Zerply

Jennifer Ely

Senior Production Designer/ Illustrator / Vis Dev Artist / 12 yrs

Portland, OR, United States

Hire Me

Production Designer (Unknown Episodes)

Matt & Bird Break Loose (2021)

Color Artist

Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio (2022)

Illustrator

Wendell & Wild (2022)

2D Artist/ Painter

On Ice (2015)

Production Designer

The Shivering Truth (2018)

Colo Stylist

The Adventures of Puss in Boots (2015)

Art Intern / PA

The Boxtrolls (2014)

Project Designer

International Delight Caramel Macchiato

Project Designer

Häagen-Dazs Maker Street

Jenn is a Visual Development Artist, Production Designer / Art Director, and Illustrator living in Portland, OR. She’s known for her work on great narrative projects in animation and children’s books.

She is currently working on her next kid’s book Cactus Queen, a non fiction picture book about Minerva Hamilton Hoyt’s fight to establish Joshua Tree National Park (written by Lori Alexander for Calkins Creek). Recent work includes color design for Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio, illustrating on Henry Selick’s Wendell and Wild, and illustrating The Gardener of Alcatraz: A True Story, a recently released nonfiction picture book written by Emma Bland Smith for Charlesbridge. Jenn has a background in traditional fine art, and began her career in animation on The Boxtrolls in 2012. She has gone on to work on a wide variety of film, television, commercial, and VR productions, designing everything from characters, color, environments, matte paintings, story beats, costumes and more.

Work History

Illustrator

Astra Publishing House

May 2022 - Present

I’m working on my next non fiction picture book with Astra/ Calkins Creek. It’s called “ Cactus Queen” and it’s written by Lori Alexander. Coming 2024!
Visual Development Artist

ShadowMachine

February 2022 - Present

I’ve been working with Shadow Machine’s development team on some upcoming pitches. It’s freelance and so is stop and start, but when I have the room I love working with Shadow:D
Freelance Illustrator

DreamWorks Animation

February 2017 - Present
Designer

House of Cool Inc.

October 2022 - November 2022
Color Designer

Swaybox

July 2022 - August 2022
Illustrator

Oddbot Inc.

July 2022 - August 2022
Visual Development Artist

Warner Bros. Animation

March 2022 - June 2022
Production Designer

Hornet Inc.

December 2020 - May 2022
Senior Concept Artist

Swaybox

November 2021 - February 2022
Illustrator

Charlesbridge Publishing

November 2020 - September 2021

Illustrating a non fiction picture book, “The Gardener of Alcatraz”
Production Designer at Amazon Studios

Prime Video & Amazon Studios

December 2020 - August 2021
Color Designer

ShadowMachine

November 2019 - December 2020

Developing the color script for the upcoming Netflix stop motion feature film, "Pinocchio", directed by Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson.
Production Designer

Bent Image Lab

July 2015 - October 2020

I work frequently with Bent Image Lab as production designer on various pitches and commercial spots, including repeat clients such as Honda and Puffs.
Illustrator

Netflix

May 2018 - November 2019

Illustrator on Henry Selick and Jordan Peele's Wendell and Wild
Visual Development Artist

Uyoung

August 2018 - September 2018

Portland, Oregon Area
Production Designer

ShadowMachine

February 2018 - July 2018

Portland, OR
Visual Development Artist

Locksmith Animation

March 2018 - May 2018
Freelance Visual Development Artist

DreamWorks Animation

March 2017 - March 2018

I work on and off with Dreamworks TV on development projects. I have been brought on to design environments, color, and style for multiple 2D properties. I love working on the early stages of projects where we are still figuring out what the look is. It's a blast and the teams have been great to work with!
Production Designer

ShadowMachine

August 2017 - September 2017

Portland, Oregon Area
Professor

The Oatley Academy of Concept Art & Illustration

December 2014 - July 2017

I admire the community of focused passionate individuals that Chris Oatley and the other amazing professors at the school have brought together. I am humbled and excited to be a part of it!
Project Designer

HouseSpecial

July 2015 - October 2015

I freelance for House Special on a regular basis doing everything from production design to prop design on great commercial projects for a variety of clients.
Designer / Painter

XMen Apocalypse M&Ms

September 2015 - October 2015

Portland, OR

I created drawings translating the costumes and generating character poses for these M&Ms;// Xmen Apocalyse crossovers. They were then modelled, and I painted the final versions on the models in 2D.
Production Designer

Pixel Veil LLC

June 2015 - July 2015

Feature fIlm pitch artwork
Project Designer

HouseSpecial

May 2015 - May 2015

This was my second project with House Special. I was called in to tackle color keys and some composition work for an upcoming commercial combines live action with CG animation. I had a great couple weeks with some lovely talented people:D
Concept Designer

Laika

March 2015 - May 2015
2D Artist/ Painter

Evil Eye Pictures

January 2015 - March 2015

Google Spotlight Story, "On Ice" written and directed by Shannon Tindle, with production design by Lou Romano
Project Designer

HouseSpecial

January 2015 - February 2015

I spent about 4 weeks working with House Special on a stop motion spot for Häagen-Dazs. It was a great experience and I'm really proud of how the work came out! The bulk of my contribution was color design and prop design, with some environment and costume work sprinkled in there.
Color Stylist

Bardel Entertainment

March 2014 - October 2014

Vancouver, BC

Dreamworks "The Adventures of Puss In Boots" for Netflix
Concept Development Artist

Laika

March 2014 - June 2014

hillsboro, or

Various upcoming feature film projects, under NDA
Graphic Artist

Laika

September 2013 - December 2013
Art Production Asst.

Laika

December 2012 - August 2013
Art Intern

Laika

June 2012 - November 2012