Lacel Ria Barreda

About Me

Hello! My name is Lacel Ria (Lacel is pronounced like shoe-lace with an L at the end). I’m a nonbinary, Filipino illustrator, storyboard artist, small business owner, and hamster adorer from Houston. My passion is to create safety, warmth, and validation through my art, especially for the LGBT community through animated films, television, and streaming. I love creating cute things that make people smile and sharing my work at artist alley tables. I also enjoy working with cute stationery and other mixed media and would love to have my own art exhibit showcasing that someday. Other than creating, my interests include lolita fashion, traveling, and playing comfy video games.

Project Description

“Jelly” is a rigged 2D illustration inspired by anime style. The illustration is separated into several layers of different body parts, then rigged to follow facial expressions and body movements with a camera. Jelly is soft yet clumsy. Their best friend, Cookie the hamster, joins Jelly on their adventures.

What will you miss most about UTD after graduation?

I will miss a lot about UTD after graduation. I’ll miss the campus, the events, and especially the students and faculty around me who have been so kind to me and believe in me so much. I’ll miss ATEC for being the place to teach me so much about my career, and for being so welcoming and accepting. I’ll miss being given opportunities to be creative in all of my classes, but I’m sure there will be more!

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Financially stable, helping my dad, and with my name in the credits of several animated shows and films. I have tabled at conventions consistently to share my art around the states and have visited beautiful landmarks all over the world. My stationery collection is even bigger too.