Resume | jasontkruse (original) (raw)
ILLUSTRATOR, CHARACTER DESIGNER, STORYBOARD ARTIST, PROFESSOR
Experienced illustrator and animator with over 20 years in the television, film and video game industries.
WORK HISTORY
EPIC DROPS 2023—Present
Product Illustrator
- Illustrating designs for various cartoon and video products such as key chains
- Working heavily in both Clip Studio and Adobe Illustrator
CATS ACADEMY/THE STAFFORD HOUSE 2024—2024
Instructor, "Comics and Illustration"
- Taught the art of drawing and writing for comics and illustration at the CATS Academy in Braintree, MA for a 2-week summer program
- Concentrated on the fundamentals of visual storytelling, perspective, as well as anatomy and their use in the sequential arts.
MONTSERRAT COLLEGE OF ART 2024—2024
Instructor, “Storyboarding”
- Taught "Storyboarding" twice-per-week.
- Taught sequential storytelling as it applies to animation, film, television, and video games
- Taught the basics of ToonBoom's software, “Storyboard Pro”
LAKE REGION COMMUNITY COLLEGE 2023—2024
Instructor, “Foundation of Design”
- Currently teaching a once-per-week "Foundations of Design" class
- Teaching the basics of things such as line, shapes, and values and how they apply to design work such as logos, icons, and illustrations
THE MARKETING STORE 2023—2023
Freelance Illustrator
- Illustrated high-fidelity storyboards for an unannounced live-action film
- Illustrated high-fidelity storyboards for the Happy Meal app as a tie-in with Pixar's film, “Elemental”
- Worked heavily in both Clip Studio and Adobe Illustrator
HOUSE OF COOL 2022—2022
Storyboard Artist
- Worked as a storyboard artist on “The Freak Brothers” season 2 for House of Cool, airing on Tubi
- Worked heavily in ToonBoom's, “Storyboard Pro”
SKETCHY, LLC 2021—2022
Illustrator/Designer
- Worked with Sketchy as an illustrator to design simple concept artwork to aid medical students in their educational pursuits
PURE IMAGINATION STUDIOS 2021—2021
Character Designer/Concept Artist
- Worked briefly creating designs for an upcoming, unannounced "Lego" television program
- Created concepts, turnarounds, as well as full-color illustrations of characters
ANIMASIA ANIMATION 2021—2021
Storyboard Artist
- Worked as a storyboard artist on an unannounced Preschool cartoon with Animasia Animation in conjunction with Age of Learning
- Worked heavily in ToonBoom's, “Storyboard Pro"
PRINCESS PICTURES, Australia 2021—2021
Storyboard Artist
- Worked as a storyboard artist on the “Smiling Friends” cartoon with Princess Pictures
- Worked heavily in ToonBoom's, “Storyboard Pro”
TITMOUSE ANIMATION, Burbank, CA 2020—2020
Storyboard Revisionist
- Revised storyboards, created new storyboards, and put characters on-model with Titmouse Animation for “Chicago Party Aunt” airs on Netflix
- Also worked briefly for their “Special Projects” division on an internal pitch utilizing Adobe Animate/Flash
- Worked heavily in ToonBoom's, “Storyboard Pro”
CBS, Manhattan, NY 2020--2020
Character Designer
- Created character designs for the CBS show, “Tooning Out The News”
- Worked heavily in Photoshop while also breaking up the designs for animation
ODDBOT ANIMATION, Glendale, Ca 2019—2019
Storyboard Revisionist
- Revised and created storyboards at Oddbot Animation for “Muppet Babies” short-term
- Worked exclusively in Storyboard Pro creating rough boards
BENTO BOX ENTERTAINMENT, North Hollywood, Ca 2019—2019
Storyboard Artist
- Created storyboards at Bento Box Entertainment for Amy Poehler's animated series, “Duncanville”
- Worked exclusively in Storyboard Pro creating rough and clean-up boards
AGE OF LEARNING, INC., Glendale, Ca 2018—2019
Senior Artist
- Created various mini-game, educational assets utilizing Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator
WILDWORKS, Salt Lake City, UT 2015--2017
Marketing Illustrator
- Illustrated characters, crafts and activities for kids at Wildworks for the online game "Animal Jam" and the mobile game, "Play Wild"
- Responsible for creating many of the game's advertising campaigns including seasonal as well as holiday banners, spot illustrations, and "Look of the Week" characters based on children's in-game avatars
PLAYNEXT GAMES (formerly Aeria Games), Santa Clara, Ca 2013—2015
Senior Animator and Game Artist
- Animated and altered existing animation for use in the 3d/2d animated mobile game, "Assassin's Creed: Memories" utilizing 3d Studio Max, Adobe Flash
- Created storyboards for "Assassin's Creed: Memories"
- Created character designs as well as visual effects for "Nova Smash"
GREE INTERNATIONAL, San Francisco, Ca 2012—2013
Animator
- Animated for various mobile games such as “Monster Quest”, “Dragonia” and “Crime City 2” utilizing a number of different programs including Adobe Flash, Photoshop, Autodesk Maya and After Effects
APPANT STUDIOS, San Carlos, Ca 2012—2012
Animator/2d/3d Artist
- Animated all humanoid characters as well as some dinosaurs using Photoshop for the mobile game, “Dino Life” for AppAnt Studios, published by Gree Internationa
- Developed various character designs for various untitled projects. Modeled, rigged and animated characters for the unpublished title, “Dino Life 2”
- Created concept & vector artwork of characters and environments for the unpublished sequel
YEN PRESS AND COOKIE JAR PRODUCTIONS , Various Locations 2003—2009
Graphic Novel & Animated Program Creator, Creative Consultant & Screenwriter
- I created the television show "World of Quest" which is based on my graphic novel of the same name, published by Yen Press. It aired for one season in the United States and a second season in over 87 different countries
- Wrote, penciled and inked "The World of Quest" graphic novels, volumes 1 and 2, published by Yen Press
EDUCATION
California Institute of the Arts – Candidate, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Character Animation
Ohio University, Bachelor of Science in Communications
AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS
▪ Eisner Award Nominee, 2010—Best Children’s Publication: “Scratch9”, written by Rob M Worley, illustrated by Jason T Kruse, published by Ape Entertainment
▪ Comics Buyers Guide Awards Nominee, 2010—Best Cover Artist, “Scratch9”
▪ Harvey Award Nominee, 2008—Best Artist, Best Graphic Album, “The World of Quest: Volume 2”, published by Yen Press
EXPERTISE
Illustration
Storyboards
Character Design
Layout
Screenwriting
3D Animation
Classical Animation
FILM CREDITS
Fast 5
The Barnyard
Cats and Dogs
TV CREDITS
World of Quest—Creator and
Screenwriter
Duncanville
Muppet Babies
The Smiling Friends
Chicago Party Aunt
The Freak Brothers
Tooning Out the News
Unannounced Lego Show
SOFTWARE
Storyboard Pro
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Flash
Adobe After Effects
Adobe Premiere
3-D Studio Max
Esoteric Spine
SHIPPED TITLES
Animal Jam
Dragonia
Monster Quest
Kingdom Age
Book of Ashes
Animal Jam
Dino Life
Ratatouille
Ratatouille: Food Frenzy
Master of Orion 3
Cashflow 101
Cashflow 202
AMF Extreme Bowling
Star Trek: Tactical Assault
Deadliest Catch: Sea of Chaos