Character designer and illustrator Bobby Chiu, known for work on Disney’s Alice in Wonderland, and event organizer and filmmaker Jim Demonakos (Mike Mignola: Drawing Monsters) have come together to celebrate the visual arts with LightBox Expo, a three-day event at the Pasadena Convention Center from Friday October 27th through Sunday October 29th.
“LightBox Expo features over 600 artists, more than 200 panels and demos, plus over 300 creators in artist alley,” said Jim Demonakos. “Attendees to this year’s event will be able to purchase plus toys of the LBX Mascots, a hoodie specifically designed to cater to traditional and digital artists, a selection of custom sketchbooks and more!”
The artists and creators have a wide range of experiences including acclaimed films, animation, games, TV shows, comics, and illustrations. Guests include Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle: Mutant Mayhem director Jeff Rowe (check out our Dorkaholics interview with him here), best-selling Nimona creator ND Stevenson, Studio Ghibli painter Yoichi Nishikawa, webcomic superstar LySandra Vuong (Covenant), and more!
“We’re excited to present educational panels throughout the show that allow new and upcoming artists to hear about pathways into the industry,” said Bobby Chiu. “In addition, much of the programming allows artists of all levels to learn new tips, tricks and techniques to up their art game, making it the perfect place to come learn no matter where you are in your artistic journey.”
Panel and event highlights include:
The Concept Art Awards
The annual award ceremony is designed to recognize and bring increased awareness of the role of concept artists throughout the world of movies, television, video games, and more. This year’s finalists include Kristafer Anka (Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse), Debby Coleman & Maria Yi (Elemental), Nacho Molina (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem), Tyler Carter (Nimona), Dawn Carlos (Tales of the Jedi), Genevieve Tsai (Animaniacs), Meybis Ruiz Cruz (Entergalactic) and many more. The 2023 Concept Art Awards finalists can be viewed here: https://www.conceptartassociation.com/
Hatching A Plan
Join Director Sam Fell and Aardman Animation Co-Founder Peter Lord, as they crack open a soufflé of scintillating secrets from behind the scenes of Aardman’s latest stop frame digital kitchen – Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget. Foxes are strictly prohibited.
Guts, Glory, Transformation and HEART
Join Directors Nick Bruno, Troy Quane, and The Creator of the NYT Best Selling Graphic Novel, ND Stevenson as they present a special “Making Of” session that illustrates the process of bringing Nimona’s fearless journey from Graphic Novel to Screen. Uncover the challenges faced and the artistic triumphs achieved while breaking barriers in feature animation storytelling.
A Session with Character Design Legends
Step into the world of animation with character design legends Carter Goodrich, Peter de Seve, and Carlos Grangel, moderated by Renee di Cherri. These master artists have collectively influenced iconic animated films such as “Ratatouille,” “Finding Nemo,” “Ice Age,” “Despicable Me,” “Corpse Bride,” “Hotel Transylvania,” “Shrek,” “The Incredibles,” “Madagascar,” “The Prince of Egypt,” and a multitude more. Dive deep into the minds of those who’ve shaped the faces of animation, exploring their creative process, unique insights, and the journey of character design evolution. Don’t miss this chance to gain invaluable knowledge from the individuals who have defined character artistry in the animated film industry.
Creating the Spider-Verse
Hear from some of the incredible designers at Sony Pictures Animation and Sony Pictures Imageworks as they discuss their process in creating some of the most exciting worlds featured in “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.” This session will focus on the artistic and technological innovations of the production, presented by Patrick O’Keefe (Production Designer) and Mike Lasker (VFX Supervisor).
A Conversation with the Artists of Star Wars
Join us as we look at the creative journeys of Lucasfilm designers: Christian Alzmann, Brian Matyas, and Benjamin Last. Discover how they conceptualize their ideas, collaborate with fellow creatives, and approach design challenges. They will be sharing stories about the process of designing characters, droids, vehicles and more!
Visit lightboxexpo.com for more information!
