AARON K. SOWD

Multi-media artist and storyteller specializing in storyboards, illustration and concept design for advertising, animation, comics, video games, theme parks and films.

Founder, owner and art director of this multi-media work-for-hire studio.

Produce print, multi-media, web-based and broadcast media.
Work with clients to provide consistent creative direction for films, animation, theme parks, television, video games and products, including concept design, character design, promotional artwork, and storyboards.
Oversee online productions from planning to completion. Coordinate the art team with the production team to meet tight deadlines.
Created and produced animation for Hollywood Dream ride for Universal Studios in Osaka, Japan.
Created characters and art for Dollywood
Storyboarded God of War, NFL Blitz, Ballers, Vegas and Niagara Falls The Simpsons 3-D motion Ride for Universal Studios in Hollywood.
Clients include: include Dreamworks, Disney, Digital Domain, DC Comics, Dollywood, Fox, HBO, Warner Bros, Sony, LucasArts, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, Marvel Entertainment, Midway, Surreal, NFL Network, Coca Cola, Coors, Nike, Old Navy, Nissan, Lexus, Toyota, Upper Deck, Universal Studios, Blur Studios, and Vivendi International.
Featured speaker and instructor at SIGGRAPH, E3, Art Center and Otis College of Art and Design.
Films include Transformers, Solaris Austin Powers in Goldmember Freddy vs. Jason, Ultimate Avengers II, Human Nature, Happy Endings, Woman’s Work, Kid Bang and Virus.

Co-founder and art director of this multi-media work-for-hire studio.

• Produce print, multi-media, web-based and broadcast media.
• Work with clients to provide consistent creative direction for products, including game design, web site design, retail packaging, promotional artwork, concept designs and storyboards.
• Oversee online productions from planning to completion. Coordinate the art team with the development team to meet site deployment deadlines.
• Created a 30 second animated segment for Pisces, an independent film entered in The Sundance Film Festival this year.
• Clients include: Motorola, Nissan, National Safety Council, Mattel, Clever Films, Ayzenberg, Voosen and Associates, Diamond Games, Electronic Arts, Bank of Hawaii and Southern California Edison.

Developed licensed properties as online-enabled multiplayer games and retail collectible smart trading cards.
• Worked with brand manager to provide consistent creative direction for product, including game design, web site design, and retail packaging.
• Oversaw online productions from planning to completion. Coordinated the art team with the development team to meet site deployment deadlines.
• Projects included online multi-player games, web sites, and trading cards featuring licensed properties.
• Built strong relationships with vendors, licensors, developers and other third party partners.
• Projects included: X-Action Skateboarding and development deals with Pepsi, NBA, Universal, Paramount, Tiger Electronics and Hot Rod magazine.
• Managed creative team, assigned tasks, set deadlines, hired and managed freelancers as needed.

Managed division that produced flash animation, games and website content for comic book legend Stan Lee.
• Hired and supervised a team of over 25 digital and traditional artists.
• Produced and created over 100 fully-animated webisodes.
• Produced broadcast and online projects including commercials, television shows, and 3D effects sequences both internally and with outside companies.
• Co-created the property The Stone Man with Stan Lee. Designed the entire show from the ground up, produced the style guide and storyboarded the first two episodes.
• Created promotional artwork featured in The New York Times, Time magazine,The Hollywood Reporter and People Magazine as well as television commercials and a national billboard advertising campaign.
• Projects included: pre-production for The Wrath of Conan and 7th Portal feature films, The WWF’s Triple H and Chyna, The Backstreet Boys, Mary J. Blige, 7th Portal, Accuser, Drifter, Mighty Mouse, Slam Girl, Paramount Parks Theme Park Ride, Stanlee.net web site, Stanleemedia.com Investor Relations website, online games, Hollywood Christmas Parade, Hollywood Salute to President Clinton.
• Shows were broadcast on television in three languages and 8 different countries.
• Established production guidelines for online production covering all phases of production including script, storyboard, layout, ink and paint, post-production and delivery.
• Cut production costs by nearly 30% by streamlining production process and eliminating redundancies.
• Developed style guides and assisted in brand management of licensing and logo design.
• Featured speaker at nationwide and international industry events.

Worked closely with designers and clients to develop projects from concept to completion.

• Illustrated packaging for Star Wars Episode One: The Phantom Menace by Galloob Toys.
• Illustrated style guides for two animated features by Fox Animation, Titan A.E. and Anastasia.
• Created The Woman’s World Cup ’99 soccer team mascot.
• Created Binky, a cartoon character for PDC, a Japanese company involved in the environmental protection of the ocean.
• Clients included: Disney, Dreamworks Interactive, Warner Bros, 20th century Fox, MGM, Sony, The Coca-Cola Company, Oldsmobile, Nickelodeon, Buena Vista Television, Cendant Software, Blizzard Entertainment, Toy Biz, Playmates, Galloob and DirecTV.

EDUCATION
Associates in Art
California State University Chico

RECENT WEB-BASED URLS
http://www.plasticsturgeon.com
http://www.statcard.com
http://www.xactionskate.com
http://www.voosen.com
http://www.stanlee.net
http://www.masterminds.us
http://www.aaronsowd.com

AWARDS
Digital Coast 2000 Visionary Award for 7th Portal
Web Awards 2000 Best of Show Award for www.stanlee.net
Web Awards 2000 Best Entertainment Website Award for www.stanlee.net

REFERENCES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

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©2002 Aaron Sowd • site design by Plastic Sturgeon.
LEGAL NOTICE: The sample illustrations on this web site are the properties of their respective copyright holders.  It is forbidden to download, copy, distribute and/or reproduce any of these images without the express permission of the copyright holders.