and a bone folder.
When I work on commissions and original artwork, anything goes. I usually paint with some combination of watercolor, acrylic, gouache, and/or ink. The paper sculpt work that I do consists of acid-free papers and cardstocks with painted details on top. For those, the main tools I use are my scissors, X-Acto knife, cutting board, permanent acid-free glue, and a bone folder.
6. What are some of the most valued skills for someone just starting out?
Being open to new experiences and responsibilities is certainly an essential quality for someone who is just starting out. A lot of people graduate from school with the idea that they are owed a certain position, and often are disappointed. In my experience, those who are just willing to work hard and tackle any opportunities that arise are the most successful and satisfied young professionals. They are also the ones who seem to excel and advance in their fields the fastest.
7. Where have you worked in the past? Is work satisfactory?
The one studio where I worked in the past was Three Rings Design. I worked on a Flash-based virtual world game (called Whirled) and spent my days designing and animating Flash assets for the game. I was a fantastic first job because I got experience doing everything from character design and animation to layout to game design. I learned quite a lot in a very short amount of time.
My work as a freelancer really came quite by accident, but I have been very lucky and work has been steady. I enjoy the challenge of managing my schedule and projects and think it is quite possible that I'm learning more right now than I ever have before.
My work as a freelancer really came quite by accident, but I have been very lucky and work has been steady. I enjoy the challenge of managing my schedule and projects and think it is quite possible that I'm learning more right now than I ever have before.
8. Is there anything you wish you'd known before starting your career? Any cautionary tales?
The only thing I really wish that I would have known before I started my career is that it really is okay to just go for what you love, and everything else will fall into place. As long as you are doing something that is fulfilling to you, the money will come. And if you find yourself stuck in a position you are unhappy with, it is always okay to leave and find something else.
9. What artists do you admire most, and how were they influential to your work?
10. What artistic goals do you have for the future? Is there a dream job?
My artistic goals are always changing, but I certainly do have dream jobs. I have always wanted to work in Feature Animation in some capacity, whether it be in animation or visual development. In some round-about way, that has always been the goal that I have worked toward, and I'm still plugging away at it :)
I have always (and still do) aspire to be a traditional character animator, and Glen Keane has been my hero for as long as I can remember. His incredible draftsmanship and obvious passion to breathe life into every drawing never ceases to amaze me. Watching videos of him explaining his process or teaching a class always brings me back to that initial feeling of “Yes, this is what I want to do for aliving!”
10. What artistic goals do you have for the future? Is there a dream job?
My artistic goals are always changing, but I certainly do have dream jobs. I have always wanted to work in Feature Animation in some capacity, whether it be in animation or visual development. In some round-about way, that has always been the goal that I have worked toward, and I'm still plugging away at it :)
