Takeover Tuesday with Katie Trayte
An interview with Katie Trayte: an illustrator based in Washington, D.C as well as the Creative Director at Duke & Duck.
Q&A with Sarah Chokali.
Read time: 5min
Bella Alfonsi:
Hey, Katie! Thanks so much for being a part of Takeover Tuesday. For those who are unfamiliar with you or your work, please tell us about you and what you do!
Katie Trayte:
Thank you so much for inviting me to participate! I love your Takeover Tuesday series.
My name is Katie Trayte and I’m an illustrator based in Washington, D.C as well as the Creative Director at Duke & Duck.
Bella Alfonsi:
Do you have any formal training or are you completely self taught?
Katie Trayte:
I graduated from SCAD with an Illustration degree, but I am fairly self-taught when it comes to animation. I started out of school as an apparel graphic designer for Hollister. So if I made it here, you can too! I always felt a pull towards animation and storytelling, but never really saw where I could fit into the compartmentalized pipelines of feature and tv. When I found the world of motion design I was, in a word, obsessed. I was also what the French call, "Les incompetents". My love of the work made it easy to find motivation in closing my knowledge gap. It was an area where my illustration and graphic design passions could both thrive, and I was so drawn to the experimental styles and trend-setting approaches happening in the field.
Shot from Sony’s | Barbra Streisand project that Katie Art Directed.
Bella Alfonsi:
You have an impressive resume of clients, like Sony, Nestle, and Discovery Channel, just to name a few! What advice do you have for freelancers first starting out who dream of working with clients like these?
Katie Trayte:
I have spent most of my career in-house. From that experience, I would say there’s a huge benefit to being part of a company or studio to get access to those partnerships. Especially if you’re still finding your style and the idea of exploring a lot of different visual directions appeals to you. In-house is also a great place to get a master class on business and sales. Confidence in these skills can help you to feel more empowered to establish and foster relationships with your dream clients as a freelancer.
Bella Alfonsi:
What steps did you take to go from illustrator/designer to Art Director? Do you prefer doing one more than the other?
Katie Trayte:
I jumped from graphic designer in ‘the outside world’ to an AD at Demo Duck. Not having much motion design experience behind me at that moment was… different, but a lot of the skills that had led me to advance in design roles were still very applicable despite the shift between industries. Effective communication, articulation of ideas, and management skills all help take you from making great art to leading great art. I have such a strategy brain that I’d say art director is the role for me. I love being client-facing and problem-solving along the way during a project. I still get to do a fair amount of hands-on work in an AD role, so it’s a win-win!
Style Frame from Duke & Duck’s project for Nestlé that Katie designed and Art Directed.
Bella Alfonsi:
Do you have any advice for someone trying to become a director themselves?
Katie Trayte:
Start by demanding excellence from yourself in your area of production. If you’re producing high-quality work in your role, you’ll be trusted to own more and more of the pipeline. Hone your voice, always concept from a unique angle, and keep learning about areas of production that may be outside your expertise. Most importantly- develop your people skills! Effective negotiation, collaboration, and communication help to win the respect of your client and your team. At the director level, more often than not, your people skills are going to be what makes or breaks the success of a project.
Bella Alfonsi:
Tell us a bit about the piece, Be Aware. What was it like working with Barbra Streisand? How did the unique painterly approach come to be?
Katie Trayte:
Be Aware was such a dream to work on. Barbra Streisand was much more involved in the review and development of the project than I was expecting, which was a really fun surprise. I even have a first pass of my storyboards that came back to us with her handwritten notes on them! Treasure. She and Sony were both great clients.
Since moving to DC I’ve become friends with Elyse Kelly, who is an independent director and founder of Neon Zoo. I admire her work so much, and when she asked me to join the project I was excited about the opportunity to shadow her directorial expertise. The painterly approach came out of a lot of style development with Elyse. We wanted a look that matched the song- sweeping, emotive, and sensitive to the subject matter. I did initial sketch boards in a gestural, loose hand and that treatment felt like a natural marriage to the song lyrics. Elyse’s body of work is very painterly, so her talented animation team was very equipped to bring the look to life.
I love to paint, but most of my work up to Be Aware has had to be very graphic-driven. It felt like I got to really be myself with this style and say, “Don’t bring around a cloud to rain on my parade!”
Bella Alfonsi:
When you find yourself in a creative rut, how do you get out of it?
Katie Trayte:
Working remotely, (like I do now), or working freelance can make a creative rut feel like a creative canyon. An impossible abyss of creative failure from which you will never escape! On my own, I have never had a great solution for these difficult patches other than to take it easy on myself and let time pass, knowing that I’ll move beyond it. As a team, we’ve started a lot of open dialogue about overcoming ruts and are committing to more open avenues of collaboration this year. We’re working to let go of any self-inflicted shame associated with being stuck by reaching out to each other to talk through blocks, hurdles, or low points before they get too far. We’re having a lot of success. Working remotely, you're much more prone to anxiety and self-doubt that can make you retreat inwards. We’re all being intentional about training ourselves out of this habit through communication and feeling safe to be vulnerable with each other.
Shot from Duke & Duck’s “Plos” brand video Katie designed and directed.
Bella Alfonsi:
What or who inspires you?
Katie Trayte:
Both in my personal time and inside Duke & Duck we’re making more of a commitment to developing children’s IP. We’re even starting a sister brand for kid’s content called Double Scoop Studio! About a year ago, we discovered how much talent there was on our team for telling character-driven episodic content and have wanted to give that talent an outlet. That’s been a big inspiration to me- having this group of people come together that are committed to starting this new ambitious journey. I love working with my team to help find the special stories we have within us. Working together to grow these ideas, with a lot of laughter and joy along the way, feels like magic.
Currently, I’m really inspired by any kids media that takes more of a motion design direction to its animation approach or offers a new style in the space. Hey Duggee, Wide Load Vacay, City Island, StoryBots, and City of Ghosts are all great examples.
Bella Alfonsi:
Any final takeaways?
Katie Trayte:
I think I’ve said it all. Thank you so much, Dash team, for hosting these interviews and for always finding great ways to bring our community together!
Takeover Tuesday with Liz Galian
An interview with Liz Galian, a freelance designer and illustrator based in Brooklyn.
Q&A with Liz Galian
Read time: 5min
Madison Caprara:
Hi, Liz! Let’s kick off our chat with an introduction to yourself; who are you, what is it that you do, and how did you find yourself where you are today?
Liz Galian:
Hi Madison! I’m a freelance animator and illustrator based in Brooklyn. These days I find myself doing mostly character design and animation, which is a lot of fun for me. As a kid I really loved drawing portraits, so it’s kind of funny that my career meandered me back to that.
Madison Caprara:
What made you want to pursue animation and design as a career? Was there anything specific you saw or experienced, or was it an interest that gradually grew over time?
Liz Galian:
Initially I really just wanted to be an illustrator! My grandfather was an illustrator for a greeting card company and we had his work hanging all over my home growing up. Because of that, I was really privileged to have artistically supportive parents. They encouraged me to go to art school from a very young age, which is so rare. Then, toward the end of my college career I took an animation class on a whim and completely fell in love with it. From there, the more I learned about the motion graphics industry, the more I felt at home there! It’s such an amazing intersection between illustration, design, and animation — and because of that, I get to do the two things I love most without having to choose.
Adobe Max - Liz Galian
Madison Caprara:
How would you go about describing your signature style or “look”?
Liz Galian:
I’ve always been drawn to really bright, warm colors. These days the style that comes most naturally to me is 2D, graphic, and whimsical. I think a lot of that has to do with how fast projects move in this industry, and the worry that a design will be difficult to animate if it isn’t as simple as possible. I’ve been told that my animating style has a softer flow to it and is usually mistaken as being mostly cel animated (in reality, it’s usually after effects!).
Madison Caprara:
I see that you recently dropped a new reel. It looks great! Are there any particular do's and don't’s that you feel newer creatives and/or students should know before creating and sending a reel out?
Liz Galian:
Thanks so much! The thing I love about reels is that it gets to be a documentation of a few years of your life and your work, where you get to see how much you’ve grown. Every time I post a new reel, it feels like a little celebration. I would say the biggest piece of advice to someone just starting out, is to use their reel as an opportunity to curate what they’re most proud of and experiment with how you can best showcase it. There aren’t any hard and fast rules for what music to use, what aspect ratio it needs to be in, how fast the cuts are, etc. I would say just keep it under a minute and fifteen seconds, and don’t steal other people’s work (obviously) — but beyond that, make it your own and have fun with it!.
2022 REEL - Liz Galian
Madison Caprara:
What kinds of projects are you currently working on and which has been your favorite so far?
Liz Galian:
My last big project was my reel, so now I’m taking a breather before I dive back into personal projects. This year I want to put more of an emphasis on the illustration side of my art practice, which I think takes a bit of a back seat to the animation side in my day-to-day life. I’ve been working on a deck of Tarot cards in my free time, so I think that might become the first side project I get serious about finishing!
My favorite project I’ve done so far is actually a smaller one I did with Mailchimp in 2020. I had the space to explore a new workflow I hadn’t used before, where I made draft animations in after effects and then traced over them in photoshop. This let me figure out the beats of each animation really quickly, and then invest most of my time in really playing with the line quality I could get out of the really gorgeous photoshop brushes Mailchimp uses. Usually when I cel animate, I do the entire project in one program and had never really given myself permission to mix AE animation with cel animation. That project showed me that every project calls for a new way of execution, and that there’s really no wrong way to get things done.
Madison Caprara:
We’re coming up on two years of living in this pandemic-ruled world–which is crazy to me. Has your life (and work) changed drastically in that period of time?
Liz Galian:
Definitely, but for the better I think! I was already doing a little bit of remote freelancing before the pandemic, mostly when I was art directing with an all-female studio in South Africa called Batch. At the time I remember wishing that more studios were open to working with people remotely, as a lot of studios and artists I really admired and wanted to work with were on the other side of the US. The new work-from-home norm over the past two years has made it possible for me to make new relationships with amazing people I never would have been able to work with, which I’m so thankful for.
The pandemic also made me take a hard look at how little I prioritized my personal life and my health. I started exercising and spending more time with my friends and family, saying no to jobs that asked for too much, and giving myself more grace when I was tired or burnt out. Its caused a big shift in me as a person. Unexpectedly, I think my work has also gotten better because of it.
Mailchimp - Liz Galian
Madison Caprara:
What practices did you implement to keep your sanity?
Liz Galian:
I’m really into puzzles, so that’s kept me sane! I try to do a little sudoku or a crossword every day, though those have taken a back seat lately to Wordle. I’m also a big book worm, so not having to travel to work every day gives me time to have my coffee and read a chapter or two before I start work in the morning. My favorite thing I’ve read so far during the pandemic is “Understanding Comics” by Scott McCloud. It weirdly helped me learn a lot about pacing in storytelling and all of the visual ways that you can communicate it. I highly recommend it for anyone who animates (or is into comics!)
Madison Caprara:
In your opinion, for someone aspiring to be an animator, how much knowledge outside of animating is required? Can someone who has more of a fine art background make it, or is a higher technical knowledge needed early on?
Liz Galian:
I’m biased because I went into art school not knowing what Adobe was, how to open photoshop, or how animation worked at all. I think like anything, animation is a skill that comes with years of practice, and if you decide to put the hours in, no matter where you start and what background you come from, you’ll get good at it. Nobody is inherently highly skilled at anything on their first try, so the only barrier anyone can face at a skill they want is whether or not they want it badly enough to keep practicing. The internet has endless resources and the animation community is really welcoming and helpful!
Skull Animation - Liz Galian
Madison Caprara:
On the flip side, what about those more traditional art skills? For someone who wants to be an animator, how important is it for them to have drawing skills?
Liz Galian:
I think it depends on the kind of animation you want to do. If you’re interested in cel animation, drawing is a skill you might want to invest time in. If you’re interesting in more traditional mograph-y styles and after effects heavy animation, I don’t think having drawing skills is necessary.
There are so many animators who aren’t illustrators, and they still make amazing work! A lot of studios have animators and illustrators on separate teams, so the animators are receiving the artwork that’s already been made and animating from there. There are so many pockets in this industry with different needs, so not having drawing skills isn’t a make-or-break for your career. On the flip side though, if you want to start drawing there are so many resources online that can help. School of Motion, Skillshare, and Youtube are full of classes and tutorials that will give you tips and tricks. In pre-pandemic days, most local colleges and community arts centers offered life drawing classes (usually low commitment weekend ones for fun!), so if you have that as an available resource I’d recommend giving that a shot as well!
Madison Caprara:
Where do you go for inspiration when you find yourself in a creative rut?
Liz Galian:
When I’m feeling a little creatively lost or when I’m burnt out, I go for a walk through The Met. It’s so big that I’m convinced that there are corners of it that I haven’t walked through yet, and I can always find a collection in there that I haven’t seen yet that will spark an idea. It’s also just really calming and meditative to spend a quiet afternoon there with no expectations and see what catches your eye naturally.
NETFLIX'S The Mind - Liz Galian
Madison Caprara:
Is there anything, in particular, you would like to end the interview with?
Liz Galian:
I feel like a lot of what we’ve been talking about how and where best to start if you want to be an animator. When I was starting out, I wish that someone had told me to be braver and reach out to people who’s work I admired and ask more questions. People in this industry are so incredibly kind and generous with their advice and with their time, and everyone wants to see everyone else succeed. So I’d encourage students and people just starting their career to ask questions, be open to learning new things, and remember that everything comes in time!
Takeover Tuesday with Samy Halim
An interview with Samy Halim, an illustrator and graphic artist from Bordeaux, France.
Q&A with Samy Halim
Read time: 5min
Madison Caprara:
Hi, Samy! I really appreciate you taking the time for this interview. Why don’t we kick it off with an introduction to yourself? Who are you and what is it that you do? How did you find yourself in the creative industry?
Samy Halim:
Hi, my pleasure!
I’m Samy Halim, an artist creating vibrant pop portraits and some animals, mainly on iPad and in the Procreate app. I’m based near Bordeaux in the south-west of France, born in Algeria from an Algerian father and French mother, studied at the Art school of Algiers, then we moved to France in 1994.
During my 10 months of military service I was supervising the Graphics office of the International Cooperative Technical Service of the Police in 1995-1996 where I started getting a little familiar with digital tools like Photoshop. I remember at that time there was just one layer and one undo level, so I had to be really sure of what I was doing :D. I learned Corel Suite also with a goal of replicating what I did organically in a digital format.
After my service I started working in Parisian studios and agencies. My first job was in a small studio near Bercy in Paris that had about 4 people including the CEO and two secretaries. My last job as an art director in graphic design was in an agency called Pixelis, where were approximately 80 or so. I left it in 2011 to create my own studio, specializing in illustration and packaging design and then in 2017 I won a packaging Pentaward for the design of three liqueur bottles.
I worked and currently work with different international agencies and companies like Dior, Lancôme, Hilton hotels, Harper Collins, Washington Post, Hennessy, Clément Rhum, Tanqueray gin, FFF (French Football Federation), Savage Interactive (Procreate developers), Wizards of the Coast, Ubisoft, BBDO Dublin, Landor,to name a few…
Madison Caprara:
For those who may be unfamiliar, how would you go about describing your work (look/feel, thematics, etc.)? Do you find yourself gravitating to a specific subject matter or topic?
Samy Halim:
My work is mainly about people and I like to show the beauty and personality in every single person. I like to show the diversity, equity, equality, in a colorful and vibrant style, using expressions and postures that create some connection with the onlooker. This is very important for my work. Having a hook and a unique look is key to successful artwork. I’m mostly inspired from the Art Déco era in the 20s-30s and the Memphis design of the 80s-90s, from fashion, music, and other artists like Andy Warhol, Jean-Paul Goude, Peter Sato, Tamara de Lempicka, Ichiro Tsuruta, Ludwig Holhwein, Tom Purvis, J.C. Leyendecker, Alfons Mucha, and Coles Phillip.
Madison Caprara:
I see that you underwent training at the Fine Arts School of Algiers. Tell us a bit about that experience. How integral was it to your current success?
Samy Halim:
Unfortunately, I only trained for a year with the Fine Arts School of Algiers and had to leave Algeria because of the civil war. I was in the Graphic Design program where I learned academic drawing, sketching, how to use different tools and media like acrylic paint, felt pens, pencils, and technical pens.
But the biggest part of work was in my room. I was improving my skills all day and all night by creating imaginary logos and brands, making a lot of portraits as well with different approaches like colored pencils, stippling technique, felt pens, and more. I had to try and master different tools and techniques to end up with my pop style, but the journey was very long, it took me about 20 years. I was always seeking something special. Something unique and recognizable at first sight, and I think what makes it special is the balance between flat and edgy shapes and the shadings on the skin between cold and warm colors which are inspired from sunsets to provoke a certain mood.
Madison Caprara:
Are you currently freelancing? What did your professional path look like up until this point?
Samy Halim:
Currently I’m freelancing for different companies, agencies, studios, small and international brands, and after receiving lots of encouragement from my community of followers, I started working with some companies on NFTs. This is all new to me, and I have a lot to learn, but it’s so exciting!
H-Theoria - Effrontément Liqueur by Samy Halim
Madison Caprara:
How did the way you think about your work and creative processes change as it began to gain more attention?
Samy Halim:
Very interesting question!
My perspective changed when I started putting a hook in the center of the artwork. Like the overall construction combining organic and mechanical shapes and using a good balance of cold and warm colors. Putting details in strategic places makes it more interesting; kind of like Easter eggs.
Madison Caprara:
You are currently based in Bordeaux, correct? What is the industry like in that part of the world? How does it compare to others that you have found yourself in?
Samy Halim:
Most of the designers here in Bordeaux are web and UI-UX designers. Some are illustrators for different industries like books, press, and video games. We have Ubisoft based here, but I have no connection with them. Covid doesn’t help.
I never try to do the same thing as others, instead I try to find success based on my own distinctive work.
Rapunzel - Samy Halim
Madison Caprara:
You operate under the entity of WAAW STUDIO. What was the impetus to starting the studio? When did it go from Samy Halim to WAAW?
Samy Halim:
Before creating that name it was “Almost Famous Studio”, but it was too hard for non English speakers to spell it. So, I ended up with that palindrome name, and you guessed it, I wanted it symmetrical : ) It looks graphical and is constructed well. I wanted to make a difference between my pop-art style and my Illusive and luxurious style (Illusive Studio). But I am gathering everything under my own name. By trying to separate both styles people get lost. My friends and those who know me and my work advised me to use only my name.
Madison Caprara:
Who has been your favorite client (or project) to with? Tell us a bit about that!
Samy Halim:
There are many! My project with Dior was a sweet collaboration, Wizards of the Coast a really cool one as well, and H-Theoria liqueurs gave me carte blanche on the creative.
Dior - Samy Halim
Madison Caprara:
Your current work explores popular culture figures using an ipad pro. What led you down this path? How does this medium/method help you to realize your vision in a way that a more hands-on approach cannot?
Samy Halim:
iPad Pro helped me unleash my creativity and to explore different tools and techniques in addition to classical ones. Symmetry feature in Procreate gave me the ability to realize what I always had in mind and the drawing assistant was a great feature too. I’m creating work much faster and to be able to take my device everywhere is fantastic; I can create whenever inspiration comes. I spend 95% of my time working on IPad Pro and it’s getting harder and harder to work on a computer.
Madison Caprara:
I’m curious, how do you determine which celebrities to feature in these portraits? Purely random? Personal appreciation?
Samy Halim:
I choose my celebrities based on if I think they can be integrated into a geometrical composition harmoniously or if they represent a pop-art and hip-hop style. Some of them are for an impactful reason.
Ye - Samy Halim
Madison Caprara:
What’re some of the strategies you have implemented when looking for inspiration without getting overwhelmed by the work of other artists you admire?
Samy Halim:
No strategy. Inspiration comes more from people in the street or from pictures on social media. The artists I admire are like a background, a base, I don’t necessarily think of a particular style when I create, I think it appears in some details unintentionally.
Madison Caprara:
If you had to choose one key point of advice to share for those wanting to become a successful digital illustrator, what would it be?
Samy Halim:
If I had one piece of advice to give, without hesitation, it would be to be yourself. Don’t be overwhelmed by all the styles you admire. Do your own thing, exactly how you want it, and don’t give up for any reason. Stay the course until you end up with something that reflects your vision.
Madison Caprara:
Is there anything exciting we should be looking out for from you in the near future?
Samy Halim:
Yes, definitely! I’m getting into the NFT universe, and I’d be happy to be an actor in the metaverse, as I am mainly a digital artist. I think I have my place out there, and hopefully doing some exhibitions in the US and the UK.
Madison Caprara:
Is there anything in particular you would like to end the interview on?
Samy Halim:
Dreams have a certain price, patience, and faith and anyone who wants to reach them has to invest the time.
Takeover Tuesday with Leo Franchi
An interview with Leo Franchi, a Designer and 2D Animator based in Patagonia, Argentina.
Q&A with Leo Franchi
Read time: 5min
Madison Caprara:
Hey, Leo! Let’s start off with an introduction to yourself! What is it that you specialize in? How did you get started in design and animation?
Leo Franchi:
First of all, thank you for having me on this series! I really enjoy reading these interviews every Tuesday!
My name is Leo Franchi and I am a Designer and 2D Animator based in Argentina. I specialize in mixed media using collage, cutouts, and textures. I studied Visual Communication Design at UNLP’s Fine Arts College, one of the most important universities here in Argentina. Possibly many animators started in a similar way, but I began animating as s a kid; giving my drawings small movements frame by frame, making my characters blink or move their hands with two or three drawings.
The third year of my degree was a game-changer. We analyzed a ton of different film title sequences. We also had assistant professors working in the industry showing us amazing animated pieces. I have to say that I didn’t study animation in depth at university, but the processes to resolve any visual communication problem that I learned there are key for me now in producing any motion graphics pieces. There were a few of us who decided to explore this field for our thesis during the fifth year of the degree. The first half of it was dedicated to the theoretical side, and the latter to the practical. Since I always enjoyed branding, I decided to work on a piece for a TV Channel called “Canal (a)”, which specializes in arts and culture. This first animation project was a great experience in which I experimented with animated inks and textures. I remember we had to learn to use After Effects from scratch because it’s not taught at university, you had to learn it by yourself.
Madison Caprara:
For those who may be unfamiliar, how would you describe your work and signature style?
Leo Franchi:
I think my work falls between digital and analog. I like to create cutouts with scissors and other tools, then scan and animate them on my computer. I use Photoshop and After Effects in a way that emphasizes this approach, so the final result is a digital piece with an analog/tangible feel. Also, during this process, I discovered the power of the negative space and counter form. If you cut out a circle from a piece of paper you end up with two shapes, the positive, being the circle itself, and the negative. On the other hand, if you do it on the computer, you end with just the circle.
Madison Caprara:
Now, you spoke a little about your university experience. After graduating, what was your first “official” job or client?
Leo Franchi:
My first job was in a branding studio. As I said before, I really enjoy designing logos and brand systems. Although it wasn’t an animation studio, I was able to introduce the concept of movement in some projects and in all presentations with clients. I believe there is a very close connection between cutting out something from a piece of paper and designing a logo. You have to create something simple and highlight features that immediately identify an element or concept.
Madison Caprara:
When looking back over the span of your entire career, who has been your favorite client to work with?
Leo Franchi:
I think it is better to work with a good team rather than a specific client. Betting on good teamwork has opened all the doors since I started in this field. In my opinion, team spirit is the all-important element. If you're working in a certain studio and someone stays to work a little longer to finish up a project task, if you can, stay with them and share the work.
If I had to name one, I would say the rebranding of the Cooking Channel I teamed up with Elevation for. It’s one of the few projects where I could add brand concepts into the movements. When something moves from A to B, it does it with the action we make when cooking: chopping, slicing, mixing, twisting the pepper mill, etc. I’ll always be grateful to Elevation and Cooking Channel for the freedom they gave me on this project.
Cooking Channel - Refresh, 2017. Leo Franchi.
Madison Caprara:
When you are accepting these projects are there any “red flags”, or even, “green flags” you look out for?
Leo Franchi:
I have worked on all kinds of projects, from 3D animation to compositions in Nuke. On my site, however, I only show work I enjoy doing. Clients and studios usually call me for the type of projects I put out there. It’s an important filter.
That being said, for me, a green flag would be the opportunity to work on both design and animation in the same project. I love doing collaborative projects every year, this is definitely a green flag as well. Red flag: 3D animation and projects with a lot of flares and lights interspersed.
Madison Caprara:
Moving on to your creative process, is there anything particularly unique about it? How do you go about kicking off a project? What materials do you use?
Leo Franchi:
If I’m designing the project, I make cutouts with scissors and other tools then scan and animate them on my computer. I use Photoshop and After Effects in a way that emphasizes this approach, so that the final result is a digital piece with an analog/tangible feel. When I’m cutting these paper shapes with the pen tool in Photoshop, I use tons of nodes to keep those irregularities that appear on paper or cardboard when cutting with scissors.
Frames For Future - United Nations Goal 16, 2020. Leo Franchi.
Madison Caprara:
How do you initially choose a direction?
Leo Franchi:
As I said before, it’s easy for me now because I only show on my site what I like doing. So, if a studio is working with a direction similar to my style, they usually call me directly.
Madison Caprara:
You recently participated in a fun collaborative project with Coat of Arms. Tell us a bit about the cookbook! How many people were involved? What was your role?
Leo Franchi:
COA’s cookbook was an amazing collaborative project! It’s full of contributions by artists they have worked with since founding their studio more than 10 years ago. The recipes represent different cultures, countries, and family traditions from all over the world. Each collaborator provided a recipe and an illustration, a high-quality photo, or a collage of their recipe. There were around 33 artists who contributed. I collaborated with the ‘Alfajores de Maicena’ (Cornstarch Alfajor) recipe, a classic in Argentina and a journey back to my childhood.
Alfajores de Maicena: Cornstarch Alfajor, 2021. Leo Franchi in collaboration with Coat of Arms.
Madison Caprara:
I love to see these collaborative projects that bring artists from all over the globe together!
Moving on to some of your personal pieces, your short film, Supervielle, won quite a few awards. Tell us about it! How did the initial idea come to fruition?
Leo Franchi:
I will always be thankful for taking the time to make this abstract experimentation. The truth is that I had nothing planned. It came about while I was working and listening to instrumental music. This song from an Uruguayan musician, Luciano Supervielle, played, and suddenly my mind started to imagine shapes in motion. We have all the tools to make a short film, and that opens up a whole new world for us animators. A world different from our industry…the amazing world of film festivals.
I have to say that it wasn’t easy. For most of the festivals in which I was competing, I was considered to belong in the ‘experimental’ category. Most of the others were character-driven short films. So, for an abstract piece, it was difficult. I hope there will be more festivals dedicated to abstract animation, as when you find and participate in one, everything you have worked for makes sense.
Madison Caprara:
Where do you find yourself going for inspiration when in a creative rut? Is there a particular site, creative, or even a singular piece?
Leo Franchi:
I think I get my inspiration from the outdoors and nature. I live in Patagonia, a beautiful natural environment surrounded by mountains and lakes. Just going out for a short hike turns all of my senses on. You’re looking at things, hearing things, smelling, touching rocks, and plants. Honestly, I have had many opportunities to go and work abroad, but this environment is the reason why I still remain here; who knows what the future holds!
Supervielle, 2018. Leo Franchi.
Madison Caprara:
What are some hobbies or activities you do that aren’t physically animation but help you be a better animator?
Leo Franchi:
Hiking! I always carry a small notebook and many solutions to different problems or new ideas have emerged while I’m out hiking.
Madison Caprara:
Should’ve guessed that!
Well, we’re reaching the tail end of our conversation, Leo. Before we say our goodbyes, is there anything in particular that you would like to end this interview on?
Leo Franchi:
Thank you again for the invitation! I want to end the interview by saying something positive about the pandemic; I was able to find the time to plan and organize my online shop which will see the light of day soon. It's something I've always wanted and have never had time to set up.
Takeover Tuesday with Sazan Pasori
Q&A with Sazan Pasori, an Animator, Designer, and Art Director based in Los Angeles.
Q&A with Sazan Pasori
Read time: 5min
ABBA Night Promo | Monty Bar
Madison Caprara:
Hi, Sazan! Why don’t you give us a little introduction to yourself to start us off?
Sazan Pasori:
My name is Sazan (pronounced SUH-zan). I’m an Art Director and Motion Designer based in Los Angeles. I’m a lover of color and art that doesn’t take itself too seriously. I feel lucky to get to make fun little animations for a job, but I think even if I didn’t work in this industry, I would be pulled to create things. It really feels like a compulsion!
Madison Caprara:
What education route did you end up going down, and how do you feel that experience has helped you develop as a creative?
Sazan Pasori:
I went to college at the University of San Francisco, where I studied creative writing and graphic design. I didn’t really know what I wanted out of a career, but I would lose track of time writing and designing, and figured if I could combine the two somehow down the line, that would be a pretty cool career. I eventually landed on motion design/animation/art direction after moonlighting in visual merchandising, copywriting, and creative strategy. Some motion designers I had met also encouraged me to try it out. It felt like an “a-ha” moment. I quickly dove into YouTube tutorials and animation boot camps and got totally hooked. The rest is herstory!
Madison Caprara:
Now, a lot of art directors have pretty diverse backgrounds--such as yourself! What do you think are some key qualities or experiences that good AD’s have in common?
Sazan Pasori:
In my opinion, the best art directors have a combination of instinct and discipline. Generally, they’re creative people with “an eye,” but the best ones spend lots of time researching references, developing their craft, and continually evolving/improving their output. I aspire to be this kind of art director!
Madison Caprara:
Having to wear so many hats, do you have a favorite niche or role to work within?
Sazan Pasori:
I’m a believer in the oneness of creative pursuits...I guess what I’m trying to say is that I don’t have a favorite!
Lately, I’ve really enjoyed directing and making music! Growing up, my dad spoke a lot of different languages and said the more he acquired, the next language he learned came to him easier. I feel creative pursuits are the same. I love exploring new applications of expression.
Madison Caprara:
What’s it like to work for GIPHY? Give us the lowdown.
Sazan Pasori:
Working at GIPHY is like working at a wacky animated online library. I’m just one of the librarians.
Madison Caprara:
So fun! What is it about GIFs that make them so popular in everyday conversation, in your opinion?
Sazan Pasori:
The English language can sometimes fail to capture subtle moments and feelings. GIFs give you the satisfaction of specificity, physical expression, and relatability.
Madison Caprara:
What has been your favorite, or most memorable, project to date?
Jonas Brothers x GIPHY
Sazan Pasori:
This year I co-directed an animated short with my GIPHY colleague, Tianna Harvey, titled, Blobs in Space. The one-minute animation is a 2D/3D ballad turned disco bop about connection in the time of COVID-19. Check it out! It’s a hilarious and tragic little journey.
Madison Caprara:
Pivoting back to your role, what are some of the most unexpected challenges or frustrations you have had to deal with?
Sazan Pasori:
I think artists of all kinds feel an immense amount of pressure to constantly produce new work (I know I struggle with this). I’ve definitely suffered from burnout and am working towards a life where rest and recovery are critical parts of my creative process.
Madison Caprara:
Who are some of your biggest artistic influences?
Sazan Pasori:
Everybody who knows me knows I’m a supa dupa mega Missy Elliott stan. She is my idol! Her multi-hyphenate background and out-of-the-box approach still feel like the future.
Madison Caprara:
What are some of your top career goals? Are there any you have already achieved?
Sazan Pasori:
In my opinion “career goals,” are better framed as “creative pursuits,” as I mentioned previously. A career is so tied up in your livelihood—how can my job pay my bills, you know? When you try to tie your livelihood and identity to a career...and your goals! WHEW! Now you’re simply asking too much from your career.
As far as my “career goals” go though, I’ve made it! I get to make things and get paid enough to live my life. In the future, I’d love to make longer-form content and experiment more with analog techniques.
Madison Caprara:
That’s a really healthy way to look at your career. We do have a tendency to make our job titles and identities synonymous.
Do you have any advice for aspiring art directors?
Behance: Sazan Pasori | Angel Off-Duty
Sazan Pasori:
My advice would be to just start making things! When I first started out as a designer, I was terrified to even put pen to paper. Sure, a lot of the stuff I made at first sucked, but you have to push through that initial stage until you start making things that look cool.
Madison Caprara:
Great advice!
Now, as we start to wrap it up, is there anything in particular that you would like to end this interview on?
Sazan Pasori:
A quote that has brought me immense comfort as a creative and as a person is: “Whatever it is you’re seeking, won’t come in the form you’re expecting.”
The quote is by fiction author, Haruki Murakami, and reminds me to ease up a little and let things play out. White knuckling a project, your career, or life won’t change it’s outcome.
Takeover Tuesday with Elise Leonard
Q&A with Elise Leonard, a Freelance Illustrator, Storyboard Artist, and Art Director
based in Brussels.
Q&A with Elise Leonard.
Read time: 5min
Madison Caprara:
How are you doing, Elise? Could you give us a little insight into yourself and how you originally got into the illustration game?
Elise Leonard:
Hi Madison. I’m pretty good, and happy to be participating in dash’s social media feature! I’m a French/Belgian Illustrator from Brussels, though I grew up in France mostly and spent a few years in Brazil. I moved to Belgium when I was 20 for Design School.
I’m a very curious person when it comes to various topics. I spend a lot of my time learning new things. When I’m not drawing, I love listening to scientific podcasts (I thought for a very long time that I wanted to be a Biologist), reading books, watching tv-series and movies, and making projects on societal topics such as feminism, human rights, gender equality, diversity, and inclusivity. Like a lot of illustrators, I have drawn since I was a child, but I gravitated more to a scientific path in the beginning. It only clicked into my head when I had to make a choice for college. I’m still not sure what made me switch from science to art, but that was a very exciting decision. I first started to work in advertising, then moved to illustration and art direction in a video production agency. I have been a Freelance Illustrator and Art Director for almost one year now.
Madison Caprara:
You spoke about originally wanting to be a biologist. Before the switch, was there any part of you that wanted to turn your passion for drawing into your profession?
Elise Leonard:
Actually, not at all. My dad shared with me his passion for drawing when I was little. He was first an Industrial Designer, but when he lost his job, he found it difficult to live with what he was earning as an Illustrator at that time. He completely switched careers, so I grew up with the idea that drawing wasn’t possible to make a profitable career from. But I’m so happy that I went about forming my own opinion. I discovered that I COULD turn my passion into my profession.
Madison Caprara:
Now that you’re living in Brussels again, how does the city affect your work? Do you draw much from the cultural climate?
Elise Leonard:
Brussels is a multicultural environment. You can meet so many different people with different backgrounds and styles. That’s very inspiring for me. I’m always trying to work with that in my mind, to be as inclusive as possible when I’m drawing characters. We also have a very robust cultural offering: museums, theaters, concerts, exhibitions. The alternative scene is very present and accessible. All allow me to easily feed my inspiration!
Madison Caprara:
And, do you have a favorite subject matter or genre of work to pull from?
Elise Leonard:
I mostly work for the animation industry. I love to create characters, storyboards, and gesture drawings, though I’m still learning how to find the right balance between accuracy (being anatomically correct) and stylization. I find it fascinating to understand how the human body works and try to implement it into my art.
My favorite subjects to pull from are societal and environmental topics. Working on these kinds of projects made me learn so much about the topics themselves. I like to dig deep when learning about a topic; listening to podcasts, reading articles, talking with people. Drawing is my way of taking notes. I believe that you always learn something new when you draw.
Madison Caprara:
It’s always so interesting to hear about the different tactics people use to ingest information!
Moving on, you began your career with a full-time gig, correct? Tell us about your experience as Head of Design for the ad agency.
Elise Leonard:
That’s correct! Just after school, my first full-time job was in the advertising industry. Starting as a Graphic Designer, then graduating to Head of Design, I grew a lot. You have to learn so many real-world things that you don’t at school. For example, how to solve clients' problems and finding the best solution, how to fit into a new style or a strategic/marketing direction, how to deal with stress and planning, how to work in a team and lead a project, how to argue to defend your design choices…I left my first job stronger than I was before.
Madison Caprara:
Is full-time work a path you would initially recommend for others hoping to break into the creative industry?
Elise Leonard:
From my experience, yes. I believe that working at least one year surrounded by talented people who can share their daily experiences with you is very valuable. Working in an agency makes you discover all of the other jobs and responsibilities that are essential to the realization of a project. I’ve learned a lot from project and account managers that I may not have if not associated with an agency.
Madison Caprara:
That being said, was there anything in particular that led you to freelance work? Was it a difficult transition for you after experiencing that team mentality?
Elise Leonard:
I had met great freelancers working in the industry who inspired me to take the leap. There is one community called, L’Enroule (literally meaning “a scam” in French), here in Brussels created by Fabien Rousseau, a Freelance Animator. The group organizes meetups in hopes of connecting all the creative peeps within the city. I went to one of those meetups and it offered so many new perspectives to doing my illustration job as a freelancer. Now, I’m a part of this community and I’m sharing a studio, Château l’Enroule, with six other freelancers.
I was a bit afraid that freelancing was synonymous with working alone from my home, but it doesn’t have to be. Sharing a studio with other freelancers in the industry is like being roommates. You can work on your own projects while sharing the fun part of being on a team! Also, one of my previous colleagues, Simon Schu, made the same decision as me, and we joined the studio at the same time. We try to work together on some projects when we can. I won’t lie, the decision was a bit stressful and not easy to make, but I don’t regret it. Being surrounded by inspiring people made it smoother.
Madison Caprara:
Working remotely myself, it can get a bit hard to be alone all the time, even with Zoom calls and the occasional in-person hangout. I love that we’ve created these coworking spaces for when people need a little human interaction!
On another note, what is something that most hinders your creative mindset?
Elise Leonard:
Self-doubt. When you are constantly learning, you also are always pushing the finish line away from you. Which is great! It’s stimulating and leaves no room for boredom. But your ability to see what works and what doesn’t grows faster than your ability to actually do it. That can be very frustrating and brings a lot of doubts. Will I ever be good enough? There are so many talented people around me, will I ever be able to reach their level? When I’m in that mood, it helps me to look back on my old work and realize the journey that I’ve already made.
Madison Caprara:
There’s that Imposter Syndrome again. Everyone goes through it.
What are some of the strategies you’ve developed for finding inspiration without getting overwhelmed by the work of artists you admire?
Elise Leonard:
Social media has a bright and a dark side. You can find endless inspiration and discover amazing artists, but you can also easily feel overwhelmed and be trapped within that comparison effect. One of the strategies that work for me is to find other sources of inspiration in creative fields outside of illustration and animation. Watching a film, reading a book, going to the theater…they fill your cup without being tempted to compare your work.
Madison Caprara:
Speaking of, what are some of your go-to’s for inspiration?
Elise Leonard:
Behance is a huge source, I like to look at the featured weekly projects.
I’m a huge fan of the chronicle book series, “The Art Of…” I like to dive into those books to explore the behind-the-scenes of Disney and Pixar movies, to see the exploratory sketches, and to discover the ideas that didn’t make it into the film.
Animation, design, and art festivals are a concentrated source of inspiration taking place over the span of a few days. I didn’t get the chance to go often, but I hope to do it more in the future.
Patreon is also a great platform to discover and support artists' work. They share their workflows, tips, tutorials, and behind-the-scenes. It’s definitely one of my go-to’s for finding inspiration.
Madison Caprara:
What about your own work? Do you have an all-time favorite piece you’ve created?
Elise Leonard:
There are many pieces that I really love, but I can’t call any my “all-time favorite,” as my art is constantly evolving, as are my tastes.
Madison Caprara:
Fair! Is there anything special we can look forward to seeing from you in the near future?
Elise Leonard:
My first year of freelance is almost behind me, and I’m very grateful for how it went. I hope for my second year to have more remote international opportunities. I’d also like to work within the entertainment industry.
There are a few ongoing animation projects with Simon that I hope we will be able to share soon, we hope to collaborate more in the future. Regarding my personal artistic projects, I plan to make a series of drawings to celebrate women's diversity.
Madison Caprara:
Well, we’ll definitely be keeping an eye open for that, Elise!
Do you have any closing advice you’d like to end with?
Elise Leonard:
I think that I’ve used the term “learning” so many times within my replies. It’s going to sound super cheesy, but never stop learning. Being an illustrator is a long run. Be curious, surround yourself with great people, share what you’ve learned, and continue to push your finish line far far away from you.