Tell us a little about yourself and your career.
Hello! I’m an L.A.-based Storyboard Artist living happily with my husband and two crazy cats. After my mom collected every single Disney 2D-animated film on VHS throughout the ’90s and 2000s, I became super interested and persistent in making storytelling and animation my career path. I re-watched and rewound those tapes so many times!
Upon graduating with a BFA in Entertainment Art/Animation at Cal State Fullerton in 2012, I continued my education through Concept Design Academy storyboarding and gesture drawing classes while also working a part-time caricature job at Downtown Disney. I finally broke into the animation industry in late 2013 at Titmouse, and went on to be hired at Renegade Animation, Crunchyroll, Bento Box, and Wild Canary over the past 10 years, working from Revisionist to Storyboard Artist. I’m currently looking for new work in this scary climate of the Industry, but I’m striving to still create funny stories and collaborate with a studio team, just like what inspired me at such a young age.
What challenges have you faced in navigating a career in animation?
Definitely the in-between times of looking for work. We go into this profession wanting to create and make stories consistently, but sometime we have to face the reality that there will be down-times to the creative process.
After many years of consistent work, I’ve been going through a lot of self-discovery, healing, and therapy trying to figure out what my purpose and identity is in the industry, and how I can keep telling fun, autobiographical, “slice-of-life” stories on the side, either in comic or short animatic form. I’m ever so grateful for my family, Union friends, my two cats’ funny personalities, and especially my husband’s advice and emotional support through these hard times.
Who are your inspirations in the field of animation?
Besides the animation greats of the past and current American and Japanese media, what really keeps me inspired these days is my Instagram feed! Following all my fellow Union kin, past co-workers, and directors, and seeing their storyboards and art posts really cheers me up knowing that we’re all staying afloat with our own personal creative works.
It’s so nice to instantly see Louie Del Carmen’s life drawing sketches, Grace Liu’s dynamic drawing poses, my friend and previous storyboard partner Kaitlin Callahan’s impressive web comic, and Disney Legend and amazing previous co-worker and Renegade Animation Story Lead Will Finn’s sketches. One scroll through of my timeline, and I’m inspired to keep going and drawing!
What do you hope to accomplish as an artist in the animation industry?
I’d like to take a stab at TV-Directing, having experience in Revisions, full Storyboarding, helping with Director notes, and Animatic Editing from previous production and personal work. Over that past 10 years of my Career, I would want the chance to be the one guiding the storyline and nurturing board artists in the pipeline, as my Directors did for me. Overall, I just want to continue working with a team in the industry somehow, even through the highs and lows!
What does being in the Union mean to you?
Being in the animation Union, especially in the Discord, really gives me a nice sense of unity and teamwork. We’re all giving our experiences and feelings in the different channels, and it’s just overall nice to know that “we’re all in this together.” It also helps with seeing how I can participate and help in person, with me living below the Los Angeles area. It’s the camaraderie and “looking out for each other” vibes that helps me keep going and striving for my animation career goals.
See more of Christina’s art on her portfolio site.
Follow her on Bluesky, Instagram, and X.
.png)