About me
José Gascón H.
Libra
Artist's Statement
"Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures."
I am a dreamer, a grownup reluctant to let go the child inside me, because a life without dreams has no future. My passion for graphic art is an urge that I cannot control. It puts me in a special state of mind to which I always want to return. It is a dependency that I cannot deny, because it is part of me. It allows me to express myself by releasing the boiling amalgam of chaotic
concepts and pieces that fight to find their own identity - sometimes in the form of an explosion of color that spreads and molds emotions over a canvas; whereas, in other moments it transpires into a series of drawings depicting a little clown, for whom higher hope and reward is a smile from the audience in payment for his performance.
My work is the reflection of a delicate and precarious balance between traditional and modern, orthodoxy and new technologies. It is the result of a whirl of different methods that converge in the attempt to represent rhythm and timing, trying to capture life and time into images that baulk at the confinement of the stationary nature of the canvas.
And the dream goes on.
Who's this Guy?
I started my artistic career in Barcelona working as a free-lance cartoonist and illustrator. In 1989, after graduating from The Center of Image and Sound, I joined one of the largest animation producers in Spain, D’Ocón Films Productions. There I worked and continued training with former animation directors from Walt Disney, Warner Brothers, Hanna Barbera, Universal, and DePatie-Freeling studios, like Award winner animator Mr. Arthur Leonardi, Cathy Castillo, or Chuck Jones’s pupil Mr.Terry Lenon.
In 1997, I reached a professional glass ceiling, so I decided to
look for new horizons by joining the staff of Animation Enterprises Hong Kong Ltd. and Agogo Corporation
working as Art Director and Animation Supervisor. The company has studios in different cities along the Southeast coast of China
including Hong Kong, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Quangzhou, Shenzhen, Beijing, and Nanjing, city in which I trained layout and
pre-production teams for over three years.
After seven years in Asia, I moved to Toronto (Canada) where I have been serving as adjunct faculty in the animation programs
of different institutions like The Art Institute, Kennedy College of Technology, and Max The Mutt College of Animation Art & Design.
During my extensive career I have collaborated on many popular shows like: “The Pocket Dragons”, “Problem Child”,
“The Mole Sisters”,
“The Lampies”, “Skipper & Skeeto”, “Swift & The Little Circus”, “Enigma”, “Fix & Foxi”, “Gloria’s House”,
“Dad’X”, “The Little Witches”,or “Pet Pals” among many others. I also collaborated on the following feature films: “The Fairy Oak”,
“Winnetoons: Going to the West”, “The Black Cat”, and “Yoko Tzuno Me”.
Resume
Playvel, Studio 3sixt
Illustration / Graphic Design
☻ Logo and Brand development
☻ Movie poster illustration
☻ T-shirt design
☻ Storyboard direction
☻ Design & Print marketing
☻ Pre-production Design
☻ Layout & Mockups
Max The Mutt College of Animation, Art & Design
Faculty of Animation Art & Design
☻ Provision of course syllabi, learning objectives, evaluation methods and grading breakdowns
☻ Prepare lessons plans consistent with, and meeting the learning objectives of the curriculum of the school
☻ Supervision and grading of students assignments
☻ Submission of attendance reports
☻ Mentoring students
AGOGO Corporation HK
Pre-production Director
☻ Supervised Pre-production department
☻ Directed and supervised many series and pilots for clients such as Walt Disney Television, Uli Meyer Animation Hit Entertainment PLC, Funbag Animation Studios Inc., Animasia UK, Cartwn Cymru Cyf, TF1 and Canadian TV Fund
☻ Storyboarded and slugged many different Saturday morning shows
☻ Directed dope-sheets
The Art Institute
Faculty of Animation Art & Design
☻ Provision of course syllabi, learning objectives, evaluation methods and grading breakdowns
☻ Prepare lessons plans consistent with, and meeting the learning objectives of the curriculum of the school
☻ Supervision and grading of students assignments and exams
☻ Submission of attendance reports
☻ Mentoring students
Kennedy College of Technology
Faculty of Animation Art & Design
☻ Provision of course syllabi, learning objectives, evaluation methods and grading breakdowns
☻ Prepare lessons plans consistent with, and meeting the learning objectives of the curriculum of the school
☻ Supervision and grading of students assignments
☻ Submission of attendance reports
☻ Mentoring students
Animation Services HK Ltd.
Animation Director
☻ Supervised Pre-production department
☻ Recruited, organized and trained new staff for developing new projects
☻ Directed and supervised many shows and pilots
☻ Storyboarded and slugged many different projects
☻ Directed dope-sheets
☻ Trained pre-production and storyboard teams
☻ Collaborated in two TV special feature films: The Fairy Oak (80min.), Cartwn Cymru Cyf;Hit Entertainment; Winnetoons, Going To The West (75min.), Animation Studio Ludewig GmBH
Skills
Graphic Skills
Other Skills
PERSONAL QUALITIES
- Solutions-driven individual
- Excellent and patient communicator
- Great team player
- Success motivated
- Superior organizational, time management and leadership skills
- Highly developed interpersonal skills with a demonstrated sensitivity towards a diverse group of staff
Client's Remarks
José is very versatile and professional and his work of the highest caliber. He always gives 110% on all his assignments, he is a team player and I would look forward to working with him again in any future project!
Art Leonardi
Award winner Animation Director & member of the Hollywood Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
José's creativity, talent and professionalism are evident in his work. He is inspired and brilliant. My business industry is complex, yet Jose understood my vision with ease and was able to deliver beyond my expectations!
Lelia Minea
Encino
José showed great profesionalism, efficiency, and dedication on all his assignments while working as Director of Animation in several of our projects. We will not hesitate to hire him again for any future production! !
Gil Carpio
Dargaud-Marina
Jose successfully translated his international experience into a dynamic, interactive, and meaningful classroom experience for our students, who found Jose to be very acknowledgeable in all the subjects he taught!
Dr. Nicoleta M. Raileanu
Kennedy College of Technology
José is dependable and very responsible individual. He has quickly earned the respect of his students and peers, and is highly regarded within our academic community. I am very fortunate to have José as part of my team!
Pesikan Predrag
The Art Institute
Services
Children Illustration
Personalized children's books with your child as protagonist including his name and the names of your family and friends. Custom illustrations of your child and personalized book dedication.Provide your own story or choose from some already written ones based on some timeless classics of the children literature! It's the perfect gift! Storytime has never been this fun !
Editorial Illustration
Editorial Illustration is the best vehicle for political satire and social commentary. However, Editorial illustration extends beyond the world of politics. If you need to illuminate a specific excerpt of your piece of literary work to further explain some element of the concept for the reader, I can help !.
Animation
Traditional 2D animation, explainer videos, whiteboard animation, motion graphics, 3D animation, internal videos, educational clips, multimedia projects. All animation services from script to screen at an affordable price.
Sequential Narrative
Sequential narrative is an art form that uses images deployed in sequence for graphic storytelling or to convey information. Do you need graphics to illustrate your next great idea? Do you need visual aid to pitch your concept for the next great blockbuster, TV series, game, comic strip, story book, graphic novel, animated project, or commercial? I can help !
Pre-production Design
The pre-production phase of a project is where all the planning takes place before the camera rolls. This planning phase sets the overall vision of the project and comprises character, props, and backgrounds design as well as colour and style treatment, slug, x-sheets, storyboarding, and animatics.
Graphic Design
The process of visual communication and problem-solving through the use of typography, photography and illustration. Page layout, visual composition, leaflets, booklets, logos, branding, product packaging, signage, iconografy, infography, and desktop publishing. Request a quote !
Portfolio
Process
The creative process can be broken down into
distinct phasesF, most of which can be fostered and augmented.
Creative ideas are the result of a broad intent and a lot of experimenting on behalf of
your subconscious.
Our brains want to come up with original thoughts, we simply
have to get out of the way.
