Valerie Kao

VALERIEKAO@ALUM.CALARTS.EDU
valeriekaoart.com

Summary

Visual development artist for feature animation. 

Experience

Pixar - Set Designer + Shading Artist

APRIL 2021 - PRESENT

  • Sets and shading design for Elio (2025), Hoppers (2026), and other features.
Blue Sky Studios - Jr. Designer

JANUARY 2020 - APRIL 2021

  • Designed sets, environments, props, and colors for Nimona (2023). 
Blue Sky Studios - Design Trainee

JUNE 2019  - DECEMBER 2019

California Institute of the Arts, Valencia, CA - B.F.A. - Character Animation

GRADUATED IN 2019

  • Past Projects: Graduation film “Ghost Hunt”, second year film “Growth Enterprises”,  first year film “Appetite”, summer 2016 film “Stag”
Gobelins, l’École de l’image, Paris, France  - Animation Exchange Program

JANUARY 2018 - JUNE 2018

  • Projects: “2 Degrees South”, a short film about the Brazilian Amazon Rainforest for the 2018 Annecy International Animated Film Festival 

 Projects

Ghost Hunt - 2D Animated Short Film 

MAY 2019

Awards:
  • Cardiff Animation Festival 2020 - Official Selection
  • ANIMAINE Maine Film Festival 2019 - Official Selection

Skills + Abilities

  • Adobe Creative Suite: Photoshop, In Design, After Effects, Premiere
  • Autodesk Maya
  • TVPaint