Meet Sheryl Yap

 

We were lucky to catch up with Sheryl Yap recently and have shared our conversation below.

Sheryl, we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?

My confidence and self-esteem didn’t develop overnight; they have been, and continue to be, the result of a long, ongoing process of embracing the creative journey, personal growth, and honing my skills. I’ve always felt that true confidence comes from trusting ourselves and what we can do. The more we improve, the more confident we become. As someone used to struggle with perfectionism, I’ve learned that focusing on the process and staying consistent- however small the progress- makes creating feel less intimidating and overwhelming.

Along the way, I’ve also realized how important it is to surround yourself with a supportive community and celebrate every little milestone, no matter how small. By focusing on our own journey and embracing each step of our progress, we can learn to manage those negative feelings and continue growing with confidence. One of the ways I grew as an artist was by putting my work out there. Winning Creative Quarterly 73, 3×3 Illustration Show No. 21 and being a runner-up in Creative Quarterly 72, 73, and 76 also gave me a boost in confidence. These are all great honors in our field that gave me pride as an artist, But the real confidence didn’t come from the awards themselves. It came from knowing my work resonated with people, and that helped me believe in myself a little more. Ultimately, true confidence comes from both our individual progress and the connections we make along the way.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I’m a Visual Development Artist and Illustrator working in the animation industry. My journey has led me through work with top companies in the field, such as Netflix Animation, Warner Bros. Animation, DreamWorks, Nickelodeon and others. I’ve had the joy of contributing to projects like ‘Despicable Me 4’, ‘Thelma The Unicorn’ on Netflix, and ‘Merry Little Batman’ on Amazon Prime.  As a Visual Development Artist, my role is to design and establish the visual look and storytelling of a film, from the initial concept to final production. Everything you see on screen- from the color and mood to the characters, environments, clothes, and even the props they carry- is carefully crafted by us to bring their world to life. It’s an important role to the production.

I’ve always been fascinated by people and what shapes who they are, from the things they own to the spaces they live in. Being able to create that world and breathe life into a character through small, thoughtful
details is something I find incredibly exciting and magical.

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?

One of the most overlooked qualities, in my opinion, is the power of observation. Visual Development is more than just telling stories; it’s about understanding the nuances of the world around us and using those
observations to bring depth to our designs. It’s about noticing the small details- how light interacts with different textures, the subtle body language when someone jumps with joy, or the way they curl up in
sadness. It’s these little things that bring authenticity and life to our work. When I go out for walks with a camera in hand, I often feel like I’m stepping into a whole different world, where no detail is too small to
capture.

Another quality I’ve come to appreciate is adaptability. Every project, team and creative vision is unique and different. I’ve had the pleasure to work on projects from Despicable Me 4, Merry Little Batman, Thelma the Unicorn, each requiring a distinct visual style. Being able to shift my style to fit the story while still keeping my artistic voice has been essential. Plus, being open to feedback and embracing change allows us to grow and collaborate more effectively with others as well. Experimenting with different styles and mediums not only pushes us out of our comfort zones, it helps to build that creative versatility that is needed to thrive in this constantly evolving field of storytelling.

Lastly, tenacity has been everything in my journey as an artist. Like with every job, there are challenges- creative blocks, rejection, or feeling like you’re not improving fast enough. Having tenacity means trusting the process, showing up consistently, and allowing yourself to make mistakes. It’s realizing that growth takes time and that every project, be it a success or a failure- brings you one step closer to where you want to be. Together, these qualities have shaped the most meaningful parts of my journey.

What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?

I’d say the biggest growth has been learning to fully embrace the creative journey. For a long time, I was focused on striving for perfection, often trying to improve as quickly as I could and getting frustrated when I
didn’t see results right away. But over the past few years, I’ve realized that the process itself- messy, unpredictable, and sometimes frustrating- is where real growth happens. And it’s the same with life too.
There’s beauty not just in the happy moments, but in the mundane, the frustrations, and even the sadness. The beauty is in the experience itself, in everything we go through. With this mindset shift, I’ve started to
appreciate every stage of the journey. Whether I’m solving a problem or finding inspiration in unexpected places, I’ve learned that every step has its own value. This change in perspective has not only improved my
work, but it’s also made the creative process feel more meaningful and less intimidating, allowing me to appreciate and enjoy creating for what it is.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Despicable Me 4- courtesy of Illumination

Big Nate- Courtesy of Nickelodeon/ Paramount +

Merry Little Batman- courtesy of Warner Bros. Animation

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