Jim Pearson

Work History

• 

  Art Director

  Zynga

  August 2014 - Present
• 

  Art Director

  Disney Interactive Studios

  August 2013 - August 2014

  Palo Alto, CA
• 

  Art Director

  Kabam

  July 2010 - February 2013
• 

  Art Lead

  Kabam

  July 2010 - January 2011
• 

  Associate Art Director

  Playdom

  February 2010 - August 2010
• 

  Lead Concept Artist

  Slipgate Ironworks

  July 2007 - October 2009

  Worked closely with 2 Art Directors, establishing the overall vision for original IP - including color and style explorations for seven zones; Supervised six concept artists in the creation of characters, creatures, environments, architecture, props, color/lighting direction; established style guides for outsourcers.
• 

  Art Director/Production Designer

  WildBrain

  March 2003 - June 2003

  Jasper short film
  Worked closely with Director Phil Robinson and technical artists; Supervised production design for characters, sets, props; Created lighting design/color scripts for key scenes in show; Created/Supervised model packets, shader specs; Attended & participated in reviews for models, shaders, story.
• 

  Concept Artist

  WildBrain

  2003 - 2003
• 

  Art Director

  Pixar

  December 1996 - October 2002

  Art Director/Production Designer for Toy Story 2; Art Director for Pixar Creative Resources; Concept Artist on Finding Nemo; Art Director on Humpty Trouble short film.
• 

  Production Designer

  Pixar

  December 1996 - October 2002

  TOY STORY 2 - 2000 Annie Award Nominee for Best Production Design.
  Worked closely with Directors John Lasseter, Colin Brady, Ash Brannon, Lee Unkrich; Supervised 8 artists; Supervised/Directed production design for characters, sets, props; Created lighting design/color scripts for entire film; Created/Supervised model packets, shader specs, Art Dept. presentations; Created lighting Storyboards/cinematic sequential art; Worked closely with Modeling, Shading and Lighting Technical Directors to communicate art needs to Technical departments; Directed set dressing; Attended & participated in reviews for models, shaders, lighting, set dressing, story.

  
• 

  Art Director - Kelloggs Buzz Blast Cereal TV spot

  Pixar

  April 2002 - May 2002

  Created/Supervised model packets, shader specs, Art Dept. presentations; Worked closely with Modeling, Shading and Lighting Technical Directors to communicate art needs to Technical departments; Worked as acting director of spot when Director Roger Gould was on other assignments.
• 

  Art Director - Pixar Creative Resources

  Pixar

  January 2000 - July 2000

  Worked with Disney Synergy partners (Disney Theme Parks; Publishing; Stores; Mattel; McDonalds, etc.) to design and maintain the highest quality merchandise utilizing Pixar's stable of characters; Designed Disney and Pixar's Toy Story: The Sketchbook Series book; Designed & Supervised Pixar collateral material for clients like The New York Times, Cowgirl Hall of Fame, etc.
  FINDING NEMO - SKETCH ARTIST
  Worked closely with Production Designer Ralph Eggleston; Created set and prop designs for three key sets; Created color/lighting sketches exploring various times of day; Worked closely with the Story Dept. to determine particulars of sets; Constructed mock-up sets for video Pre-Viz exploration of the Fishtank set.
  WILLIAM JOYCE'S HUMPTY TROUBLE SHORT FILM - ART DIRECTOR
  Worked closely with Director William Joyce on production design for characters, sets, props; Supervised/Directed 2 artists; Created/Supervised model packets, shader specs, Art Dept. presentations; Worked with Modeling, Shading and Lighting TDs to communicate art needs to Technical departments.
• 

  Senior Computer Artist

  Mindscape, Inc.

  May 1993 - November 1996

  5 titles shipped
  ADVENTURES ON LEGO ISLAND DOONESBURY ELECTION GAME , DOONESBURY SCREENSAVER, ANTHOLOGY MARIO'S TIME MACHINE for SNES and PC
  DNA PRODUCTIONS - CONCEPT ARTIST for THE ANT BULLY
  Worked closely with Director John Davis; Created set and prop designs for key sets; Created designs for key characters.
  Mac and PC proficiency in Photoshop, Illustrator, some Flash, some Maya, Word Power, Point/Keynote.
• 

  Art Lead

  Mindscape, Inc.

  1993 - 1996

  Artist/Writer on Mario's Time Machine; Artist on Thunder in Paradise; Lead Artist on Doonesbury Screensaver, Doonesbury Election Game; Contributing Artist on Doonesbury Anthology; Lead Artist on Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing For Teens: Franklin Street; Artist on Adventures on Lego Island.

• Instructor

  Academy of Art College

  1982 - 1993

  Instructor: Clothed Figure Drawing I; Illustration III; Illustration III Special Topic: Photography for Reference; History of Illustration; Humorous Illustration.