The Oxford dictionary defines an artist to be a person who practices or performs any of the creative arts, such as sculptor, filmmaker, actor, or dancer. In every day life, however, defining what it means to be an artist is extremely difficult. Does it have to do with natural talent, or acquired skill? Can it be quantified based on hours of work or practice? Does it have to be an individual’s sole occupation, or can it just be a hobby? There are so many different elements involved with being an artist that it typically requires an individual to take a subjective look at what they consider their artistry to include. For someone like Ana Lossada, being an artist is a profession, a skill set, and above all else, a labor of love. On paper, Lossada calls herself a motion graphics designer but on the inside, she is an inspired artist, ready to take on anything that her industry has to offer her.
“What I love most about my industry is getting to work on such a wide variety of different projects. I don’t have to stick to a particular style, concept, or genre. It could range between illustrating and designing a Disney Jr. spot with talking animals, to creating an elaborate 3D realistic opening sequence for Netflix, to working on the NFL Super Bowl graphics package. Every project is always different with incredibly interesting dynamics. That’s what keeps me on my toes. My motivation to keep going and to keep reaching for success comes from the amazing projects that I get to work on every day,” tells Lossada.
As a motion graphics designer, Lossada has had the pleasure of working on several well-known productions, like The Walking Dead, and other popular Disney Jr. shows such as Raven’s Home and Be Inspired with the Lion Guard. For these works, Lossada was responsible for applying graphic design principles to filmmaking and video production with the use of animation, illustration, and visual effects. She has ample experience creating movie trailers, in-show animations, visual effects for movies, and more. Recently, Lossada adapted her talents to the new Netflix Original, Atypical. Director and Academy Award Winning Producer, Seth Gordon, teamed up with Big Machine create the show’s premise and when his creative director, Ken Carlson, was looking for a skilled motion graphics designer to develop the show’s main title, he knew that Lossada would be the perfect fit. Having worked with Lossada in the past, Carlson was confident that she would exceed all expectations and trusted her to handle the art direction for the project from start to finish.
Atypical centers around the struggles of a teenage boy on the autism spectrum as he attempts to conform to a “normal” lifestyle. Lossada’s contributions to the show’s success can be seen in the main title, where she designed a motion graphic that allows viewers to catch a glimpse into the main character, Sam’s, mind. In the show, Sam is captivated with wildlife in Antarctica. Lossada used these aspects of Sam’s personality to present somewhat of a story, taking the audience on a journey through his eyes and giving them a sneak peak into the way he associates real events with his fascination of penguins and the Antarctic. Given the fact that Autism Spectrum Disorder is underrepresented on television, Lossada did a stellar job of using visual elements to help viewers understand the realities of the disorder and help give them some perspective. She heavily experimented with different tones and moods until she was certain that she had grasped the right feel to suit the show’s storyline. She worked hard to keep the sequence lighthearted and comical, whilst still intriguing. Using 3D light sources, she presented unique shadows and strong visual contrasts as Sam’s pencil hits the paper. Her vision translated strongly through the final product and the show’s creators were thrilled with Lossada’s work.
“Ana is an incredible designer and she is great to work with. She has such a unique eye for design, with a strong knowledge of many 2D and 3D software programs. She has the ability to develop and create amazing and unique visuals. Her level of creativity has allowed her to lead the creative charge for Atypical’s main title design and I was fortunate to work with her,” says Ming Wang, animator.
Lossada’s expertise using design software like Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects, and more, make her an asset in the entertainment industry. While these programs often come with user guides and tutorials, it takes a skilled professional to truly master the ins and outs of the program. To be able to take a client’s vision and execute it with an engaging design makes Lossada a highly sought-after member to any team she joins. When other individuals in the design community observe the work of their peers, they are sometimes asked to share their artistic process with each other in order to promote learning within and to better themselves as a whole entity. For this reason, Lossada was published in the Daily Brief on PromaxBDA, the leading association for promotion, marketing, and design professionals in the media marketing industry.
Lossada considers working on Atypical to be the highlight of her career and is fortunate to have had the opportunity to work on it. She is eager to see what other directions her gift will steer her in and cannot wait to take on more new and exciting projects just like Atypical.