We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Louise Liu a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Louise, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?
I can certainly say I’m happier doing art than doing any other things as a career.
I used to think about turning to a more popular and generic major after finishing my second year in undergrad and preparing to decide my major. Because the environment I grew up in never considered art as a serious career, but a hobby that didn’t have any benefits.
At the time, my parents asked me if I had made up my mind since it would be tough to find related jobs in my hometown (the most popular choice at the time was art school teachers), and the industry was not mature enough. My reply was: I think choosing any other major, there will be a similar problem with job searching. So, I might as well choose something I like, I might regret it later in life if I look back and find I discarded this skill and this path.
Louise, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
My name is Yujie (Louise) Liu, I am a storyboard artist and 2D animator. I am currently studying in the UCLA Animation graduate program and will be finishing it in 2026. I have worked on commercial projects for the storyboard stage and independent film as an artist assistant. I also take illustration and design commissions in my free time.
For the past few years, I have directed and animated several shorts, using various styles and focusing on daily life. My latest short “Swap” tells the story of a pair of twins that are constrained by gender stereotypes and exchange with each other to get what they love. It was selected by the San Diego International Children’s Film Festival and screened at San Diego Comic-Con. I will be using the next year to produce another short that mixes mediums and styles.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?
I cannot speak for others, but my biggest struggle would be tying my identity and personal value with my art, which could be pretty damaging to my mental health. And my parents (who do not do art) were baffled by this idea.
As a creative, especially creating to get paid, it’s difficult to not make that connection, and sometimes how much people pay you/if you find a job, and even how many likes you get on social media all become pressure when you get want to create the next thing. The best way for me to get off from this comparing and stressful mindset is just to go out and take a walk (anywhere would do, downstairs/park/grocery store). Making a connection with real life can really help me realize that I am also made of other things, not only of my drawings and how people view my works.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
Going through films recently produced in China, my home country, I found there is only a small amount of them talking about women’s struggles and their experiences or even featuring a female protagonist. Even though there are some, they don’t get wide recognition and the real-life problem conceived inside usually does not get a lot of attention, not to mention any changes to improve the problem itself.
I want to change that by creating more stories about the struggles and problems I encountered as a woman, or just show a real aspect of women instead of infusing the on-screen female representation with stereotypes.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://louisel01.carbonmade.com/
- Instagram: louiseliu_01
- Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/louiseliu01
- Twitter: @louiseliu_01
