Tell us a little about yourself and your career.
Hello! My name is Jennifer Wood, and I’ve been working as a Character and Prop Designer in the animation industry for almost 20 years. Growing up in Southern California, I received my BFA in animation and illustration from Cal State Fullerton.
I began my career as a production intern at Nickelodeon on Catscratch. In a stroke of luck a character design position opened up on the show near the end of my internship, and pursuing the opportunity I was allowed to freelance for a test period which eventually led to me being hired full-time. Since then I’ve worked on many other shows at Nick including Tak and the Power of Juju, T.U.F.F. Puppy, The Fairly OddParents, Pig Goat Banana Cricket, Rocko’s Modern Life: Static Cling, and Pinky Malinky. I’ve also worked at Cartoon Network (The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack), Warner Bros. Animation (Animaniacs), and several smaller studios. Most recently I was a Character Design Supervisor at Atomic Cartoons for the Netflix show Oddballs.
Additionally, I’ve had the opportunity to illustrate several children’s books in the “Tales from the Chinese Zodiac” series for San Francisco-based publisher Immedium. I’m very thankful to all who have supported and helped me grow and succeed throughout my career.
What challenges have you faced in navigating a career in animation?
I knew early on that a career in the animation industry would never be entirely stable which has become very apparent recently. I’ve been fortunate to have had relatively steady work for much of my career, but I admit the past year has probably been the most challenging I’ve faced with little work to be found. The stress and uncertainty of looking for work takes a toll, and it’s been especially difficult to see my friends and co-workers also struggling to find jobs. I’m hopeful that the tides will turn soon and more opportunities will arise for all of us.
While working, it can be challenging to keep a healthy work-life balance especially when freelancing and working full-time. I always tried to remember to take breaks and find ways to prevent burnout like walking my dog, visiting friends, and finding hobbies that are away from the computer screen. I discovered I love needle-felting and sometimes work on that in my free time.
Who are your inspirations in the field of animation?
I’ve been super inspired by the many talented artists I’ve had the privilege to work alongside throughout my career. I love animation, illustration, and visual storytelling, and like many I grew up on classic Disney and Warner Bros. animation and was also a fan of Don Bluth, Pixar, and Hayao Miyazaki films. I admire the work of Peter de Sève, Claire Wendling, and too many other artists to name. One of my earliest inspirations was probably Bill Peet. I loved his books as a kid and can remember checking out all I could find at the local library, re-reading his stories and studying his drawings. I was inspired by his career in animation and illustration which was something I aspired to do, and I’m happy to have been able to achieve my goal.
What do you hope to accomplish as an artist in the animation industry?
Working in animation is a collaborative endeavor, and I love helping others express their creative ideas visually and enjoy bringing characters to life. I hope I can continue to contribute my skills, and I always strive to do my best while creating designs that are fun, interesting, and expressive. When I find myself smiling or laughing while designing I usually know I’m heading in the right direction, and when a design makes another person smile, laugh, or be inspired I feel like I did my job well. The world can be stressful, and just being part of an industry making cartoons that bring people joy is an accomplishment in my mind.
What does being in the Union mean to you?
I’m very grateful to the Union for the security, community, and support it provides. It’s easy to take it for granted when you are working and things are going well, but when downturns happen it’s extremely helpful to have the benefits and protections. I’m hopeful for a steady supply of new animation productions to keep the members working—after all the Union needs the members, and the members are the Union.
See more of Jennifer’s art at her website and on Tumblr.
Jennifer will be signing copies of her “Tales from the Chinese Zodiac” books at The Chinese New Year Festival at the Huntington Library on February 10th and 11th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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