Meet Sophie Crowley

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sophie Crowley.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I grew up in LA in a family very supportive of the arts and was painting from a young age. I love color and always was mesmerized by graphic artists like Eyvind Earle, Charles Harper and Scott Wills. I started out as a designer in Marketing at Cartoon Network, but I knew I wanted to work on an animated TV show or feature. I gradually started playing with background design and prop design on my own time. I gradually got better and developed my individual look, and it became more and more fun to experiment with. I now am an experienced background designer in animation, which is so exciting!

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Not smooth at all! I went to art school at Rhode Island School of Design and the talent of all the students there was immense and intimidating. I was not prepared for what such a competitive artistic environment would be like. It made me work harder than I ever have and pushed me to be a better artist.

I got my first work opportunity in animation as a graphic art intern on Pixar’s “Coco.” I met and got to know a lot of people there, which opened a lot of doors for me. I didn’t do anything alone, and that is what I love about animation…the support and energy you get from other artists who share the same passion.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am an Illustrator and Visual Development Artist. My focus and specialty is designing backgrounds for animation, although I have also done prop and character design work. I have worked as a freelancer for Illumination, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, Netflix, Titmouse, Cartoon Saloon, and Warner Brothers. I currently work as a background designer at Six Point Harness, which is an amazing studio full of such supportive people. I have learned to be flexible to different styles of drawings, so I can get the chance to work with more various designs and be inspired by people with different points of view.

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
LA is my home, even when I leave for long periods of time. I have lived in many parts of the city and each section is unique in its own way. There’s something for everyone in LA. For me, it’s definitely the escape valve that I enjoy the most. From the sea to the mountains, there is always a space for solitude and that keeps me sane. I also love the city’s vibrancy, food and arts. There is always something new to see, hear, and do.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: http://www.sophiecrowley.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sophiecrowley/?hl=en