Salla Lehmus is a Finnish 2D animator whose work has taken her from animating Libresse/Bodyform’s groundbreaking Womb Stories campaign to creating a series of IDs for Adult Swim and designing and animating characters for Marvel Studios’ Ms Marvel series.
Her personal work blends vivid colour palettes with retro Y2K aesthetics, including the use of grain textures and “in-your-face perspectives”. Her latest project sees her enter a new realm. She’s bringing her art into Pocket Worlds’ popular virtual world social networking app Highrise.
Was there a moment when you ‘found your style’, as it were?
I draw inspiration from fierce women, the iconic style of the Y2K era, and Japanese animation and video games. I’m not sure when my style fully came together, but I’ve always aimed to draw female characters that I’d like to see more myself: confident, cool, and designed by women.
Being part of Panimation, a directory of women, trans, and non-binary friends working with animation and motion graphics, has strengthened my connection to the animation community and given me a sense of belonging in the industry.
Combining traditional 2D animation with the modern look of my characters and settings is a big part of my personal style. I animate my characters frame by frame, drawing each image to create strong poses, expressive movement, and precise timing. This gives me full control over the character’s performance and expressions. I then bring everything together in compositing, using modern techniques and effects, such as subtle noise, color grading, and camera movement to add depth and atmosphere.
Could you tell us what the creative process was like on Ms. Marvel?
As with any project of that size, it was truly a team effort! I worked at the Swedish studio Soja, collaborating closely with Framestore in the UK, and we were in constant communication, sharing ideas and feedback. I was most involved in a scene where the main character bikes through the city as graffiti characters begin to follow her.
Each character had a distinct design and animation style: for example the steampunk character had the old-school cartoon bounce on its movements while the more hand-painted Dr. Strange character moved with ease and grace. Thanks to the right people being involved, the creative process went smoothly and the final result turned out to be as stunning as we had hoped!
What are the challenges of working on bigger productions, and have they changed how you approach personal work?
I enjoy working with larger teams where everyone is an expert in their field. As a director, it’s the best feeling when you’re not sure how to resolve an issue, but you have a team member who knows exactly what to do!
At the same time, bigger teams require more structure and leadership, so the role naturally shifts from hands-on creating to guiding the overall vision. That’s why in my personal work, I really value being the one designing and creating from start to finish.
How do you maintain your artistic voice?
It really depends on the project. Sometimes, protecting your artistic voice is important, while other times, the priority is delivering strong work that serves the brand or campaign.
When I’m brought on for my style, I share lots of mood boards and style references early in the pre-production stage to align expectations. Clear communication is essential, and understanding the client’s vision allows me to guide the project in the right direction, creatively and production-wise.
How did working on Highrise compare to projects you’ve done before?
It’s been a while since I’ve had the chance to create something this cute and sparkly! The design is based on the existing Snugglin characters, and it was a fun challenge to bring my own style into the design while keeping the character true to the Highrise world.
After studying earlier Snugglin designs, I worked closely with the client, and together, we nailed down this new creature that is both cute and cool. I also provided the Highrise team with the character turnaround and facial expression sheets to help them incorporate the character into their virtual world.
What do you think animation can contribute to how communities form in virtual environments?
I think animation brings any virtual space to life! Through movement and timing, it gives the environment energy, helping viewers feel more connected to the design.
I was thrilled to join the Highrise community and experience the creativity of its users and designers. It’s exciting to create art and animation for communities that celebrate individuality and uniqueness in virtual environments.
How do you see the future for hand-crafted 2D animation, particularly amid the rise of generative AI?
I believe there will always be a demand for high-quality, hand-crafted, human-made animation. While AI can speed up some tedious processes, creativity and the ability to design something new start with individuals.
I complete my design and animation processes without the use of generative AI, and I’m currently happy with that approach.
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If you could experiment freely, what kind of project would you love to do next?
I’d love to create something inspired by old-school emo and goth styles! Looking back at my teenage photos (striped socks, pink highlights, and corsets) I feel really nostalgic and I’m ready to draw inspiration from that era of my life. I even matched the color of my messy hair with the cat ears on my head!
A plushie of Salla’s Snugglin will be a free gift available to everyone in Highrise. Players will be able to buy the separate elements on her Snugglin, including tears, hoodie sweatshirt, bomber jacket, locket and accessories.
You can learn more about Salla’s work on her website.
