31 Dec 2012 Highlights and Accomplishments
2012 was another jam-packed year. In addition to surviving another presidential election and a Mayan apocalypse, my wife and I welcomed our third daughter into the world. I also stayed very busy in the studio working on lots of fun projects for clients in the toy industry (most of which I can’t show), as well as some advertising comp art (such as these samples for the Coca-Cola company through CPC Intersect) and even some courtroom sketching.
Other notable projects included designing a mascot for Goldfish Swim Schools and some character concept work for VeggieTales. I even flexed my animation muscles (scrawny as they are) for VeggieTales creator Phil Vischer and his latest ongoing project, What’s In The Bible? Finally, I capped off the year by illustrating a three-page comic strip story for Highlights Magazine.
In addition to cranking out all that client work, here’s a few other items of interest from the past year…
I was interviewed on the art website DesignMontage.com.
I was a courtroom sketch artist for the hit-and-run trial of Amy Senser, wife of former NFL player Joe Senser. I also launched a website to promote my courtroom sketch work, www.courtroomsketches.com.
I started creating original sketch cards for mailing out to current or potential clients.
I joined the cool kids over at Instagram (username: cedrichohnstadt), where I occasionally post snaps from my sketchbook and other odds and ends.
Though I didn’t do much traveling this year, I did have a table at our two local Twin Cities comic book conventions (SpringCon and FallCon), and for the second year in a row I gave a talk on freelancing at the CTN Animation Expo in Burbank, California.
I got some wonderful original art for my studio from cartoonist and all-around-great-guy John Hambrock (“The Brilliant Mind Of Edison Lee”).
Former Disney animator Tom Bancroft released his new book on character design, Character Mentor, which I highly recommend.
Finally, a few days ago I tied the bow on a newly illustrated Gospel tract for the ministry of Living Waters. I’m looking forward to posting more about that soon.
It’s amazing how quickly a year fills up, and I’m extremely blessed to continue making a living doing what I love. Here’s wishing each and every one of you a very prosperous and happy 2013!