Tell us a little about yourself and your career.
Hello hello! My name’s April. I’m an Art Director, Visual Development Artist, and Illustrator currently working in TV animation. I was born in Norwalk, a smaller city on the south side of Los Angeles. While going to community college, I dabbled quite a lot. I’ve worked professionally on everything from stage painting/design, theme park caricatures, sculpting, and even face painting. I loved every creative outlet, but my passion was always in animation.
In 2016 with enormous help from financial aid and the support of my family, I was able to go to ArtCenter College of Design, where I graduated with a B.S. in Entertainment Design. I’ve worked in the animation industry for about five years now, and I’m currently an Art Director at ShadowMachine. I also met my husband at college. We live in Pasadena with a very mischievous cat and dog.
What challenges have you faced in navigating a career in animation?
Much of my career now has been working from home throughout the pandemic. For a long time I was disappointed to have missed out on the studio experience—meeting coworkers in person, collaborating, having a dedicated work space, etc. I now feel the opposite! I’d still like an option to go in every once in a while, but it’s nice to not have to commute every day, especially in L.A. traffic.
Who are your inspirations in the field of animation?
I tend to be drawn to dark fantasy, so naturally Guillermo del Toro is a favorite! I also love the visual storytelling of Satoshi Kon and Hayao Miyazaki. I think there’s a lot of room to tell more serious stories in animation, and with the success of movies like Pinocchio, it’s a trend I hope we see more of.
What do you hope to accomplish as an artist in the animation industry?
Honestly, I’m already really proud of what I’ve accomplished! Of course, I’ll never stop learning as much as I can. What I like about Visual Development is the aspect of problem solving, so I love getting into new projects, especially if the look is a little experimental. One day I’d really like to pitch my own project.
What does being in the Union mean to you?
It means that I have a support system and a sense of community within the industry. It also means that I have access to resources and protections that I might not have otherwise like healthcare. I’m really grateful to be a part of a community that I can not only count on for industry advice, but that also offers things like classes and social events to keep us together.
See more of April’s work at her website.
Follow April on Instagram.
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