Daily Inspiration: Meet Amarise DeFranco

Today we’d like to introduce you to Amarise DeFranco

Hi Amarise, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story? 
I’m a Miami-born and LA-based artist who has come a long way from where I started… I’m very blessed to say I come from a household where all forms of art were greatly encouraged and actively celebrated. I grew up completely surrounded by animation; all my favorite movies were animated ones, and the medium of cartoons was all I ever felt like dedicating my time to when I was young. I was super involved in the online art community on whatever platforms were thriving during the early 2010s, and the highlight of my days used to be curling in bed and watching every animated short I could find on YouTube at the time. I was around 12 or 13 years old when I had the realization that animation was actually something I could do for a living! It was so eye-opening to realize that this thing that I’ve always been a gigantic passionate nerd for was actually something I could make into a career. It just made sense. Not long after that, I found out about CalArts, and after some research, I noticed that this was where all the successful people in the industry went…which obviously meant that’s exactly where I had to go. So, once it came time to start high school, I auditioned to every art school in the area and ended up going to New World School of the Arts. That experience was everything for me, I’m very proud of my alma mater. During my senior year, I applied to multiple art colleges, with my goal of course being CalArts. And after a very grueling application season that was also taking place during the hell that was 2020… I got accepted! And now here I am! I graduate in 2025; it’s insane how fast time flies when you do the things you love. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Honestly, I’d say most of the obstacles and struggles I’ve faced during my art journey… are due to my own self-doubt and chronic imposter syndrome. Self-doubt has been my biggest enemy in my practice. I’ve lost opportunities and have missed out on valuable connections because of it, and it makes it feel so impossible to every really feel proud of yourself. I really do feel like my own worst enemy at times, and it’s something I’m actively working on every day to overcome. But despite these moments of doubt, it’s always reassuring to know I can always lean on my family and close friends to remind me who I am and how I got to where I am today. It’s not everyday someone can say they’ve worked hard enough to move across the country to make their dreams come true, so I’m trying to be more proud of myself for that! I feel like once I overcome myself, I won’t really have much holding me back. 

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a character designer and visual development artist! I specialize in early concept work and exploration designs, particularly for feature films. I absolutely love character design more than anything, though, and in my humble opinion, it’s one of the most fun specializations out there! It fulfills me in every way an artist could ask for, and I’m very happy and proud of what I do. 

So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
Feel free to reach out to me via email at [email protected] or shoot me a message via Instagram @amarise.psd 🙂 I’m also on LinkedIn, so feel free to connect with me there as well! I’m always open to any opportunities of work or collaboration! 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://amarisedefranco.wixsite.com/portfolio
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amarise.psd/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS52OgOGV4bMOFrjQVGj_0g

Image Credits
Rafael Hernandez