Hannah Lees

Name: Hannah Lees
Location: Los Angeles
Job Position: Hair and Cloth Specialist (Technical Animator/Creature TD)
Current Employer: Sony Imageworks

What are some things you have worked on: Alvin and the Chipmunks, Incredible Hulk, Vampire's Assistant, Land of the Lost, Alvin and the Chipmunks the Squeakqual and Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland.

What is the process you go through in doing your art, as well as the types of tools you use: First things first, I can't do a lick of anything without some inspiration. Now I've found that inspiration can come from anywhere, you just have to be open to it. Sometimes I am inspired by music, other times by something I see, or an emotion I'm feeling. I'm excited to be a part of this blog since the point of it is to be inspired by the topics! Next up, I just start sketching. Sometimes I work with several thumbnails, other times I just start drawing and the drawing just finished itself with little planing. Either way, I like to start lite and loose and get darker and more precise as I better realize the idea. It's a very organic experience, I'm usually not thinking so much about the steps, as I am just doing what feels right. I mostly work with a sketch pad and mechanical pencil. When it comes to color it's a toss up between colored pencils or photoshop, just whatever feels right.

What inspired you to become an artist: Once I was old enough to hold a pencil I never put it down. In second grade I told my parents I would be an animator, and 14 years later I graduated from Art School and got a job in Visual Effects.

What is your most favorite subject to draw/why: People and clothes. I don't know why, but I've always been drawn to the human form, and how clothes drape on it. I can get lost for hours in fabric folds, or the curves and weight shifts a body. So many expressive lines, each telling their own story.

Any tips you can give: First of all, have fun! If you're not having fun, then why do it? Second, don't be afraid to push yourself, go outside your comfort zone. We learn the most when we are open to the possibilities.

Favorite Artists: Jim Lee, Georgia O'Keefe, Glen Keane and Kosuke Fujishima, to name a few.

Favorite Animated Movie:The Incredibles, the Last Unicorn, Disney's The Little Mermaid, Disney's Tarzan, Anastasia, Nausicaa

Hobbies: Drawing (Obviously), Painting, Sewing, Singing, Video Games, Swing Dancing, Rollerblading, Baking and Riding my Motorcycle.

Christie Tseng

Name: Christie Tseng
Location: SoCal
Job Position: Ever still a learning student~! Also happen to be a props designer at Hasbro Studios
Some other things you have worked on: Bit o' freelance in comic, storyboarding and game concept art.

The process and tools you use: CS4, pencils, and those cheapo free ball point pens. I usually like to have a loose concept or mood in mind when I start something new. And half the times the final result is a surprise!

What inspired you to become an artist: I'm simply a kid who never stopped drawing! My doodling because more specific as I grew up with the anime/manga deal. In 11th grade I discovered the possibilities of entertainment art as a career and I've never looked back since. Above all I know that I just want to be able to draw and tell stories to the best of my abilities.

What is your most favorite subject to draw/why: I most often doodle characters, but I love environments as well; those two complete each other! (And lately I've been fascinated with trees... yep.)

Any tips you can give: Network with friends who share similar interests, seek out the best teachers and take control of your own education. Keep working hard, and stay humble!

Favorite Artists: Too many... To make things simple: at this moment, they be those crazy amazing Japanese artists overseas. Take a look at the production art for animation there (designs, boards, bg layout & painting, animation keys etc) and you should see what I mean.

Favorite Animated Movie: The Iron Giant

Hobbies: Reading comics, watching animations, keeping a dream journal, daydreaming !

Lovely ~little alien :oD

Name : Amy Gohal (Lovely - little alien :oP)

Location : Los Angeles

Position : Technical Animator

Current Employer : Rhythm and Hues

What are some things you have worked on : "Bohemibot" Academy Award winner of student short film for 2009, "As Seen on TV" a short film by Jay Shuster and Justin Graham, "What a dodo" short film by Joshua Slice. I'm a Creature TD so I did the rigging for all the above listed.

What inspired you to become an artist: I grew up watching cartoons. Hell i still watch cartoons if at all possible. I've loved animation since I was young and always knew I wanted to be a part of something big. I found myself in comics as a youngster and fell in love with that as well. Since I've collected loads of comics and appreciate all aspects of artists.

What is your most favorite subject to draw and why: I love drawing people. Im a people watcher. I can go to a mall, sit in a park or sit on a train and draw people all day. However I find myself drawing more cartoony animals and creatures sometimes.

What is the process you go through in doing your art, as well as the types of tools you use: I ussually start with pencil sketches and then light inks.. popping that into photoshop or illustrator is the next step... I never really feel anything is "finished". I go back to old pieces all the time and look at them to play with them and see what they would look like in different tones and shades. I find myself doing photography and 3d work alot more lately due to my job and just because I find everything, every experience to have its own artistic feel to it.

Any tips you can give: Never stop what you're doing, never settle, always push forward even when you feel blocked.. just dont stop.

Favorite Artist: Dali, Hieronymus Bosch, Khalo, Jim Lee, Clayton Crane, Marko Durjevic, Gabrielle Delotto, Humberto Ramos, Stuart Immomen, Skottie Young, Francisco Herrera, Chris Bachalo and the list goes on....

Favorite animated movie: that is so hard to answer.. I love alladin. I've always loved and felt immensely towards beauty and the beast, favorite CG up until recently would have been monsters inc but then came "Up." This is a hard question for me to answer because my list is soo long.. but those are a few at the top of it.

Hobbies: Making people laugh.. Comic book collector who previously worked at a comic book shop so... Comic book collector. Also rollerblader, reading, movie addict.. adventurous type, art of many kinds including photography.

Tina Wang

Name: Tina Wang

Location: Orange County, CA

Job Position: ... Student (3D art, environments for games)

Current Employer: n/a

What are some things you have worked on: A couple game mods.

What is the process you go through in doing your art, as well as the types of tools you use: Lately I've been working completely digitally--I roughly sketch out various ideas until I find one that particularly strikes me, clean up, then color. I don't concept enough to have any specific set methods, so I'm just trying out various things! Painter feels more natural and loose, but I often use Photoshop for finishing up and those super large resolutions.

What inspired you to become an artist: When deciding on what college to attend, I finally realized how fulfilling it was to be able to put in time and effort and have a tangible piece of art as the product... and that I should probably do it for a living. I've always loved art and video games, so this is the perfect union! <3 style="font-weight: bold;">

What is your most favorite subject to draw/why: I can't help but love fantasy and magical things. :<

Any tips you can give: Keep experimenting, don't get comfortable with one method just because you're finding yourself successful with it--you'll stop growing.

Favorite Artists: Frazetta is my first love.

Favorite Animated Movie: The Incredibles... and... all of them.

Hobbies: reading, playing games, watching movies, hiking, athletic-y things, anything with friends!

Donna Segal, Self Portrait

Name: Donna Segal
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Job Position: Compositor
Current Employer: Rhythm and Hues Studios
What are some things you have worked on: Curious George, Alvin and the Chipmunks, Foodfight, Land of the lost, Aliens in the Attic, Cabin in the Woods.
What is the process you go through in doing your art, as well as the types of tools you use:
I love to draw, paint, doodle. I like to do digital illustration, sometimes scanning my roughs and cleaning them up in photoshop, flash or illustrator, depending on the look I'm going for. I enjoy all kinds of paint medium, mostly oils and watercolours, as well as pastels. I also enjoy photography and am just starting to teach myself sewing.

What inspired you to become an artist: I have always had a leaning to the arts I think I fell in love with art making at the age of four.
What is your most favorite subject to draw/why: I have a broad range of subjects, depending on what I'm feeling at that moment, I do love to represent dance and dancers visually, that would probably be my favourite subject.
Any tips you can give: strive for progress, not perfection, and be kind to your artistic self!
Favorite Artists: Edgar Degas, William Kentridge, Wakako Katayama, Tadahiro Uesugi to name a few.
Favorite Animated Movie: The Iron Giant, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Kiki's delivery service, Grave of the Fireflies, The Triplets of Belllville, Ponyo, Spirited away, Paprika.
Hobbies: Dancing (ballet,flamenco,samba), yoga, swimming, cooking, life drawing, finding out about different cultures, cooking up creative projects, so to speak.

Laura Sayan

Name: Laura Sayan (alilLouda)
Location: SoCal
Job Position: Lighting TD, Fine Artist
Current Employer: last job at Imageworks, but currently on vacation
What are some things you have worked on: G-Force, Sid the Science Kid, Rescue Me, Blitz 2
What is the process you go through in doing your art, as well as the types of tools you use: I always love to sketch out my ideas with pencil and paper first. When it comes to paintings I still love to paint in acrylics, watercolors, and more recently oils. I get my inspirations from nature and different fine artists.
What inspired you to become an artist: I grew up in an artistic household. My mom paints, knits, crochets, and does jewelry making. My grandmother and great grandmother also do different forms of art; such as embroidery,knitting, cake decorating, and sewing. I was always surrounded with creative people and had a passion for drawing.I remember at a very young age I loved to draw and color things in. I know the Disney movies influenced my decision to pursue art.
What is your most favorite subject to draw/why: I love to draw what I see. Life drawing is my favorite form of drawing; especially people.
Any tips you can give: Practice Practice Practice! I know that if I don't draw often enough I get rusty.
Favorite Artists: Frida Kahlo, Klimt, Munch, DaVinci,Tooker,Toulouse Lautrec, and so many more.
Favorite Animated Movie: This one is a hard one. But I know the first one that influenced my life was Toy Story.
Hobbies: cooking,drawing,crochet,exercise,movies,taking photos,planning my wedding

Chicana

Name: Irma Gonzalez

Location: Los Angeles

Job Position: Environmental/Lighting/
Texture /Modeling Artist

Current Employer: Freelance

What are some things you have worked on: Mask of Eternity, Red Giant (a video game and cartoon short for college), a bunch of Toon Disney/Jetix promos, Webisodes for NBC, Sid the Science Kid

What is the process you go through in doing your art, as well as the types of tools you use: Well when it comes to my art, I have a different way of doing it every time. First of all, I have to feel the urge to draw, otherwise it will never come out. If I'm feeling lazy, I wont be able to draw a thing. I start with pencil or pens and just sketch, see where my mind goes. Sometimes I choose a picture and get inspiration from it and go from there. I pretty much jump around from media to media.

What inspired you to become an artist: When I was 5 years old, I remember watching Looney Tunes, and I just fell in love with it. I always wanted to become an artist. Then I saw Metal Gear Solid, that game is the reason why I went to school and really focused on becoming an artist. 'Til this day, that game has continued to play a huge part in my life. I love that franchise.

What is your most favorite subject to draw/why: Environments!!! I love to create my own worlds, my own scenarios, my own landscapes. I love to have control of my worlds!!!

Any tips you can give: Just be consistent and never stop believing in yourself!!!!

Favorite Artist: Jerry Yarnell, Tex Avery, Chuck Jones, and so many more...

Favorite Animated Movie: Finding Nemo, Cars, Monsters Inc, Wall-E, Fox and the Hound, Up, so many disney classics...

Hobbies: dancing, exercise, drawing, painting, singing, cleaning, playing with my dogs, watching movies, horse riding...

Chingyi Liu

Name: Chingyi Liu

Location: Orange County , Soon to be in Japan :)

Job Position: Marketing executive

Current Employer: TVB

What are some things you have worked on: Flyers, Posters, Magazines, Character Design, Logo design and Set design.

What is the process you go through in doing your art, as well as the types of tools you use: First start off with thumbnails sketch and overall composition, then either use pen/markers, or photoshop/illustrator to finalize my art.

What inspired you to become an artist: Drawing was the only thing I was good at when I was little.
What is your most favorite subject to draw/why: Girls, because I like the body shape and the fashion.
Any tips you can give: Keep drawing!
Favorite Artists: I have too many, the list keeps getting longer each day.
Favorite Animated Movie: Whisper of the Heart
Hobbies: Sew, make creative little things, read Japanese magazines, look at other artists website, sleep, music and stalk cute boys/girls.

Camila's self portrait

Name: Camila Davila Lohr

Location: Los Angeles

Job Position: Texture Painter

Current Employer: Sony Imageworks

What are some things you have worked on: Red Faction guerrilla, Alice and wonderland, and a pilot for boldly going nowhere :)

What is the process you go through in doing your art, as well as the
types of tools you use: Firts I go over a bunch of ideas in my head and then when I get some free time I do some sketches in photoshop and then try to make a final illustration of the sketch i like the best. I use photoshop, body paint, maya... color pencils and all that, I am starting to learn painter now :D

What inspired you to become an artist: I don't remmember :S

What is your most favorite subject to draw/why: I like to draw girls with cool costumes... I also like to draw fantasy (anything), I am not so good with landscapes

Any tips you can give: Always work harder to pursuit your goals.

Favorite Artists: Mucha, and I can't remmember anyone else right now... my brain it's fried

Favorite Animated Movie: mmm... I like the disney movies when the girl fend for herself and it's not waiting for a prince charming to rescue her, like Mulan, and I found emperor's new groove pretty funny. I also like Howl's moving castle and the miyasaki films, finding nemo and walley are pretty awesome.

Hobbies: draw, write, read, watch movies, go dancing, riding horses... :)

Teresa T.C. Yau

Name: Teresa T.C. Yau

Location: Orange County

Job Position: UI Artist/Illustrator/Life Drawing Afficionado

Current Employer: Freelance

What are some things you have worked on:
Some indie film intro back in college, several kid titles for DS, Wii, PC, and some random websites.

What is the process you go through in doing your art, as well as the types of tools you use:
My design process begins with pen/pencil sketches/storyboards first, then rough mock up in Photoshop, and final execution in Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash, AE, or whatever. When I paint digitally I try to emulate traditional techniques and rarely use layers or blending modes.

What inspired you to become an artist:
Most likely Anime, hahaha... Oh anime...

What is your most favorite subject to draw/why:
Heads. So much to learn! So much to explore in hue/temperature/saturation change. So many planes to play with!

Any tips you can give:
Don't lose your inner child/creative spirit! I know I did and am still struggling to find it...

Favorite Artists:
Everyone! <3 ( But I REALLY love Leyendecker!)

Favorite Animated Movie:
Sleeping Beauty and Ratatouille

Hobbies: Spending time with loved ones, partyin, cooking, baking, fishing, cycling, taking my doggies out, not playing WoW.

http://www.tyaudesign.com/

Koala Cakes

Name: Elizabeth Romo

Location: Los Angeles

Job Position: Graphic Designer

Current Employer: Freelance

What are some things you have worked on:
I've worked on some brochures, business cards, not to
many things yet, I just graduated

What is the process you go through in doing your art, as well as the types of tools you use:
I first look at some inspiring art books and then think of some
crazy ideas, grab my sketchbook draw it then scan it and take
it into photoshop or in illustrator. Oh and my wacom table

What inspired you to become an artist:
Sailor Moon and The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast.

What is your most favorite subject to draw/why:
Drawing poeple and funky characters

Any tips you can give:
Just let your mind go when your about to create something
don't think to hard about it just let it happen.

Favorite Artists:
Julie West, Tara Mcpherson, Ashley Wood, Miss Van, Koralie

Favorite Animated Movie:
The Little Mermaid

Hobbies: sleeping, eating, drawing, people watching,
knitting, reading comics, etc..

Harley Dwortz

Name: Harley Dwortz

Location: Orange County

Job Position: Animator

Current Employer: Freelance

What are some things you have worked on: Aliens RPG, Alpha Protocol

What is the process you go through in doing your art, as well as the types of tools you use: For 2D art work and animation alike, I like to spend as much time as possible looking at reference and finding inspiration to contribute to a good idea. I then use my pencils to sketch out a "blocking pass," then throw everything into Photoshop / Maya to bring it all to life.

What inspired you to become an artist: I was always transfixed by the Disney films that were coming out when I was a kid (Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Lion King ), I have always had a wayward pencil in my hand, and I have always wanted to be the gal behind the scenes in the movies.

What is your most favorite subject to draw/why: Animals, because they are so remarkable in their variety of shapes, colors, movements, etc.

Any tips you can give: Don't half step anything or you will never be satisfied with your life or yourself

Favorite Artists: Bill Pete, Andreas Deja, Glen Keane, Tex Avery, Chuck Jones...

Favorite Animated Movie: do I have to answer this question? I love so many, Lion King and Finding Nemo to name a few

Hobbies: Being outdoors, being creative, exercise, social drinking /dancing

jane's q&a

Hi all! Sorry I'm not gonna have time to complete all of the q&a portion of this, but here's a run down of jane:

i work at home with my hubby (crash) we've been freelancing for 2 years, just hustlin for gigs and chillin like a villain! we've done a variety of gigs, including iphone apps, iphone games, websites, marketing videos, t-shirts, etc. i've also worked as junior level artist, then prop artist for what is now Double Helix Studios.

my tools of the trade are mainly photoshop and my sketchbook. currently trying to learn now to use illustrator to make awesome vector graphics.

i love all the miyazaki films as well, followed very closely by Pixar!

i was inspired to become an artist by the early disney animated films, The Little Mermaid being my fave :D then i gotz my first set of markers at age 6, where i proceeded to cover the walls in my masterpieces.

anyway guess thats it for me! thx for the invite and im excited to see more work from all you gals!

Potato

Name: Michaela Clisson

Location: So cal

Job Position: digital artist

Current Employer(s): currently freelancing

What are some things you have worked on: a couple cell phone games including Rock Revolution and Popple

What is the process you go through in doing your art, as well as the types of tools you use: I usually try out a new process every time i start something, whether or not that is good, i dunno, but i like the different results i get. My main tool is photoshop, though i have used art rage and alchemy a lil bit...sometimes ill grab a pen and just sketch but mostly im a digital girl these days.

What inspired you to become an artist: My first set of crayons, i got them when i was 3

What is your most favorite subject to draw/why: Fantasy...because its awesome

Any tips you can give: Draw, just draw. All the time. Take classes. Learn from other artists. Network

Favorite Artists: Marc Brunet, Dan LuVisi, Elda The, Fealasy, klar, kalamu, loish, ...etc

Favorite Animated Movie: Anything Miyazaki

Hobbies: Fishing, arting, sleeping, gaming, hiking, reading...etc

Jessa Sininger

Name: Jessa Brianne Sininger

Location: Los Angeles, CA

Job Position: Cloth/Hair TD by day Sketch Fiend by night

Current Employer: Sony Pictures Imageworks

What are some things you have worked on: Night at the Museum 2, GTA 4, Gears of War 2, Ben 10 Alienforce, Sid the Science Kid

What is the process you go through in doing your art, as well as the types of tools you use: I start out just scribbling down some gestures till I get an idea and/or how I think the pose should go. From there I start to work on the anatomy. I tend to deal with simple shapes a lot for my characters. I'm a stickler for details so I have to pull myself back to not get too trigger happy with it in the beginning stages of the sketch. For my main tools of the trade I'm content with just a 3b pencil and a sketchbook. I use Photoshop for coloring.

What inspired you to become an artist: When I was 8 I saw Pocahontas in the theater. After watching it I knew I wanted to be an animator

What is your most favorite subject to draw/why: People, I have a lot of fun drawing them.

Any tips you can give: Stay loose. That was the key I learned a little too late in the game. Make sure you gesture draw things before getting anatomy right etc. Also watch out for contour drawings they can kill ya.

Favorite Artists: Michelangelo, Iain McCaig, Glen Keane, Beauguereau, Brian Froud

Favorite Animated Movie: Aladdin

Hobbies: reading, cooking, writing, drawing, running, roller blading, swimming, and watching movies

Stefanie!

Name: Stefanie Huynh

Location: So-Cal

Job Position: Motion Graphics artist

Current Employer: VHN-TV

What are some things you have worked on: Opening sequences for Boogiezone.com, Family guy backplate, intros for Vietnamese television.

What is the process you go through in doing your art, as well as the types of tools you use: Thumbnails and storyboards are my friends! Even thumbnail storyboards. :D I work a lot with design, so I gotta get a good composition with my sketches. I use Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, After Effects, and Cinema4D (for the 3d aspects).

What inspired you to become an artist: Watching Sailor Moon when I was a wee girl. And reading the Sunday comics in the newspaper.

What is your most favorite subject to draw/why: Any kind of goofy/awkward situation/characters. Art allows you to really push your imagination and I tend to "push it real good" when it comes to comedy.

Any tips you can give: Learn and teach as much as you can! Everyone's capable of doing anything they want as long as they learn and practice it efficiently! Belieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeve in yourself!

Favorite Artists: Dstrukt, Erwin Madrid, Pascal Campion, Arthur DePins, Bobby Chiu and my peers.

Favorite Animated Movies: Up, Mulan, Lion King, Ghost in the Shell, Paprika, Spirited Away....and more!

Hobbies: Hip hop dance, rollerblading, skateboarding, laughing at farts, explosions and random humor.

Michelle's Self Portrait

Name: Michelle Hall (Raised By Wolves)
Location: Santa Monica
What is the process you go through in doing your art, as well as the types of tools you use:

Any programs and tools I can get my hands on.
What inspired you to become an artist:

The drive to create and connect to others with visual expression
What is your most favorite subject to draw/why:
I've always enjoyed drawing animals, even made up ones because I study movement and I find animal motion more interesting to try to capture
Any tips you can give:
One of my favorite quotes that helps me:

"All the performances of human art, at which we look with praise or wonder, are instances of the resistless force of perseverance. If a man was to compare the effect of a single stroke of the pick-axe, or of one impression of the spade, with the general design and last result, he would be overwhelmed by the sense of their disproportion; yet those petty operations, incessantly continued, in time surmount the greatest difficulties, and mountains are leveled, and oceans bounded, by the slender force of human beings. It is therefore of the utmost importance that those, who have any intention of deviating from the beaten roads of life, and acquiring a reputation superior to names hourly swept away by time among the refuse of fame, should add to their reason, and their spirit, the power of persisting in their purposes; acquire the art of sapping what they cannot batter, and the habit of vanquishing obstinate resistance by obstinate attacks." Hope that helps others.
Favorite Artists: There is something about Joe Sorren's art that I feel a very deep connection with.
Favorite Animated Movie: Triplets of Belleville
Hobbies: Drawing Sessions, Drunk Scouts, Roller Derby, Out door anything.