Emma Gilberg’s Naughty Cherub
Tags: Cgi, Creativity, Animation, Illustration, Art

Watch out, because that sure isn’t pink lemonade…

Scenes from Emma Gilberg’s #ConnectedByLemonade commission

We see a lush fountain, flowing with brightly colored liquid…a unicorn and bird gratefully lap it up…everything is calm and idyllic. Then the camera pans up—to reveal that stream of pink fluid is actually coming from a tiny, very mischievous angel.

Emma Gilberg’s hilarious #ConnectedByLemonade artwork is only one facet of the work she’s done since joining the company as an animator this year. We spoke with the 26-year-old about her unique role as a creative within a tech-savvy insurance company.

Tell us a bit about your Lemonade commission, and how you incorporated the ‘pink drip.’ What inspired that reveal at the end?

From the start, I knew I wanted to do something with a hidden surprise. With any work I do, I often think to myself: “How can I make this even more ridiculous?” My initial ideas weren’t getting me there, until I looked back at a loose sketch I had done of a man casting a fishing rod with the fishing line being the ‘drip.’ At second glance, it looked like a man casting…a stream of pee… and that’s when I knew what I had to do.

Huge shout out to Lemonade’s Design Lead, Devin, who helped score the animation and is playing the recorder on the soundtrack. Some very fun behind-the-scenes footage there…

What’s some advice you might offer to an artist or animator who is just starting out?

I’m still trying to follow this advice myself, but I’d say to get out of your own head and stick to your instincts. Also, learn different programs and forms of media because they can inform one another and help you progress in new ways. Most importantly, make stupid things and have fun– otherwise what’s the point?

Who are some of your creative heroes or inspirations?

My mom is an amazing artist and taught me everything I know about traditional drawing and illustration. She personally does not like the hair on the cherub.

Other than that, I would say Pablo Rochat, Antoni and Marc Tudisco, Sebastian Curi , Ryan Putnam, everything Buck Studio, and about a million tattoo artists.

What’s one big lesson or discovery from school that has stuck with you?

I did not major in art, so one thing I learned is that you can still get into the field without formally studying, as long as you have the motivation and patience to learn on your own. The only price to pay is long-term imposter syndrome.

What did you expect when you took a job at an insurance company, and how have your expectations been challenged?

To be honest, I had been following Lemonade on Instagram and Dribbble for a while because I loved their design… but I didn’t know it was an insurance company. Even while working here, I sometimes have to remind myself that we’re selling insurance.The first project I worked on was animating characters doing open mic sets, and I thought: What does this have to do with insurance? A lot, apparently.

Animated emojis for Lemonade.

What sort of things are you working on at Lemonade?

I’m usually illustrating or animating some cute pets or funky people, or doing some motion graphics. Currently I am making an illustration of a confused man inspired by that meme with all of the math and numbers (formally called “Math Lady/Confused Lady”, according to knowyourmeme.com). I promise this also has to do with insurance.

Do you rely on old-fashioned techniques as a starting point?

Everything I do starts out with sketches, but unfortunately in the past few years I’ve become pretty addicted to my iPad for that purpose. Though I’ve been learning to tattoo, and I’d say the human body is a pretty traditional canvas.

Tell us about a past project you’re especially proud of…

Even though I knew nothing about animation, and the results aren’t great, I’m pretty proud of the first project I ever did about 5 years ago in the one digital art class my college had. I animated the Apple emojis to do surprising, and sometimes inappropriate things. That’s when I learned that with animation, you can make anything happen, which is what led me here.

Also, I made a three-layer cake the other day after bingeing Great British Bake Off. It took approximately 10 hours and was edible, so I’m pretty proud of that.

See more of Emma Gilberg’s work here, and don’t forget to follow #ConnectedByLemonade! And if you’re a creative whose interest in Lemonade has been piqued, keep an eye on our job listings—we’re always looking for talented people.