Peer Review: Clara Bacou

What has your career journey been like so far?

It’s been less of a straight line and more of a constellation with every project connecting in ways I didn’t see coming. It’s been a blend of storytelling, design and technology starting with personal digital art experiments that evolved into creating large-scale visuals for global stages, high-profile brand campaigns, and immersive AR beauty and fashion experiences.

 I love that working in digital art and 3D animation allows me to blend pure imagination with technical problem-solving; it’s both art and engineering.

I’ve worked across music, fashion, gaming, and luxury, always looking for ways to merge craft with cutting-edge tools. My path has never been linear; it’s been shaped by saying yes to unconventional opportunities and diving headfirst into emerging technologies. Along the way, I’ve learned how to adapt my artistic voice to wildly different contexts, from visuals towering over 60,000 people in a stadium to AR filters worn on a single face, without losing my sense of play or curiosity.

Above: Clara demonstrating her animated social media filters for luxury fashion brand Coach. 

Who are three contemporary designers that you admire, and why?

Es Devlin’s stage and installation designs are proof that design can tell a story as powerfully as any script. She transforms spaces into living narratives, finding the exact balance of form and light to harmonise with music and sound which turns performances into multi-sensory experiences that feel both monumental and intimate.

Alberto Mielgo approaches every frame of animation as a living canvas. His layered compositions, painterly textures, and bold visual language transform design into cinematic storytelling; it is so visceral and emotionally charged.

Nigel Matambo, as a contemporary AR designer, demonstrates how cutting-edge technology can be distilled into elegant, minimal yet disruptive design, creating augmented experiences that feel as graphically fluent as they are innovative. His design work radiates a quiet confidence. 

Above: Artist and set designer Es Devlin. 

Please share 3–4 pieces of work that exemplify great animation direction and explain why.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse completely rewrote the rules of mainstream animation. Its directors (Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman) were fearless with their experimentation, proving that audiences could embrace bold, unconventional visual language in a 3D animated blockbuster. They created a hybrid style capturing the soul of 2D illustration in 3D that felt both groundbreaking and timeless.

Technology is evolving so quickly that having early exposure to software, hardware, and workflows can completely change the trajectory of someone’s career. 

Alberto Mielgo’s Jibaro for Love, Death & Robots is another masterclass in directorial intent; a hypnotic blend of motion, texture, and rhythm that feels like choreography for both camera and character. It’s raw, unsettling, and impossible to look away from, with every shot designed to pull you into its fever-dream world. 

And Björk, particularly through her collaborations with directors like Andrew Thomas Huang, continues to create audiovisual experiences that dissolve the boundaries between music video, fine art, and performance. Her work is an ongoing reminder that direction can be as much about world-building as storytelling, crafting an aesthetic universe that is instantly and unmistakably hers. 

Above: Official trailer for Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

What do you like most about the work that you do?

There’s also a special joy in watching work come to life. What excites me most is designing for moments people can truly experience and watching them experience it, from arena-filling music visuals to intimate AR headset interactions. In music, visuals act like another instrument, amplifying the track’s emotion and energy. In AR, the magic lies in blending the real world with a touch of wonder, enhancing lived moments. Both demand thinking beyond static visuals, building an experience that moves with the viewer and rewards their curiosity. I love that working in digital art and 3D animation allows me to blend pure imagination with technical problem-solving; it’s both art and engineering.

Hayao Miyazaki is the master of making worlds so rich they feel like memories you forgot you had.

What is one thing every 3D artist needs?

Access to the right tools and education makes a difference. The technology is evolving so quickly that having early exposure to software, hardware, and workflows can completely change the trajectory of someone’s career. Just as important is finding a creative community, whether online or in person, where you can share knowledge, get feedback, and collaborate. 3D can be an isolating discipline if you’re learning alone, but being part of a supportive network accelerates growth and keeps you inspired. Most productions are a team effort anyway, learning to collaborate early prepares you for the reality that the best work is rarely made alone.

Above: Death dance opening scene from Alberto Mielgo’s episode for Love, Death & Robots – Jibaro.

Did you have a mentor? If so, who was it?

I’ve been lucky to work alongside a lot of talented creatives who shaped my approach, but rather than a single mentor, my growth has been built through a mix of collaborative environments and learning from peers whose work challenges me. Every project has introduced me to someone whose perspective shifted how I think about my own craft. In that way, I see mentorship as something ongoing and collective, not a single defining relationship. 

The lines between animation, gaming, and experiential design are blurring fast, and that’s where some of the most exciting opportunities lie.

Who is, in your opinion, the best animator of all time?

If I have to pick one, Hayao Miyazaki is the master of making worlds so rich they feel like memories you forgot you had. His films prove that animation doesn’t need to shout to be powerful; quiet, poetic moments can linger for a lifetime. He set the gold standard for worldbuilding that’s both magical and lived-in, a balance I’m always chasing in my own work. It’s no wonder AI keeps trying to recreate his style. Some artists have crafted worlds that are so perfectly crafted, they’re irresistible to copy or even steal.