Comic, licensing and animation story illustrator with nearly three decades of experience.
Clients have included: Hasbro, Lego, TT Games, Lucasfilm, Warner Bros Animation, Marvel Comics, DC Comics Licensing, Golden Books, Scholastic Books, Wildstorm Comics, Disney TV Animation, Hanna-Barbera, Wizards of the Coast and many more.
Illustration Work History
2021 current: Hasbro, Marvel.
Lego Era: Lego comic illustrator for various publications, video game and marketing product. Lego Club Magazine (2013-2015). Comic content artist for the Lego Marvel Avengers video game (Jan, 2016). How To Draw Lego Ninjago activity book (July, 2017). Comic content artist for Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2 video game (Nov, 2017). Comic content artist for Lego DC Super Villains video game (Oct, 2018).
1990’s Animation Storyboard artist: X-Men The Animated Series, Fantastic Four, Hulk, Avengers, Xyber-9, Wildcats, Invasion America, Street Fighter, The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest, Battletech, Gargoyles, The Mighty Ducks, Superman and the Batman Sub-Zero direct to video film. (Animation Work Period covers 1993 through 2003).
Comic Books: Image Comics Gunning For Hits (2019). Marvel Comics X-Men The Animated Adventures (1993). Wildstorm Comics Wildcats Adventure, Various Trading Cards. (Mid to late 1990s).
Licensing artist: Star Wars Episode 1 licensing bible artist. Created film based designs for use across related SW Ep1 licensed products. Wizards of the Coast Star Wars Roll Playing game product, comic and other related publications. (Period covers 1998 through 2003).
Licensing artist, Kids books: Several Batman The Animated series style story and coloring book publications for kids. (Late 1990s).
Examples from all this history found via the 'WORK HISTORY' page of this website.
Orlando Florida based but a Minnesota born and bred geek who was somehow able to turn his passions into two very separate yet awesome careers. No formal artistic training. Everything self taught with experience gained on the job.
The Early Years
I began my freelance illustration career in 1993 as a storyboard artist in television animation. I worked on many action/adventure series for nearly a decade. Studio clients during this time included Fox, Graz, Saban, Disney Television Animation, Hanna-Barbera, Dreamworks Animation and Marvel (New World) Animation studios. Further details of my animation career are featured on that gallery page within this site. Eventually I transitioned into a comic and licensing artist and worked for many publishers and studios including Lucasfilm Licensing, Marvel Comics, DC Comics Licensing, Wildstorm Comics, Golden Books and Wizards of the Coast.
All during this period I additionally held a very unique SIDE JOB. Read more about that HERE.
The Career Detour
In 2003 I decided it was time for a change of pace and walked away from the freelance art career. I entered into the world retail and the toy industry by joining TARGET and their toy buying division at their headquarters in Minneapolis. For several years I became a valued specialist within the group and worked alongside the retailer's buyers, marketing division and the world's top toy vendors to help craft winning strategies to increase sales and profits for all. Projects included: Crafting in-store movie marketing campaigns to assist the launch new related toy brands; Planning and executing competitive holiday marketing and merchandising plans; Monitoring retail competition; Working closely with toy vendors on creating exclusive merchandise; Researching trends to find the next hot brand, product or idea and much, much more. This was an exciting and challenging period in my new career. The experience taught me much about big box retail, marketing, strategy, the corporate world and working on and with various teams and personalities. On top of it all I was working in the toy industry with the biggest companies and studios around. Hasbro, Mattel, Playmates, Disney, Lucasfilm, Warner Bros, on and on. I loved and excelled in this role and remain today an expert in the category.
After the stock market crash in fall of 2008 and the following recession, all retailers, not just TARGET, severely cut back on spending, inventory and honestly...creativity. Consumer spending declined rapidly and so did spending by all retailers and vendors. The party was over and my role changed dramatically. It wasn't fun anymore and wouldn't be for a long while. So in 2009 I decided it was time to leave.
After exiting TARGET I had to adhere to a non-compete clause for a long period and my plan was to continue to seek out employment within the Toy industry. Possibly working for one of the big toy companies. I passed the time doing a little light retail consulting work along with other hobbies until...
The Return to Art...(by way of the brick)
I wasn't planning to return to a career in art after TARGET. Not at all. I knew that clients were now demanding artists use digital tools for assignments. I had no experience with digital software or hardware. Plus I had been away from the drawing board for so long I figured the idea was out of the question. I was going to work in Toys.
Then by the craziest twist of fate, while boarding a flight from Minneapolis to San Diego for the San Diego Comic-Con in July, 2012, my seat assignment was changed last minute and I ended up seated next to a guy who turned out to be an art director for Lego and the Lego Club magazine. This guy was attending Comic-Con to search for new comic talent for the magazine and Minneapolis was his connecting flight. We chatted for the full three hour flight about our various careers, art, Lego, what have you. When he heard about my past art career he suggested I try out for the gig...get back into that illustration world. He convinced me that I could learn the digital tools required and had some recommendations. To make this story short...he was proved right. After a few months of digital training and practice I drew my first comic for the Lego Club magazine in late 2012. Since then I spent the majority of my time between ‘12 and ‘20 drawing Lego themed art for the company, it's partners and and fans.
In 2020 my involvement with the release of the X-Men the Animated Series Art Book gained me attention across social media. I made the break from the Lego illustration style and in 2021 began illustrating toy packaging for Hasbro Toys and Marvel.
Comic Artists: If I listed them all it would be pages long...Top 3 from 3 different comic eras- Jack Kirby, John Byrne, Adam Hughes.
ClipStudioPaint is my main digital illustration software. Photoshop CS6. Wacom Cintiq. Dell PC.
Copic Sketch Markers, Faber-Castell Pitt Pens.