Today we’d like to introduce you to Angie Nasca
Hi Angie, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Art and storytelling have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Growing up, I was always inspired by cartoons and have many vivid memories of my sister, friends, and I buying blank books at the book fair to create our own stories. When the book fair wasn’t around, we got creative and made our own books by stapling papers together. I even started a trend in class where everyone began drawing spin-offs of my characters after seeing the comics I made! Drawing and writing stories on my own ignited my passion for storytelling at such a young age, and I consider that the true starting point of my artistic journey.
As kids, my sister and I shared a love for drawing, but as we grew older and life took us in different directions, we set drawing aside. Although I continued to dabble in art here and there, it wasn’t until high school that my passion truly reignited. The movie Frozen completely blew me away in 2012 with its stunning mix of 3D animation and traditional Disney style. From that moment, I was never without my sketchbook—whether at home, in class, or outside. My passion for drawing only moved forward from there.
Eventually, my curiosity of the artist community grew which lead me to discover DeviantArt, a social media platform for artists. There, I was introduced to digital art and was mind blown by their craft — it seemed like magic to me! Once I figured out how people were creating these masterpieces, I managed to get a tablet and start my digital art journey. Since I was figuring out everything on my own, I relied a lot on YouTube tutorials and many Google searches. Meanwhile, I began posting more online, eventually moving from DeviantArt to Instagram. I didn’t know where my art might lead in the future, but what mattered most was drawing whatever made me happy and growing my skills.
As I entered university, I continued drawing and sharing my work online, but I saw it only as a hobby rather than a serious career path. Because of this, I focused on other interests, such as psychology and potentially becoming a veterinarian. Although I would have loved to work in animation, I didn’t believe it was a possibility for me. My only exposure to animation studios was through behind-the-scenes videos included in Disney DVD packages. While I admired the work and skills shown, I rarely saw women featured as artists. This lack of representation made me think a career in animation wasn’t an option, so I never felt driven to pursue it. Additionally, my limited knowledge of different artistic career paths left me unsure about which field to follow. I knew I loved drawing characters but didn’t know how to turn that passion into a career.
Meanwhile, I found myself incorporating character design into my fine arts and graphic design electives, and my professors began to notice. One day, my fine arts professor pulled me aside and suggested I consider transferring to art school to pursue animation, and that’s when I actually started to take the idea seriously. The validation from a fellow artist, combined with the constant support from my parents, gave me the confidence to embrace my true passion and pursue it. I transferred to art school in my third year of university, and that’s where I first developed the two main characters from my original project, ‘Cool Kids!’. Additionally, one of the storyboard projects I created during that time is still on YouTube, where it has over 2 million views! Even though my time at art school was short, I’m grateful for my experience there. I learned a lot about the fundamentals of animation and worked on projects that I was actually passionate about. Not to mention, I made friends that I’m still very close to this day!
While in school, my following on Instagram grew a significant amount, and eventually I was contacted by an industry professional for an internship in LA. This studio was the same one behind my favorite animated series at the time, Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir, so I was thrilled! Just like that, I packed my bags and moved across the country to start my animation industry journey. Although it was a bit of a culture shock transitioning so quickly from student to worker, the experience greatly improved my skills, helped me become more social, and pushed me out of my comfort zone. After many years of hard work at the LA studio, I was offered the opportunity to continue my career internationally in Paris—a chance I would’ve never imagined I’d ever have!
Sometimes, it feels like my art career chose me rather than the other way around. I tend to go with the flow and let life guide me to wherever I need to be in that moment. I strongly believe that everything happens for a reason, and I’m grateful for all the trials, blessings and experiences I’ve had thus far in my life. The opportunities were there; I just needed the courage to pursue them, and I’m so glad I did!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
While I recognize the moments of privilege throughout my journey, there were definitely a few obstacles and challenges I’ve experienced along the way.
Coming from a family with little knowledge of the animation industry and weren’t big on cartoons, I had to discover and pursue a lot of my inspirations on my own. I’ve often felt like an outsider in the art community for not knowing much about popular anime or series until later in life. Aside from Pokemon, the only anime I was familiar with were the ones I saw on Kids’ WB early Saturday mornings. I would set an alarm super early to be able to watch them, but I normally only caught the last few minutes of an episode—or a full episode if I got lucky.
It was also a bit of a transition moving from paper to learning the basics of digital art. Drawing tablets were expensive, so my first tablet was borrowed from a good friend of mine. It was small and lacked pen pressure, so I used my problem-solving skills to work around the limitations. I didn’t let my lack of resources get in the way of what I wanted to do!
While not entirely a smooth path, I’d consider those obstacles relatively minor. It wasn’t until I entered the industry that the challenges felt like serious roadblocks. I never had the typical college experience and was pretty sheltered growing up, so living alone in LA with no friends or family forced me to grow in ways I hadn’t anticipated. As a natural homebody, I had to push myself to be social and not just stay in and draw all day if I wanted to make friends. I also struggled to relate to others due to my innocence and lack of life experience. Living in LA helped me transition from child to adult, exposing me to diverse mindsets, ideas, and perspectives. Moving to Paris later on presented a new level of challenge: relocating to a different continent AND adapting to a new language and culture. I almost refused the invitation, however, my experience in LA taught me that if I could handle that move, I could certainly handle the move to Paris. Thankfully I took that leap, because I would’ve regretted it if I didn’t. I’ve made so many wonderful memories and friends, it’s definitely an experience I am never going to forget!
Transitioning from a first-year animation student to an industry professional in just a few months also took a significant toll on me. While I love my job, it became clear that drawing for work is very different from drawing for myself. Although I had learned about constructive criticism in school, receiving a stern critique from an industry professional was both daunting and humbling for me. Managing deadlines while maintaining quality was a struggle since I was used to taking my time with my craft. I also found myself comparing my work to my talented coworkers, who had much more experience than I did. This manifested into impostor syndrome, feeling like I shouldn’t be where I am because my skills aren’t advanced enough. The stress of impostor syndrome, plus the pressure to stay creative at work while maintaining my Instagram eventually led to severe burnout in 2018.
I felt zero inspiration to create anything, constantly haunted by the thoughts that my work isn’t good enough and never will be. Nothing that inspired me in the past could give me that spark of inspiration I was craving for, and that made me feel completely hopeless. While it came in waves, I never felt fully back to normal. It always seemed like the burnout was just around the corner, ready to resurface. This is by far the biggest obstacle I’ve had to face thus far in my career, because it’s something that won’t ever go away unless you know how to treat it. Even so, it takes time and patience to recover from. You have to seriously give yourself time to relax and let inspiration come back to you in its own time. Thankfully after 5 years, I am finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I’m beginning to rekindle the passion I once had and feel inspired to push my career forward, but I’m treading very carefully. Through this experience, I’ve learned to prioritize my health and not push myself too hard, leading to a more mature approach to creating art.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’ve been a character designer in the animation industry for eight years, starting at ZAG Animation Studios. I’m most recognized for my work on Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir, which really helped pave my way to the industry and develop my animation skills. I also design and illustrate for the Miraculous Chibi spin-off series, a project that’s special to me because it was the first time I led character design and created the style from scratch, using my own personal style as reference.
In addition to my industry work, I have been sharing my art online since 2011. What drew the attention of industry professionals was my unique approach to drawing facial expressions, especially through the eyes, which is a standout feature of my style. My art blends elements of anime, Disney, and 90s Cartoon Network, which was exactly what they were seeking at the time.
In my free time, I mostly draw aesthetic girls, which has been my go-to since high school. I recently started a series of Magical Hair Girls, which I found myself creating as a stress reliever. I love creating art that reflects my view of the world and reminds me to appreciate the small blessings in my life. I’m also into fashion and music, which led me to create ‘Cool Kids!’, an ongoing project I’m currently working on. I’ve shared characters from this project online for a long time, but stopped when my burnout started. Thankfully my motivation for this project has returned, and I decided to set up a separate Instagram account to share updates for anyone interested!
Looking back at when I first started drawing, it’s amazing to see how much I have grown, artistically and mentally. I’ve met aspiring artists throughout the years who tell me I’m their biggest inspiration, and that my artwork is what inspired them to start drawing. Seeing people around the world love my art in such a way is an experience beyond words. Comparing my work now to when I started is a humbling reminder of how far I’ve come, and I realize that I wouldn’t be where I am today without seizing opportunities and overcoming the obstacles I faced. As of now, I’m most proud of overcoming my struggles with burnout and impostor syndrome, as those were my biggest challenges to date. If I can get through that, I feel I can get through anything!
How do you define success?
Success is often measured by how many goals you’ve achieved, but I believe it can also be about finding true contentment in any phase of your life or goals. I’ve had times when I was so focused on my long-term goal that I overlooked other important milestones. I would compare my progress with other successful artists and wonder why I hadn’t reached that level in my career yet. This comparison can lead to a downward spiral, so it’s crucial to stay present and remember that your timeline is unique to you. Embracing this mindset is my version of success. Appreciating each milestone, whether it’s perfecting a drawing technique or completing your to-do list for the week, is just as important as achieving the ultimate goal.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.angienasca.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angiensca/
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/coolkidschronicles/
Image Credits
Micheli Nasca
