Hi! I'm Leni Gao, a visual designer and illustrator. I bring stories to life throughmotion design, brand identity, and creative strategy.
More about me
Work
Playground
©2025 All Rights Reserved
Hi! I'm Leni Gao, a visual designer and illustrator. I bring stories to life throughmotion design, brand identity, and creative strategy.
More about me
Work
Playground
©2025 All Rights Reserved
Hi! I’m Leni Gao. I’m an ArtCenter College of Design alumni currently based in Pasadena, California.
I practice motion design, illustration and graphic design. In an effort to bring joy to others, I make pieces that speak to our intrinsic desire for celebration, serendipity, and relaxation through 2D, 3D, and 4D media.
Born in Germany, raised in China, and educated collegiately in the US, my multicultural upbringing has deeply impacted my artistic practice and viewpoint. My personality has been critically shaped and influenced by the modes of expression popular in the varied cultures. These unique influences present themselves through language, commentary, and perception. I grew up in a culture that expresses love in subtle ways, but I choose to express my feelings directly. My work is my love language.
In the future, I hope to continue pursuing my personal and professional goals by working on creative motion-based projects and branding projects. I would like to work at any creative studio that brings whimsy to earth while perpetuating positive change for the world.
09.2021 – 12.2025
ArtCenter College of Design, Pasadena, CA
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration
Specialization in Motion Design
Minor in Business
Graduated with Honors
Expertise
Strong working knowledge of:
Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects, Cinema 4D, Redshift, Media Encoder, Lightroom Classic, Figma, Glyphs 3, Procreate
Familiar with:
Substance Painter/Sampler/Designer, ZBrush, Nomad Sculpt, Premiere Pro, Audition, Marvelous Designer, Animate
Other skills:
2D and 3D motion design, brand identity development, graphic design, font design, editorial design, sequential design, digital illustration, digital sculpting, cel animation, ceramics, photography
Languages:
Fluent in English, native in Mandarin, beginner in German
01.2025 – 06.2025
Design Intern,
KCM Connect, Los Angeles, CA
Designed motion graphics and visual content for social media campaigns to advertise events, increase engagement and strengthen brand visibility in the Los Angeles market. Created logo animations and brand elements tailored for client promotions and advertising across digital platforms. Provided on-site support for live events, including venue setup, guest reception, and product introduction, creating a welcoming experience for guests.
08.2023 – 09.2023
Freelance Motion Designer,
ArtCenter College of Design, Pasadena, CA
Created a short motion video for a school event. Actively communicated with staff to meet project goals and deadlines. Delivered a polished final product incorporating 2D motion graphics, illustration, storytelling,
and design principles.
09.2022 – 04.2023
Teaching Assistant,
ArtCenter College of Design, Pasadena, CA
Assisted Professor Pamela Olecki with her Type 1: Foundation course. Provided feedback on homework to help students become familiar with typography, create layout with InDesign, and learn hand calligraphy. Participated in the critiques. Advised students after-hours to ensure active engagement during class time.
Recognition
07.2025
VoyageLA
Interview Feature
01.2022 – 04.2025
ArtCenter Student Gallery
Femmebit Logo Reveal (motion design),
Deadline Rebrand (identity and motion design),
The Polar Express Main on End (motion design),
Soundtrack Your Life (sequential design),
Everything Everywhere All at Once (sequential design),
Dear Ex (sequential design),
A Fantastic Journey (motion design),
City Toile (illustration and surface design)
Graphis New Talent Annual 2025
The Big Wave: The Golden Age of Cantopop
(Editorial Design)
Honorable Mention
Graphis New Talent Annual 2024
Milano Cortina 2026 Rebrand
(Brand Identity)
Silver
Fall 2024 Spring 2023 Spring 2022
Provost's List
ArtCenter College of Design
GPA of 3.8 or higher