Today we’d like to introduce you to Lulu Xu.
Hi Lulu, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Hey there, I’m Luyang Xu, but I go by Lulu. I was born in China and grew up in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Since I was a kid, I’ve always had a passion art. I loved drawing, painting, and anything else creative. Even my parents gradually accepted that I wanted to do art for my career, but they still made sure I got good grades, of course.
My hobbies include hiking, sewing, or reading a good book. There’s nothing quite like making my own clothes or getting lost in a great story.
After high school, I toured a bunch of colleges and ended up at Artcenter College of Design, thanks to a recommendation from a friend. I had no idea the animation industry even existed until then! It was a big move across the country, but I’m glad I did it. I learned so much and met amazing people.
After graduation, finding work was hard during the pandemic, but I got a job at TapBlaze, a mobile game company, where I got to create game art for a game called “Good Pizza Great Pizza.” It was a ton of fun, but I always had my sights set on working for a big studio.
That dream came true when I got accepted into the DreamWorks trainee program. I was so happy to work as a Visdev artist on a project I was super passionate about, alongside some incredibly talented people. My mentor, Joel Fajnor, and art director, Peter Markowski, helped me grow even more as an artist. I was so thankful for that opportunity.
The trainee program eventually ended, but I was offered a full-time job as an artist, which I happily accepted. Looking back, I wouldn’t change a thing about my journey so far. Every experience has taught me something new and made me a better artist. I can’t wait to see where this adventure takes me next!
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?
The pandemic threw a wrench in my plans and disrupted my routine. I was accustomed to working collaboratively with my peers in school, whether it was in the computer labs or an empty classroom. Adjusting to the solitary work-from-home environment was a challenge.
Moreover, finding opportunities during the pandemic was tough, especially without the chance to showcase my work at a grad show like most ArtCenter graduates. Instead, our graduation ceremony took place over Zoom, making it harder to establish meaningful connections with others virtually.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
As a Visual Development artist at Dreamworks TV, my current focus is creating backgrounds and color scripts for the show I’m working on. However, I’m also skilled in designing characters, key scenes, and props. Among my work, I take the most pride in my background pieces because I enjoy setting the scene and conveying the story through the environment. Researching and painting different settings is one of my favorite parts of the job.
My unique perspective and strong work ethic set me apart from others, but I’m always eager to learn from and be inspired by other artists as well.
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
One of my favorite childhood memories is the road trip my family took to a dog-friendly beach in Delaware. We brought along my yellow lab, Clover, and it was her first time experiencing the ocean. My brother and I spent the entire day swimming with her and enjoying the beautiful beach scenery.
Afterward, we went camping, and my mom had the brilliant idea to bring a crockpot. We cooked a whole fresh lobster in it, and it was one of the best meals I’ve ever had. Eating delicious lobster at the campsite with my family was the perfect ending to an unforgettable day.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lulu-xu.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lulu_xu_art/?hl=en
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lulu-xu-5b6879219/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/luls_xu
