Tell us a little about yourself and your career.
I’m originally from Indiana, and I’ve had a passion for drawing my entire life. I attended the Minneapolis College of Art and Design where I got a BFA in Comic Art Illustration. My love of comics drove me then, but when I got my first animation job, I got the bug. Minnesota is where my animation career began as a Storyboard Revisionist on Danger & Eggs. A year later I worked as a Background Designer on Twelve Forever. I’ve primarily worked as a Background Designer since, working for Netflix, ShadowMachine, and a few indie projects, and most recently I had to opportunity to be the BG Lead on an unannounced show at Green Street Pictures… which was sadly cancelled.
In my personal work, I really love science fiction settings—especially the cyberpunk genre. Growing up as the artist in a family of computer people has that effect, I suppose! Making up futuristic vehicles, machines, and settings is where I’m most at home. If you’ve talked to me at all, you’ll also know I love my wife and video games. I bring them up pretty much all the time, haha. I also have a Chihuahua named Scout!
What challenges have you faced in navigating a career in animation?
With getting my start in Minnesota, and then the COVID-19 pandemic happening, my entire career has been remote in some way. Which certainly has its benefits, but I’m afraid it’s kept me from making many connections over the years. There are just a lot less natural-feeling ways to get to know my peers on Slack, Zoom, and social media, I feel. That, and inconsistency in the work. It’s very discouraging when you’ve had more off years than on. I’ll have to honorably withdraw from TAG for a second time if I can’t manage to get a job soon. For now, I’m focusing on building my portfolio with original designs and animations.
Who are your inspirations in the field of animation?
Besides all the excellent artists I’ve had the pleasure to work with on my previous projects, my inspiration comes from everywhere. Not only animation, but video games, movies, comics, old art, new art, general observation, music, the list goes on. In animation specifically, I find myself taking lots of notes whenever I watch an anime from the 1980s or ’90s—the efficiency of the editing and compositing mostly. Plus, the mechanical design and backgrounds are often top-notch.
What do you hope to accomplish as an artist in the animation industry?
I’m happy being a Background Designer, but I’d like to try my hand at character and prop design, and eventually art directing. I feel I have a good design sense, and I’d love an opportunity to guide a team in bringing a vision to life.
What does being in the Union mean to you?
Limits. Having worked at non-union studios, hard work gets rewarded with more responsibility and not much, if any, compensation. The Union has clearly defined ways to operate which gives me the confidence to say no when I feel I’m being asked to do too much. The health insurance ain’t bad either!
Learn more about Andrew at his website.
Follow him on Bluesky and Instagram.
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