Get mentored by Kina
Animation artist, illustrator, sculptor & costumer
Whether you’re:
a parent who wants personalized mentoring for a budding artist
an artist who wants to turn your creativity into a career
someone who wants to grow and enjoy the benefits of their art journey
I’m here to guide your innovative ideas, inspire your imagination and support you every step of the way!
I’m available to mentor in these areas:
Unlock your potential and learn from an active animation and fine art industry professional
Rising Professionals:
creating an animated film or series from idea to completed project
stop motion animation
2D/CG animation
Prop Making
Portfolio building
Portfolio review
Exploration:
Painting: acrylic, gouache, watercolor, oil, digital
Sculpture
Sketching & Drawing
Pastels: oil and chalk
Color Theory
Illustration Composition
a way to express yourself emotionally with color, texture, shape and sometimes even physically
lowers risk of cognitive impairment [ref]
can boost overall well-being through positive emotions, such as enthusiasm, excitement or more energy and encourages flourishing [ref]
helps us process pre-speech areas to better understand particular events and emotions [ref]
creates new neural pathways in the brain and encourages neuroplasticity [ref]
helps us balance practicality with abstraction and vice versa [ref]
“…[Our] visual system, which is the vehicle that processes visual art, is aimed at filtering, organizing and putting (functional) order to the enormous amount of data streaming into it… These ongoing bidirectional processes enable us to make quick and effective generalizations and decisions about the world.” [ref]
the satisfaction of having control over tools, imagining and visualizing an outcome, and making it tangible in reality
Making art can have incredible benefits:
Connect & Schedule
About the Artist
I’m an animation artist, freelance illustrator, fiber artist, sculptor, painter, and so many other things - I contain multitudes and unexpected plot twists.
Recently, I was a Color Designer and Background Painter on X-Men ‘97, a life-changing experience and one of the best jobs I’ve ever had. Previously, I worked on animated shows such as Baby Shark’s Big Show, Final Space, American Dad!, New Looney Tunes, Bunnicula, and lots more.
At the
X-Men ‘97 Premiere
I worked very hard to get here and it was an amazing experience I’ll never forget!
On some occasions I do set decor, makeup, hair, and costuming on live action sets - a short sci-fi film I recently loved working on called Bright Forests was screened at the Austin Film Festival and Dances with Films. I even got to do costume design for the Love From the Other Side music video with Fall Out Boy.
In my spare time, I’ve been known to illustrate my favorite native SoCal and ancestral plants and create diagrams and exhibit illustrations for my small-group summer NASA challenges. Some mornings I try to paint or draw how I’m feeling to warm up and ground myself.
Art and imagination saved me numerous times over my life - I don’t know where I’d be without being able to express myself, let myself dream of new possibilities or being able to connect with others through creative modalities. Art and being creative is for everyone at any level and I’m excited to show people how to access it, whether it’s been a long time, has been hidden or if you want to brush up on skills. Contact me to get started!
Some examples of my professional Animation work:
FAQs
Where will sessions be held?
In the form you can request an in-home session (K-12 only), online or a mix if applicable. All in-home sessions must be within a 15 mile radius of Burbank, CA.
What materials will I need?
All materials needed will be talked about before sessions and a list will be provided depending on the mentee’s needs. Mentees will be required to obtain all materials, none will be provided by the mentor unless stated.
How often can we meet?
Weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly are all options available. Please let me know what you’re looking for the mentee’s schedule in the form, and we will work something out.
What if I need to cancel?
Cancellations or rescheduling must be made at least 24 hrs in advance. An inconvenience fee may be charged for no-shows, late cancellations or rescheduling.
How do you teach each mentee?
Each person is intuitive in their own way, and my goal is to nurture that innate creativity that exists in everyone. While I cannot guarantee the outcome, being able to gently inspire, navigate the waters of specific tools and goals, and question our inner critic is beneficial for anyone looking to cultivate their skills.
Susan Magsamen
(Founder, and director of the International Arts + Mind Lab Center for Applied Neuroaesthetics at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine)
“[The Arts] are really important for human development. Researchers are finding that we as humans are hard-wired for aesthetic experiences. The arts are not just fundamental aspects of our humanity, but also essential to our well-being.”
Kina Mickahail-Giblin