We were lucky to catch up with Vy-Anh Nguyen recently and have shared our conversation below.

Vy-Anh, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

The funny part about this question is that I am currently working both a full-time regular job in tech and a creative job on the side! I wasn’t expecting to be in this situation, but I’m extremely grateful to have the opportunity to experience both fields at the same time.

Since I graduated college last year, I had been on the constant job hunt. I spent my days applying to jobs, reaching out to studios, beefing up my portfolio, sharing my work online, but unfortunately just like many other artists, my luck was not turning out. A year later, my cousin introduced to the robotics company that he had been working at and I quickly took his offer because I was have always been interested in computer tech, Surprisingly, the job was really, really, really, really fun.

To tell the truth, I ended up liking the job more than I anticipated in the last few months. I met so many amazing people from all walks of life and I could finally get in the daily steps my body craved while working remotely. However, in the back of my mind, I was fighting myself for suddenly falling in love with something that wasn’t art. I was stressing that I was going backwards in my artistic growth, wasting years of hard work to end up in a non-creative job. Would I be giving up my artistic career? Would I have time to draw anymore? And most importantly, what if I somehow forget how to draw?!

(Don’t worry, it’s just the little devil on my shoulder whispering to me. I still know how to draw. Although sometimes I sketch in a panic just to prove he’s wrong about me).

After sorting out my thoughts about my dilemma with friends and family, I think I’m getting more confident expressing that I’m genuinely enjoying both the tech and creative field. I love the challenge and the satisfaction in seeing my hard work pay off. And to be really honest, the stability of the tech job has taken a lot of financial stress off my shoulders.

It’s definitely a lot of work to balance two jobs both physically and mentally, but I’m determined to succeed in both fields going forward. I’m learning so much so quickly and I’m really excited to see myself grow.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Hello! My name is Vy-Anh Nguyen and I’m a character designer and illustrator currently based in San Jose, California. I studied animation/illustration at San Jose State University and I’ve been working in animation / entertainment since 2021.

Similar to many other artists, I’ve been drawing for as long as I could remember. I drew my favorite TV show characters with my older sister, drew my friends as fairies in elementary school, and finished my kindergarten homework early just so I could spend more time drawing. Art was and has been a huge tool to express myself and communicate with others.

As a character designer, I think the most important part of my practice is connecting with as many new and different people as possible, especially individuals who are not in your peer group. It definitely takes time and energy to get out there, but I find that the push expands my visual library as well as encourages me to make new friends. Challenging myself to step outside my social comfort zone has rewarded me in more ways than one and I am so grateful to have met some of the most incredible people. You all inspire my work!

I treat my character designing process sort of like meeting a new person. I ask myself, “Who is this person? What’s their home like? What is their favorite hat?” Going right into the drawing, my initial sketches begin with the features I notice in people first such as their face, clothing, and body language. Then comes in the color to accentuate the design shapes and describe the emotions I feel when conversating with that person. Designing from a place of curiosity and observation helps me keep a character feel natural and real.

A large part of my designing process also comes from my love for fashion. I’ve experimented with my own personal style since middle school and I use character designing as an outlet to try new styles for myself and others. If i didn’t have the means to buy this cool new dress I really wanted, I’d draw it on a new character! For me, costume designing is a crucial aspect to a character’s personality as it can tell their story with a simple glance. I’d say I spend most of my time crafting each decision in a character’s clothing and styling.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

As a mostly self-taught artist, I wish there were more insight into what life is like of a professional artist in animation. With many job opportunities becoming remote positions after COVID hit in my first year of college, I continued living with my parents while job searching; and while I am an advocate for living with your parents, it wasn’t exactly aligning with the future goals I had envisioned for myself growing up. Documentaries of artists filmed them working together in offices, sitting at their own desks, and collaborating with each other real time. To an extent, I’m a bit upset I haven’t had the chance to experience these, but I’m looking to find the bright side of remote work.

And while I definitely still have so much to learn about what my career will look like as I grow, I hope sharing my experiences can be of use for aspiring artists.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

For me, just being able to draw characters is a reward in itself. Being able to simply sit down, blast my music, and draw for a couple of hours is still my favorite activity to do. Even after almost ten years of drawing, I still get excited by it. Of course like any other artist, I have my fair share of rough patches and art block, but I don’t think I’ve ever felt bored of putting my pen on paper (or apple pencil on iPad screen) once I get back into the groove of it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://vyanhnguyen.wixsite.com/portfolio
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vy.sleepy/

Image Credits

Tea Leaves Last: Mya Design Exploration created for Asians in Animation Pilot Pre-Production Program 2025.
Character Design Lead: Vy-Anh Nguyen
Executive Producer/Supervising Director: Saira Umar
Art Director: Flo Young
Assistant Art Director: Kaitlyn Chen
Props/FX Artist: Claire Chong