Meet Yueyue (lydia) Zhang

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Yueyue (lydia) Zhang a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Yueyue (Lydia), appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?

My resilience comes from my love for art, a passion I’ve had since I was young. I’ve never been outgoing, and in school, while others chatted or walked, I preferred quietly drawing in my notebook. Art has always been my way of expressing myself—a quiet yet powerful friend. Like in Pixar’s Soul, where the characters search for their “spark,” art is my spark.

In high school, I tried to suppress my passion for art to achieve high scores on exams. But no matter how much I pushed it aside, my love for drawing never faded. It was always there, like a fire waiting to reignite. Even in tough times, thinking of the joy drawing brings has kept me going.

Though I’ve seen many who are better at drawing, I avoid comparisons and focus on my own progress. This mindset has been key to building my resilience. Sometimes, I feel like giving up, but my desire to improve pushes me to endure the pain. Even when the results aren’t great, I know I’ve given my best.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I am a storyboard artist and illustrator, and I graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). Last summer, I had the opportunity to work as a storyboard intern at 137 Ewes Production, where I gained invaluable experience. Additionally, I worked as a storyboard artist for a commercial short with SCAD Pro, collaborating with Cotty courses.

What fascinates me most about storyboarding is transforming text into vivid visuals. I love turning scripts into storyboards or illustrations, bringing the audience into the story world and following the characters’ journey. The process of creating and drawing stories is something I truly enjoy. Recently, I’ve been working on a story where a boy loses his shadow.

In addition to storyboarding, I also work as a lighting artist. During my time at SCAD, I collaborated with my peers at SCAD Animation Studio on a short film called The Pope’s Dog, which was nominated for the 42nd College Television Awards. I also contributed as a lighting artist to the 2D animation segment of Harold and the Purple Crayon, which was released in August.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Actually, I’m still very much on my own journey of exploration. The first thing I’ve learned is: don’t stop learning. AI has already impacted the art and animation industry, and the more skills you have, the more opportunities may come your way. Try to learn new technologies, as they might open doors for employment. At the same time, don’t forget to sharpen the skills you already have—those can make you stand out from the competition.
Secondly, enjoy the process of creating your work. Passion is the spark that can keep you going, especially when facing failure. It’s what helps you recover and push forward.
Finally, don’t compare yourself to others. Focus on your own progress and your own work. Everyone has their unique path, and comparison can be a distraction from what really matters.

As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?

I would say A Gentleman in Moscow written by Amor Towles has influenced me a lot. During the time I bought A Gentleman in Moscow, the COVID-19 pandemic had just begun, and our classes switched to being online. My life changed significantly because of the lockdown. The character, Count Alexander Rostov in the book faced a similar situation—he was confined to a hotel by the government’s judgment. Despite being unable to leave, he never gave up on enjoying life. I realized that external limitations can’t restrict one’s inner freedom. I was also impressed by the Count’s relationships with others, whether it was the chef or guests at the hotel, showed me how meaningful friendships can provide strength during isolation or hardship. It reminded me that good relationships can empower us, even in difficult times.

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