We recently connected with YueTong Tsen and have shared our conversation below.
YueTong, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?
Two years ago, I moved to Los Angeles determined to build a career in animation. I was 21, had meager savings from my college part-time job, and would not meet my roommate until a week after moving in. This is how I earned a living from my creative work.
I spent the months between walking across a virtual graduation stage and boxing up my belongings laying the groundwork for my career. I attended as many industry panels and networking events as possible and treated job hunting like a 9-to-5. Aside from one short gig that I certainly labeled as a fluke, I started my client list with small studios and other people’s passion projects.
After making the move, financial literacy and sustainable living allowed me to be more flexible in the type of gigs I accepted. Through bigger and bigger projects, I was able to join the Animation Guild, which paved the way for some stability.
The race to creative freedom is nonlinear and extremely challenging. I am certainly still on that path. During some months, I freelance on multiple projects at once. During others, I am grateful to be at a studio fulltime. Yet, my job is fulfilling. With consistent hard work, I make—or save—enough to earn a living from my art.
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 YueTong—or Yue. I am a background/prop designer and visual development artist for animation. I have worked on a variety of TV shows, games, and commercials with notable studios like A24 and Titmouse. Due to my multidisciplinary background, I can add a wide range of artistic and professional skills to any team while offering a fresh perspective.
My personal work is highly inspired by Asian cultures, history, and literature. I am an avid reader and love to visually explore elements of the sci-fi/fantasy genre. I am also an active member of the animation community, associated with Women in Animation and Asians in Animation; I will be selling my work at Lightbox Expo this October, so stop by if you can! Outside of the studio, I enjoy exploring Los Angeles and spoiling my kittens.
Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
An underutilized resource for aspiring creatives is definitely social media! When used correctly, it can be a great way to learn from industry professionals, make connections, and find work. Many artists offer process videos, portfolio reviews, and tools (like Photoshop brushes) for free that can teach students more accessibly than in a classroom. Additionally, many animation communities thrive in online spaces.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is community. Animation is a team sport—every minute of a TV series or movie represents the hard work of dozens, if not hundreds of people!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://yuetongtsen.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artofyuetong/?hl=en
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yuetongtsen/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/artofyuetong