My name is Rebecca Shieh, I was born in Tainan, Taiwan, and moved to Southern California when I was 5. I am currently located in LA, working as a full-time visual development artist for animated feature films and part time illustrator. I also dabble in amateur photography and needle felting. In my down time I love reading comics, being bad at video games, and squishing my cat, Beanie.
I live on the east-side of LA in Glendale, and have moved around this area for school and work. Los Angeles feels very different from other big metropolitan cities around the world. The public transportation is not as accessible, there aren’t as many high rise buildings, and it’s very spread out. I’ve grown accustomed to driving, as it’s hard to get around without a car.
My favorite thing about this city is the access to a wide variety of amazing food from different cultures. If you come from another country, you’re likely still able to find a taste of home in some corner of LA. I also love that it’s sunny year round!
My favorite thing about this city is the access to a wide variety of amazing food from different cultures. If you come from another country, you’re likely still able to find a taste of home in some corner of LA. I also love that it’s sunny year round!
My least favorite thing is how expensive the rent is, and how hot it gets during the summer. I also wish there was a little more greenery, but it’s hard for many plants to thrive in a desert environment.
Diverse, hustle, happening
I’ve always loved drawing as a kid and enrolled in an arts highschool (OCSA). After highschool, I attended ArtCenter College of Design’s illustration/entertainment arts track. During my 3rd year of college, I was accepted into Pixar’s summer art internship, where I worked on my very first feature film. After the internship, I finished my degree at ArtCenter and upon graduating, I started working full-time at Netflix Animation Studios.
I’ve always loved drawing as a kid and enrolled in an arts highschool (OCSA). After highschool, I attended ArtCenter College of Design’s illustration/entertainment arts track. During my 3rd year of college, I was accepted into Pixar’s summer art internship, where I worked on my very first feature film. After the internship, I finished my degree at ArtCenter and upon graduating, I started working full-time at Netflix Animation Studios.
My parents were mostly supportive, but I could tell that they were still worried about my career and financial stability. They could tell that I loved doing art, and sent me to art classes and let me enroll in an arts highschool, but they still encouraged me to explore other career options. It was important to them that I still got good grades, had a good SAT score, and took AP classes, even though none of those things really mattered in an art career. I volunteered at a hospital throughout all of high school because I considered going into the medical field. I even applied to nearly all the California state public schools, even though I knew I was only really interested in going to an art school. I think they just didn’t want me to put all my eggs in one basket, but it ended up working out in the end anyway.
I hope I’ll be able to enjoy making art for as long as possible, whether as a career or as a hobby. My work has changed a lot over the years, and I hope I can continue to experiment and transform as an artist, and not stick to one sensibility. I’d also love to be able to travel around the world with friends and do a plein-air painting tour of sorts.
I hope I’ll be able to enjoy making art for as long as possible, whether as a career or as a hobby. My work has changed a lot over the years, and I hope I can continue to experiment and transform as an artist, and not stick to one sensibility. I’d also love to be able to travel around the world with friends and do a plein-air painting tour of sorts.
It might sound cheesy or generic but I want nothing more than to work together with my friends.
As an artist in the LA animation industry, I am surrounded by tons of amazing artists that I look up to. Sometimes I even get the opportunity to work on the same teams as them, it’s both an inspiring and humbling experience. It can be hard not to compare myself with them, which can lead to feeling imposter syndrome. On top of that, burnout is a common problem in this industry. Turning what was once just a creative hobby into a 9 to 5 job can be really draining, and can change the relationship you have with art.
Inspiring, strong-willed, and hard-working
Inspiring, strong-willed, and hard-working
When I was in highschool, I looked up to a lot of my upperclassmen. I work in the same industry as some of them now!
Don’t lose yourself in what you think what your artwork “should” look like, don’t be afraid to be self-indulgent. Lean into the things that inspire YOU, find out why they inspire you, and learn to apply it to your own work. At the same time, having interests outside of art can help inform and expand your craft. Don’t forget to take breaks and have a life beyond art!
Don’t lose yourself in what you think what your artwork “should” look like, don’t be afraid to be self-indulgent. Lean into the things that inspire YOU, find out why they inspire you, and learn to apply it to your own work. At the same time, having interests outside of art can help inform and expand your craft. Don’t forget to take breaks and have a life beyond art!
J-pop/rock, alternative/indie, electropop
A small Taiwanese cafe/restaurant in Alhambra called Good Old Time 🙂
Escape my worries in a video game!
My process has definitely changed a lot since I started art as a hobby. After learning how to do “professional” art in school, I “think” a lot more before I “do”. What kind of feeling am I trying to create? What “story” do I want to tell? How should I compose this image? Sometimes I end up overthinking and creating nothing at all. When I was younger it was a lot easier to just sit down in front of a blank piece of paper and come up with literally anything. I wasn’t worried about creating something that was “good” or proving myself in any way, I just wanted to draw. I used to carry around a sketchbook and draw EVERYTHING. Sometimes it was mindless observational drawings or stream of conscious doodles, but I think it trained my drawing muscles. Nowadays instead of drawing in a sketchbook, I take photographs, and try to observe things more intentionally. Since I am making art all the time for work now, I try to take breaks from drawing and enjoy everyday moments a little more.
Is there a country or place that you’d like to visit (or revisit?) and why?
Photos courtesy of Rebecca Shieh
July 30, 2021