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 Image © Sophie Gallo

Instagram Spotlight: 2D Animator Sophie Gallo





Looking for some creative artist accounts to follow on Instagram? Don't worry, we've got you covered! This month we chatted with 2D Animator Sophie Gallo based in our Manchester studio, who's got an account we had to scroll through. Sophie started her creative journey as an illustrator with us back in 2018 and as you can see from her work she is a talent worth watching. With a following of over 130K on Instagram, we are obviously not the only ones who think her artwork is incredible!

You can view her work on her Instagram at @sophiescribble. You'll see plenty of familiar characters and pop culture references, from Disney princesses to Harry Potter to superheroes. We had a scroll through and picked out some pieces to chat with her about.

Can you tell us a little about yourself?

Sure! My name is Sophie and I’m an animator and character designer. I love drawing and I have an Instagram (@sophiescribble) where I upload all my work! I work at Brown Bag as a 2D animator and before that, I worked on ‘The Amazing World of Gumball’ as a cleanup artist.

How would you best describe your artwork?

I would say my style leans into the ‘cute’ aesthetic. But this year I’m focusing on character lineups and I want to expand my range of character designing.

What drew you to animation and when did you start?

I started properly drawing in high school when I was 13, at first I was really into Manga. But I decided I wanted to be an animator when I was 15. I got the ‘Illusion of Life’ and a lightbox for Christmas and I would draw little short animations on paper.

What artists inspire you and your work?

My biggest inspirations would be Jin Kim, James Woods and Bobby Pontillias. And the whole artist community on Instagram motivates me to keep going.

How do you develop your work and skillset and what motivates you to do so?

My method is mostly just drawing every day. I also know my weaknesses and I can do drawings to directly practice what I think I need to do better. For example, in April 2017 I did a series of Disney Princesses. The poses were a bit bland and there wasn't enough facial variation. I knew that I wanted to draw them again before Wreck it Ralph 2 came out in November, so between those months, I practiced my posing and faces.

Your artwork is very female-centric, can you elaborate on what influences this?

I just really like drawing girls, it’s my comfort zone. But 2019 will be the year that I draw lots and lots of men!

How do you approach a personal project and is this very different than your approach to a professional one?

No, I wouldn’t say there are many differences. I draw lots of rough thumbnails and make Pinterest boards.

You have a staggering 132K followers on Instagram which is very impressive, can you tell us how you grew your following and any pointers for other budding artists looking for more exposure?

I know, it’s unbelievable and I’m so lucky! My advice would be to take part in challenges and be consistent. You don’t have to post every day but it helps to post as often as is possible for the individual. Fan art is also really popular!

What tools do you use when working and what would be your favourite?

I got an iPad Pro in November 2018 and I absolutely love it! It’s like working in a digital sketchbook. And the brushes give you the ability to give your drawings a very natural traditional look.

What are your aspirations for the future?

I really want to be a character designer! I love drawing people and having creative freedom. I already spend most of my personal time doing it, so it would be great to do it professionally.

Can you tell us a little bit about the two pieces below Sophie?

Sure! The first drawing is a #drawthisinyourstyle for my friend Larisa Bumb (@larapickle on Instagram), she works at Brown Bag too! In the challenge, someone will draw a prompt for everyone else to redraw in their personal style. It’s really interesting how the same character can look completely different drawn by someone else.

In my drawing, I really wanted to capture how dangerous and fierce Larisa's character is.

In the second picture, I drew Ginny Weasley and Draco Malfoy from Harry Potter. I’m currently drawing character lineups to practice my character design and I thought Harry Potter was a great way to draw different personalities and ages. So far, I have completed Harry, Hermione, Ron, Luna, Neville, Ginny, Draco, Dumbledore and Hagrid. But there are still so many other characters I have to finish!

Be sure to check out more from Sophie at @sophiescribble!


Eoghan.Lynch


We Love Animation®

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