Andrea Marshall
Freelance 3D artist, Andrea Marshall, has a true passion for creative thinking and design. With a background in art and interdisciplinary design, Andrea’s work, both personal and client, hits a real emotive feeling that makes her work all the more intriguing.
Andrea Marshall is a name I’ve known for a while — I remember so many of the artists that did the Mr Sudoku project — but more recently I’ve become really inspired and creatively engaged with her work. Her personal work, is a mix of real world, yet belonging in a 3D abstract space, which as someone who’s very much interested in textures (more on the procedural side) as really got me excited! Her work, a mix of this abstract loveliness, and some really well crafted projects at her time at Found Studio, as well as her time spent freelance for studios like Verso, has made for a fantastic portfolio with a lovely breadth of work!
Image - https://andreamarshall.uk/
Why does she inspire me?
3D is an ever evolving industry, with new techniques and software coming at a thick and fast pace. It’s hard to stand out in all the noise, I mean I'm very rarely on Instagram for more than a few minutes at a time (yes I know, that might be a small lie!) so the feed is constantly changing. Andrea’s work stands out and makes the abstract feel tangible. Her most recent work, researching human connection, has created a personal project with so much personality and interest. You can feel that these images came out of some late night ideas that just flourished with a burst of creativity.
Talking about her work, her website is a wonderful place to find reference and just generally look through. It’s lovely and playful, with the cursor popping up images as you move across the page. It makes you want to dig deeper and look more. The ‘playground’ section further accentuates this, creating an infinite moodboard to browse through. I always love it when designers take time and pride in their website. Making it not just a place to store their work, but injecting their own creativity and interests (it is ‘their’ own website after all!).
Mo:De fest is coming in a few weeks (June 20–21st, 2026)at Ravensbourne university, and I can’t wait to hear Andrea talk more about her process, career, and design thinking in general. Most design events are quite heavily weighted towards men, so it’s great to see more women speakers, especially when they are as talented and motivated has her.
The Interview part
I was lucky enough to be able to ask Andrea some questions about herself and her career. I hope this’ll give you a little bit of an insight into her life, personal and commercial as well as her design process. It’s not every day you get to interview an idol!
Image - https://andreamarshall.uk/
1. Who are you, and how did
you start your journey into the
world of design?
Hey I’m Andrea, a digital artist that’s loves 3D, Motion and everything design! I started my journey in design with fine art, and interdisciplinary design at university, where I became interested in 3D motion during the very last semester of my final year. After I graduated, I took a course to learn more about it and then started working at a studio in Madrid where I was living at the time.
2. Could you give some insight into your creative process?
My creative process might start as a sketch, or just an idea! From there, I use 3D as space to experiment.
I try to bring some more of the physical world into the digital process by scanning or using images that I take to make materials from it.
It’s a fun way to step away from the computer, and then I’m figuring out how to use them in a digital way.
We all know the feeling of essentially being trapped behind the computer, so it’s a good way to rest the eyes!
3. When did you decide that freelance was the next career path for you?
I was drawn to freelancing because of the possibilities it had to offer.
My family and friends all live in different places so having that flexibility to visit them has been a huge plus. I also was drawn to the “in-between” time of projects. I’ve always tried to push my personal projects but having a full time job meant I was spending my weekends/late nights on it which gets a bit tiresome after a while.
I don’t want to sugar coat it though; freelance can be quite the challenge too.
I feel like I’m always thinking about work and it’s been quite hard to switch off lately. It’s something I think we all deal with, and it’s something I’m working on! Dealing with uncertainty as a person who loves to predict and feel in control has been my biggest learning curve. It actually made me start therapy, which I guess is the silver lining. I can feel myself growing from it, not just in work but in life in general.
4. Where do you get your inspiration for projects? Who inspires you!
I’m really into sci-fi art, like Yunchul Kim’s work, and also more quirky, organic pieces like Eva Fàbregas’ work which focuses on a strong concept and then uses space very freely to create her sculptures.
I also love Lucy McRae’s work because it feels limitless in how her concepts extend into these bizarre, futuristic realities that really make you question the status quo.
5. I know you’ve worked on some amazing projects!
Got any favourites?
My favourite projects are always the least commercial ones.
When I was at Found Studio, I was lucky enough to participate in the Exhibition for London Design Week and it was all about how we visualise emotion.There was a physical element to it which I loved because our work was in an exhibition space and on these “Petri dish tables”. Some of my favourite projects have been working with Verso Studio, because I had the opportunity to art direct a project and also work with my friends!
I loved working on the SK-II project with Jformento! It’s very special
to collaborate with people you vibe with, and also who’s work you
find beautiful too.From my own projects I’d say the latest one I’m working on is called “Digital Flesh” Where I’m exploring how the physical and the digital can meet and conceptually I’m wondering what our relationship with AI will be as we mix human craft with digital and machine made craft.
6. Do you have any big designs/projects in the works or anything that excites you about the future of your career?
At the moment it’s that longer-term project “Digital Flesh”.
Through it, I’m exploring materiality; how it exists across both digital and physical spaces, and different ways these can be combined, particularly as AI begins to shape how we perceive reality.
Because it’s a longer project, I’m going about it in a more relaxed way and releasing parts of it as I go.
7. Do you have any passions beside Animation/CGI work?
I do like drawing, yes! I enjoy taking my sketchbook to a park or the beach and practising life drawing.
I’m also learning silver jewellery making and a hobby I have outside of this creative realm is Krav Maga martial art and some flamenco dancing :)
8. I know you’re very keen on personal projects! How do you keep that motivation throughout the year?
Personal projects are important for me to continue developing my creative voice
and it’s so true how these works are often the driver for the next projects you get called for, especially as a freelancer. I do them in between client projects mainly and I just have a lot of patience with them,
knowing that it might take a bit of time, slowly but surely.
One thing I’m trying to do, is have quite an open ended project with one concept that allows me to create bite sized sections of it. This way I don’t go completely silent on social media while I’m working on it, which is helping me not be so precious with it either.
Charlie here: I think we all know the feeling of a personal project being so precious, and giving yourself time/freedom, and just space to relax and make what you want to without the pressure is always a lovely thing to do!
9. Any advice for students trying to get into the world of 3D and Digital Design?
With the inevitable rise of AI I think it’s important for people to hone in on their critical eye for design.
Use the tools and get to know them, but just because AI can make it look “kind of cool” or even amazing to your own eyes, it might still be AI garbage.
So the best way to make sure you are a designer and not a button pusher is having an opinion on why something works and why it doesn’t. What you like and don’t like. Is it the lighting, the texture, composition or colour that makes it look grand to you?
If you don’t learn the basics you won’t be making good work no matter what tool you’re on.
So I wouldn’t use AI as a short cut to developing essential skills.
Charlie here: Totally agree with Andrea here. There’s so much creativity out there, that to be stifiled with AI thoughts and ideas at the early stage of your career can make life hard for yourself. Process, idea generation, heck even basic drawing and scamps! Get your inspiration from elsewhere!
10. Thank you for taking part in this for me Andrea!
For the people who will read this interview, what are your
social media links for people to follow your future work?
Hey Charlie, thanks a bunch!
