Why Being Chronically Online Works for Animator and Illustrator Violet Shin

Written by Daphne Bryant

All images courtesy of Sour Violet

If you’ve ever scrolled through social media and found yourself hypnotized by a nostalgic YouTube intro or bubbly Spotify canvas, chances are you’ve already crossed paths with the work of Violet Shin—better known online as Sour Violet. Always with a healthy dose of digital sarcasm, Shin’s distinct aesthetic is hard to miss.

Behind the cutesy, pink-hued visuals lies an artist and animator who isn’t afraid to keep it real. DWG founder Daphne Bryant sat down with Shin to chat about her journey at Parsons, the myth of “perfect technique” and why making art in the digital age requires a willingness to embarrass yourself. Read the exclusive interview below!

Daphne Bryant: So Violet! How did you first get into animation?

Violet Shin: I’ve always drawn. [I started] when I was really young and then when I was in high school I did painting and some graphite and colored pencil stuff. I never actually attempted learning animation—besides basic stop motion flipbook stuff that you do in elementary school—until my sophomore year of college. The way Parsons teaches animation is very abstract; they don't really teach you the fundamentals. I think the illustration program in general is more conceptual rather than technique-focused. A school like SVA or CalArts would be teaching animation in a more technical sense. Parsons was very experimental, and so I first started off doing a lot of morphing animations. I [don’t do] much of that now, because it’s not as marketable or commercial. But, you know, it’s interesting because that’s the way I learned animation. My illustrations have definitely evolved a lot.

Daphne: Cool, oh my gosh! That’s so interesting that you felt like the program at Parsons is more experimental than other schools. Do you feel like that experimentation ultimately aided you, or would you have preferred to learn a different way?

Violet: I think that a lot of the students at Parsons were more mature than I was at that age. My headspace was not like: oh, how am I going to use art to make a living? I was more just like,‘ Yeah, I’m in New York, time to party!’ I think the first time that I really put in effort into a project was for a thesis. Right after I graduated, I was thinking to myself:‘ what did I do at Parsons?’ Because there was no technique that I learned, and it’s not super easy to get a job with a BFA in Illustration alone. You pretty much have to do freelance.

Daphne: Right.

Violet: So I have mixed feelings, because the freedom that I had did help me develop my style over time, but I had to work so many random odd jobs. I wouldn’t say I wasted time, I just spent a lot of time trying to make rent instead of [making my art]. But that’s just reality, you know? You have to balance it all. 

Daphne: I also have a BFA! We do what we have to do. Do you think art school was necessary? 

Violet: I’m glad I went to art school. It was definitely during a time where I was super lost and just dealing with a lot and growing into myself. [Art school] helps, but do I think it’s necessary? Like, not really. Unless you want to work at Pixar or something, I think that you can definitely learn everything online. You do not have to be at school to learn how to use Procreate or Photoshop. What matters most is [being] willing to embarrass yourself throughout your journey and put yourself out there. I think if you can do that, school is really not that important. You can also always connect [with people] on social media. I was horrible at networking at Parsons because I was super shy, and Parsons kids are really intimidating. I was just a dumb 18-year-old and I had no idea what I was doing. So, I networked on social media.

“What matters most is [being] willing to embarrass yourself throughout your journey and put yourself out there. I think if you can do that, school is really not that important. You can also always connect [with people] on social media.”

Daphne: I feel like that’s also like how I view art schools or creative schools in general, and creative majors. It definitely helps, but especially in this digital age, there’s so much that can be done online—as long as you’re willing to utilize your social media platforms.

Violet: Yeah, a lot of artists that I know, not all of them went to art school and they have perfectly fine careers, so! It depends on you as a person.

Daphne: I really do like what you said about networking on social media, because growing up I was very, very shy. And now I feel like I’m grateful for that actually, because I’m really connected with people on the internet. And that’s literally how I meet so many of the collaborators I get to work with. So shout out Instagram, shout out TikTok.

Violet: For real!

Daphne: I’m curious, where does the name Sour Violet come from?

Violet: Okay, so, my first name is Violet, my last name is Shin, and the Korean word for sour sounds a lot like Shin. It’s not exactly the same lettering, but that was kind of the reason. I was like,‘ oh, okay, what can I do with my name?’ It works out because I think that I am a pretty sour person. As I’ve matured I’ve gotten better at masking it, or putting a positive spin on it, because we can’t just be negative all the time. With my captions for my artwork, I think I’m a little bit sarcastic. Even though my aesthetics are very live, laugh, love, the message that I’m trying to send isn’t necessarily.

Daphne: The juxtaposition is really cool. I love it. Great name! When I look at your work, the style reminds me a lot of Girls Go Games and all of the Barbie and Pixie Hollow games that used to exist online. It’s pretty girly and I love the colors. Is there anything specific that inspires your art style?

Violet: I never played Girls Go Games because I was on Korean children’s gaming sites, which is basically Girls Go Games but on crack. The visuals are way better and it’s different from American [gaming]. But I also loved [western] cartoons like Winx Club and Totally Spies. I love the details, the gadgets. I also had a lot of Barbie dolls, I had a lot of Bratz dolls, I had Legos and stuff like that, too. I just love how detailed they can get. [Children’s games] definitely inspires my work a lot, it’s just fun. I think people like looking at things that exist in real life, but as a miniature version, or a pink, cutesy version. It’s more relatable than something completely abstract.

Daphne: Totally agree and I love that you mentioned details specifically, because I think that really comes across in your work, too. Do you think your Korean heritage and ancestry influences your artistry at all? 

Violet: I used to read a lot of Korean graphic novels, which are a little bit different from anime. I think anime has a super specific style where, like, immediately you [know] that’s a Japanese anime. Different cartoons from other areas of Asia are similar, but it’s a different technique. I worked at an animation studio in Korea, and when I showed them my portfolio, they were just like,‘ oh my god, this is so American’ meaning this is not perfect. Meaning the technique is all wrong, and the animation is not perfect. 

My art style leans more American, because I’m not so concerned with how perfect the human form looks. I’m more concerned with what vibe the art has and if it’s fun.

“I’m not so concerned with how perfect the human form looks. I’m more concerned with what vibe the art has and if it’s fun.”

Daphne: I’m pretty sure the first way I discovered you was through a YouTube intro, maybe it was TikTok, I don’t know. It was definitely something very cool and it was cute and short, but it got my attention. Do you have a favorite thing you’ve ever made?

Violet: I wouldn’t say, like, a favorite YouTube intro, because all the clients kind of ask for the same thing. I have fun making them, but I think the most fun things I have done are Spotify canvases. I love music, I like going to festivals and shows and my dream is to do visuals for some sort of music festival. If I did that, I think I could die happy. And then there was a cooking animation that I made, which was really technically challenging to draw, but I think it turned out super cute! 

Daphne: Ah this is all so impressive! And wait, okay, I want to talk about the music thing. What kind of music is your favorite to listen to?

Violet: I honestly love pop and I love rap and hyperpop and house.

Daphne: Oh hell yeah! Recently I've been really into....do you know who Lucy Bedroque is?

Violet: Oh gosh, no I don’t think so.

Daphne: They’re really cool! It’s kind of like an alternative rap pop vibe.

Violet: That sounds so good! I like rock, I like pop. But R&B puts me to sleep. And then I hate country. I can’t stand country music. So many people around me have been like,‘ no, like, I swear there’s one country artist that will get you into it’, and I just can’t listen to it. It hurts my ears.

Daphne: I get that, I honestly think the only reason why I respect it is because I’m from the south.

Violet: It’s more popular these days though!

Daphne: That’s true. There’s been…not a renaissance but a reckoning with the fact that country music is Black music, and finally Black country artists and artists of color in that genre are becoming more prominent so I feel like that’s helping for sure. When I was younger though I for sure thought:‘ that’s a white people genre’.

Violet: Confederate flag music, that kind of vibe.

Daphne: Yeah, luckily it’s having a bit of a makeover, which is nice. Let’s talk about social media, which I know we touched on earlier. I admire the way that you use your platform and social media to connect with your audience and get your name out there. I wanted to know what your personal opinion is on artists dabbling in the creator, influencer, digital space.

Violet: I think this goes for not even just creative jobs these days…but especially if you’re a creative person, you really should be on social media. I feel like there’s so [many articles out there] that’s telling us how bad social media is for us. I block all of that out, I’ve completely accepted that I’m chronically online and I kind of enjoy it. Obviously it’s not good for you to constantly be on social media but you can’t waste time worrying about that because you’re gonna have to do it anyway. You really just have to get over the‘ oh my god, I was on my phone all day today’ feeling, because you have to respond to DMs, you have to watch [and learn and get inspiration from] other people. It takes time to utilize social media like that because most people that aren’t creatives rot on their phone and obviously they’re going to feel bad because they didn’t get anything done. But if you’re an artist, you’re doing research. Rotting on TikTok is not the same thing.

“I’ve completely accepted that I’m chronically online and I kind of enjoy it.”

Daphne: Exactly, you get it!

Violet: People are so scared to not be productive, but I think you definitely should be on social media. If you’re not, you’re missing out on so much, you know? 

Daphne: Oh, I agree. And actually, I’m going to start saying this to my friends who are always like‘ Daphne, get off your phone’, because no, like, I’m sorry my phone is my job.

Violet: Yes!

Daphne: I need to obviously give myself time and space and self-care outside of it, but you’re so right. It’s not even that I’m on it to waste time. Every time I go on, I see something that inspires me, I have to answer people, I have to reply to comments, respond to emails. It’s just our reality. So I totally agree and I think it’s 100% possible to be productive on your phone. That was an awesome answer. Last question: how would you like fans of your work or new people who may be introduced to you through this interview to support you?

Violet: Well, I think the best way is to buy something or commission something. But honestly, even just following, resharing, or leaving a comment [helps]. I get messages from people telling me that they saw my work, and they like it, it puts a smile on their face, and I feel like all of it is very helpful. Literally any attention that I get, or anytime that people take out of their day to even look at my art, is so nice. There’s so much shit out there that’s very attention-grabby, so if I can be the one to grab your attention for a little bit, then that’s [great]. But also if someone sees this who is an art director or something…commission me. That would be the best way.

Daphne: I really do think your work is so freaking cool! Thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview!

Violet: Thank you!