Hi, my name is Lidya Josephine, and I’m an alumna of DKV UPH, class of 2020, majoring in Animation. Currently, I work as a freelance illustrator and motion graphic animator. Before enrolling, I had a passion for drawing, especially designing silly little characters and the worlds they live in. Back then, I already had an interest in 2D and 3D animation, but I hadn’t figured out where I wanted to go from there.
In my first year at DKV UPH, I was introduced to the basics of design and immediately realized how many branches and subdivisions there are in design. I also learned the hard way that even if you are passionate, you can’t be good at every subject. Just being good at drawing doesn’t mean anything if the artwork has no meaning. There are also a lot of rules, and before breaking them, we need to master the basics first. That’s what makes someone a good designer. After I picked Animation as my major, I began to lean more into my strengths and passion, especially in concept art.
In terms of subjects, a few made an impression on me, such as Studio DKV 1 and Motion Graphics. In Studio DKV 1, we were given the freedom to create personal artwork in whichever medium and were challenged to express ourselves using personal traits like family background, culture, personal experiences, and personality, and how to combine all of those things into one meaningful piece of artwork.
In Motion Graphics, there were a lot of things to learn, and the process was arduous, especially as someone who had never touched After Effects before. However, through doing the assignments, I realized that I quite enjoy the process and could see myself doing motion graphics as a career. This subject also helped me in my internships, where it built the basics for creating simple children’s animations and educational infographics.
I started out feeling unsure about my future and campus life, but my overall experience with UPH was quite satisfactory. Through DKV UPH and the on-campus communities I participated in, I had a lot of self-reflection, discovered my own strengths and weaknesses, and gained valuable experience that will guide me in the business world. Now, I look back on the experience fondly, feeling a bit more sure of myself. I have the lecturers at UPH and my companions to thank for that.
“If you only face forward, there is something you will miss seeing.”
Vash the Stampede
See Lidya’s Final Project on Epoch.