Life & Work with Kristen Lee

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristen Lee. 

Hi Kristen, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I’m a recent graduate of ArtCenter College of Design and am a visual development artist and illustrator! I grew up in Los Angeles (more specifically the 626). I’ve been doodling for as long as I can remember, but never really expected to have my childhood hobby develop into a professional venture and career. I consider myself a bit of a late starter, as I did not begin to learn or hone my skill in art until I entered college. Though my inexperience in art initially was a bit of a road bumps (and caused some much-needed growing pains), ultimately, I think coming into art school with a completely clean slate helped me to absorb and learn art fundamentals without any previous biases or influence. I believe this helped me to develop my artistic voice in a more authentic and personal way. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I’d say every journey comes with its challenges. Pursuing art as a career and getting to where I am today was certainly not the smoothest road, but I’m glad to have even arrived at who I am as a person and an artist today! Growing up, I’ve always had a keen interest in art. My parents even still have doodles from when I was as young as 3 years old! However, it was often touted throughout my life that art was an “unstable” career path that also didn’t pay well or at all sometimes (which we all know could not be further from the truth). Also, the fact that I grew up in a very culturally Chinese environment didn’t help matters either, as many of my close friends and peers also did not have much of an interest in art at all. Towards the end of high school, I decided to take a leap of faith to apply to ArtCenter College of Design (with very little art education background; I was mostly an avid hobbyist at the time), and miraculously got in! My foundation year was rough, as I had zero art education previously, but I didn’t want to let that get me down! I knew I was passionate about my craft, and I let that be my motivation for the next few years as I continued my schooling, which I eventually completed at ArtCenter. 

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a visual development artist and illustrator born and raised in Los Angeles. I specialize in key scene and moment paintings, as well as background painting. I really love color and light and its power in conveying a mood and telling a story. What I love most about illustrating and painting is evoking a mood or an emotion from my viewers. I find it really fun and fulfilling to be able to illustrate engaging and interesting compositions and seeing them come to life! I am most proud of being an artist that can fulfill my own artistic visions and personal projects. While I do enjoy the work I am doing professionally; ultimately, I feel that I am most fulfilled when I am working on my personal work. I think what sets me apart from others is my ability and willingness to jump onto any project and doing my best to help a team solve its creative problems. I love the feeling of helping others realize the potential of their creative vision! I am currently working as a freelance designer and style frame artist in advertising but hope to break into animation someday! 

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Growing up, I was a pretty introverted and reserved kid. I spent a lot of time daydreaming and doodling my original characters, stories, and a lot of Pokémon. I loved collecting Pokémon and Yugioh cards, and I remember trying to copy the art on the cards on lined paper and colored pencils. I think I can give credit and attribute my initial interest in drawing to Pokémon and anime! I was very much a doodle-stuff-in-the-margins-of-my-notebook in my K-12 years. As I grew older, video games became my primary inspiration and motivation to try and pursue art as a profession. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://kristenilee.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristenilee/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/ariespsyche