Artist Exhibitor, Artists

Mark McDonnell Independent Designer

MARK McDONNELL is a well-rounded versatile Visual Development Artist working in the Animation and Entertainment industry.  Starting his career as a toy designer for Applause, he has held a wide variety of crafts within the commercial art world before setting his sights on the Animation and Entertainment Industry.  From Toy Designer, Art Director, Theme Park Designer and into Television Animation and Feature Films, Mark has found his home working alongside some of the industries best and brightest talents over the years.
In order to continue his overall artistic development and passion for the Animation and Entertainment Industry, Mark left the comfort of a corner office as an Art Director at Technicolor Creative Services (his home for 7 years) so he could move on and freely work on a wide variety of development and freelance projects.  These projects lead him to be hired on the recently released “Tinkerbell” and the follow-up film “Tinkerbell and the Lost Treasure” while working at Walt Disney’s Disney Toon Studios.  Mark’s responsibilities for these films were to create beat boards, environment designs and help flush out the world with appropriate prop designs for story pitches and related to John Lasseter and his staff.
From here Mark has worked for a variety of Television and Feature Films within the Animation and Entertainment Studios.  His client list includes Walt Disney Feature, Disney Toon Studios, Walt Disney Television Animation, Pixar, Miramax, Fox, H.I.T. Entertainment, New Line, Mattel, Sony, Legendary Pictures, The Jim Henson Company, Big Idea Inc. and many more.
Following the same passion he has for design and development, Mark has made a concerted effort to give back and help instruct the new generation of Animation and Entertainment artists.  Mark has found great comfort being an instructor for various institutions over the past 5 years.  Coming from a family of teachers he realized while instructing at The Animation Academy, teaching was a necessary and rewarding job that he felt needed to be a part of his ability to give back, just as so many others had done for him.  He is currently instructing the employees at The Walt Disney Company and at the Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Arts (LAAFA). 

In addition to his day job and instructing, Mark recently released his first full color hardback book, “The Art and Feel of Making It Real:  Gesture Drawing for the Animation and Entertainment Industry.”  This 208-page Art and Instruction bible was derived from his philosophy of giving back.  “The Art and Feel of Making It Real” now allows access of industry-only secrets and tips to everyone willing to take up the challenge of working in the industry and how it functions in today’s times.  The book comes with a foreword by the legendary Eric Goldberg (of Genie fame), and contributing words by Andreas Deja, Marcelo Vignali and industry instructor Karl Gnass.

Come join Mark McDonnell when he brings his talent, artwork and books to share with you all weekend long at CTN-X 2009.

CTN Member Mark McDonnell
You can also see Mark’s work on his site:  www.cre8tivemarks.com

Tags: 2009, 2010, Character Designers, Concept Designs, Layout Artist