A guide on HOW TO ATTEND PANELS AT LIGHTBOX EXPO
SCHEDULE
193 schedules found.
Schedules
LBX Community Picnic
Are you looking to connect with fellow LBX26 attendees ahead of the expo? 🧺 Bring your own food 🥙, a sketchbook 📘, some pencils ✏️ and join us at our Community Picnic in Pasadena Central Park! https://www.cityofpasadena.net/parks-and-rec/parks/central-park/
Skill Level: General Audience
Draw’n Together
A Pre-LBX Ice Breaker: Sketch and Chat!
If you feel shy about not knowing anyone, want to make more friends in the arts, or just want to sketch and trade stickers, then this is the event for you! Come join host Airi Pan (@pix_bun), Christina Zhang (@cronchy_baguette), Mariam Dennaoui (@miriasqa) and other friends for sketches and chats!
Skill Level: General Audience
Paint the Scene with Angela Sung and Warrior Painters
In this plein air painting experience, you will step out and recreate your memories at LightBox Expo!
Let's gather outside the iconic Pasadena Civic Auditorium, then spread out to capture the vibrant street scenes on location. Whether you’re painting a quiet architectural moment or a bustling character-filled vignette, this is your chance to observe, imagine, and create right in the heart of LA with Warrior Painter hosts!
Bring your sketchbooks, painting supplies, or digital tablets—whatever you like to work with! Artists of all levels are welcome, and professional mentors will be on-site to offer feedback, tips, and encouragement throughout the session. Every participant will also receive an official event button to commemorate the day.
Skill Level: General Audience
YouTube-First Animated Series: How to Build the Next Big IP
How do you turn a YouTube-first idea into a breakout animated IP? Emily Brundige (Strawberry Vampire), Pietro Schito (Johnny IRL), and Mary James (Run Monster Run) share practical lessons on shaping a series audiences want to follow, launching original animation online, growing a community, and building a world that can last beyond a single video. For creators developing their next animated IP directly for YouTube. Moderated by Tony Bancroft. Presented by Write for Animation.
Skill Level: General Audience
Drawing with Emotion
Come watch Esther Wu (Blue Eye Samurai, Transformers: Earthspark, Last Sentinel) talk about how they approach drawing and sketching with a focus on lines, storytelling, and narrative.
Skill Level: General Audience
The Power of Versatility
Learn how solid artistic fundamentals can be applied to keep you relevant in AAA games, film, animation, music, entertainment design, and personal projects. This talk focuses on examining various creative industries and how to use the same fundamentals of art and design, but with different goals depending on the project and the problem to be solved. You'll maintain your own artistic voice while developing the skills to become a well rounded and versatile artist.
Skill Level: General Audience
Storyboard Portfolio Reviews All Day (Storyboard Deli)
Storyboard Deli is a one-stop shop for all your story needs. Take a number and get in line for a portfolio review (with cheese), live demos (on rye), or just hang and chat story with animation industry veterans (but keep it kosher). Lead sandwich makers Michael Daley, Josh ‘Hat’ Lieberman and Christian Roman have a collective 66 plus years of experience behind the animation counter serving up story hits and comedy slices. We will also have a rotating menu of seasonal special guests. Find us in the Exhibit Hall Lobby outside ballroom doors D/E at Booth 1500. Come on down to Storyboard Deli!
Skill Level: General Audience
New Ways to Think 2D Animation with Moho
Víctor Paredes, animator and co-owner of Moho Animation Software, will explain how to create 2D animation in new non-traditional ways, while keeping total control over the final result.
With examples from Wolfwalkers, Star Wars Visions - Screecher’s Reach, My Father’s Dragon and Scavengers Reign, Víctor will showcase rigs and vector drawings that can live together with traditional animation. We will see how Moho’s rigging tools, particles, physics, flexible brushes and smart boiling not only simplify the process, but can also provide new ways to give life to the artwork.
Skill Level: Beginner
From Portfolio to Premiere: Cat in the Hat & Daffy Season
Ever wonder what it takes to build a career in feature animation? Join artists from Warner Bros. Pictures Animation working in Story, Visual Development, and Previs as they share their journeys, creative processes, and the skills that helped them succeed at a studio like WBPA.
Through behind-the-scenes insights from the upcoming releases of The Cat in the Hat and the animated short Daffy Season, our panelists will discuss how ideas evolve from early concepts to the screen, what studios look for when hiring, and how aspiring talent can stand out through strong portfolios.
Skill Level: General Audience
Making a Living in Artist Alley: How to Make it at Anime & Comic Cons
Thinking about selling your art at conventions but not sure where to start? Join Emlynn Jones of Milky Tomato and Emu of Karepango for their guide to starting Artist Alley. With tips on how to get into conventions, what products to sell, how to price your work, and how to create a standout booth. They will discuss the pros and cons of this lifestyle/career, along with practical tips for growing your brand and building a sustainable creative business. Whether you are aiming to table at your first con or looking to level up your convention game, this panel will help you succeed at conventions.
Skill Level: Beginner
Freshly Minted 3
Presented by the Concept Art Association
You took the advice of your favorite veteran artists, got good, and maybe you got your first job. Now what? Let this panel of freshly minted professionals guide you through your adventure as you delve into life as a professional artist. Industry vets have the best advice, but they’ve been doing some of these things for so long they might not realize you don’t know what you don’t know. Find out as our panel discusses ways to speed up your workflow, stay sane, keep getting hired, networking and, most importantly, teach you the secret technique of being the new kid.
Skill Level: Beginner
Birds of Prey Life Drawing
Life drawing with birds of prey hosted by illustrator concept artist Manu Carrasco
Skill Level: General Audience
Weyland-Yutani: Designing for Science Fiction Worlds
Step inside the dark, industrial worldbuilding of one of science fiction’s most iconic corporations. 'Weyland-Yutani: Designing for Science Fiction Worlds' brings together concept designers whose work has helped shape the visual language of Weyland-Yutani, defined by its retro-futuristic costumes, spacecraft, machinery, corporate industrial design, and brutalist, utilitarian aesthetics.
Expect a deep dive into process, inspiration, and the enduring appeal of dystopian corporate futures. Featuring design work from Alien: Romulus, Predator: Badlands, Prometheus and Alien: Covenant.
Skill Level: General Audience
Designing the Creatures of Avatar: Fire and Ash
Step inside the elaborate design process for the creatures from Avatar: Fire and Ash. Creature designers talk about the design evolution and process for bringing the fauna of Pandora to life.
Skill Level: General Audience
Training Tomorrow’s Visual Development and Concept Artists
Hosted by Savannah College of Art and Design, this session brings together leading names in the fields of character design, concept design and visual development for animation and video games to discuss the expanding set of core skills that students need to develop in response to these rapidly changing industries.
Skill Level: General Audience
The Influence of Anime in American Animation
Japanese animation has had a deep impact on U.S. animation, but how is it reflected in today’s shows? What was once a niche fandom storyboard artists, designers, and writers drew upon for inspiration, is now a gigantic global sensation impacting the themes and storytelling of American animation studios. Can and should the big business of U.S. animation be more like the Japanese model–using the medium of animation for more than select “marketable” genres?
Skill Level: General Audience
Creature Design with Intent: Matching Design with Function
Creature designer RJ Palmer walks you through the process of developing creatures to evoke your desired reaction from clients and audiences alike without sacrificing your vision.
Skill Level: General Audience
Picture Book Storytelling: The Techniques Nobody Teaches You
There's a huge misconception that picture book illustration is just drawing what an author writes. But illustrators are storytellers in their own right, and the visual decisions we make can completely transform a story. In this talk, Anoosha Syed breaks down the techniques that will take your picture book art to the next level: composition, pacing, page turns, creating a sense of time and more. Whether you're just starting out or have been illustrating for years, you'll leave with tools you can use straight away.
Skill Level: Beginner
How to Start Your Own Studio
In this hands-on AMA session, participants first hear best practices and then are able to workshop their business ideas with a lawyer, manager, business owners and co-op developers.
Skill Level: General Audience
Virtual Production at Industrial Light & Magic
Step inside the technology of Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) to explore how their groundbreaking StageCraft technology and LED volume stages have fundamentally transformed modern cinema. Discover how the Virtual Art Department (VAD), live on-set data capture, and real-time environments are reshaping the production pipeline—collapsing pre- and post-production into a single, collaborative sandbox. Whether you are a technologist, storyteller, or visual effects enthusiast join us to see how ILM continues to blur the line between physical reality and digital imagination.
Skill Level: General Audience
Illustration: Design & Entertainment Arts-Graduate’s Journey
Presented by ArtCenter College of Design, Illustration: Mastering techniques in drawing, painting, and illustrating for media, art and design brings multi-disciplined artists forward in the fields of Entertainment Arts, Publishing, Editorial Illustration, Consumer Products and more. Our graduates have sharpened their individual voices to work both independently and on dynamic team projects with leading film, television, themed entertainment, game, and commercial studios. Join a distinguished panel of alumni and recent graduates as they share how their craft moves them forward, not always in a straight line, on their creative journey.
Skill Level: General Audience
Quick Moment Painting
I will do a quick moment painting based on my personal project. I will cover composition, color, lighting, characters, mood.
Skill Level: General Audience
Expressive Figure Drawing for Sequential Artists
Drawing from a live costumed model, we will explore ways to bring our figure drawings to life, pulling techniques and ideas from sequential art, illustration, and classical life drawing. This presentation is for both the beginner artist eager to explore different ways of seeing things, and the seasoned professional looking to get their creative juices flowing again.
Skill Level: General Audience
Think Outside the Box with Spin Master and Launchmode Design
Great packaging does more than sell a product—it tells a story, builds anticipation, and creates an emotional connection before the consumer ever interacts with the toy. Join Launchmode Design Co. and Spin Master for a behind-the-scenes look at the creative process behind toy packaging, from concept to shelf. Discover how storytelling, illustration, branding, and consumer psychology come together to create disruptive designs that capture attention and inspire engagement. Spin Master's creative team will share insights across different toy categories, what they look for in creative talent, and how to stay on trend in an ever evolving category. Bring your questions for an interactive Q&A. Presenters: Eugenia Chen, Sebastian Cuervo, William Ortiz, Mike Petrosky, Maria Reyes, Gabriel Hernandez
Skill Level: General Audience
How to Start Writing & Illustrating Your Own Stories
From Visual Artist to Published Author: How to Start Writing & Illustrating Your Own Stories, with Susie Yi (Cat & Cat Adventures), Mia Araujo (Afia in the Land of Wonders), Victoria Ying (The Hungry Ghost), and Jen Wang (Ash’s Cabin, Stargazing)
So you want to write and illustrate your own stories, but have no idea where to start? What makes a good story? How do you come up with great characters and dialogue and how do you get through all of those revisions? Each of the panelists was a visual artist before they became a published author-illustrator and they were exactly where you are now. They will share practical advice, writing tips, and story-telling methods that they rely on to help you get started telling your own stories.
Skill Level: General Audience
Camp in Costume Design
A presentation on using wit, humor, and extravagance in costume design to create show-stopping characters. In this talk, we’ll dive into the definition of camp, the history of camp, and its relationship to concept and costume design. I'll also dive into how I've used camp in my own work, and how to create louder, confident characters.
Skill Level: General Audience
WILDWOOD: Shaping Characters from 2D to 3D
Join us for an inside look at the unique and charming characters of LAIKA's latest feature film, Wildwood, where we'll explore the highly collaborative process from early 2D character development to 3D sculpted maquette that inform our stop motion puppets.
Drawing from years of daily artistic dialogue, we’ll discuss finding character, design philosophy, translating 2D into 3D, and bringing life to an unanimated sculpture, as well as production workflow and the specific artistic world of Wildwood.
Skill Level: General Audience
Designing Worlds That Feel Real
How do you turn a single idea into a cohesive and believable world?
Join legendary concept artist Stephan Martiniere, whose blockbuster projects include Guardians of the Galaxy, Fallout 4, and Foundation. Discover the creative logic and narrative process behind building the immersive, story-driven universe of RAGE, the visually acclaimed and groundbreaking game he art directed. This is a unique opportunity to learn from one of the world's most respected and renowned concept artists and art directors.
Skill Level: General Audience
The David Movie: Designing an Epic
Join us for an exclusive behind-the-scenes exploration of the creative journey that brought David to life—one of Netflix’s #1 movies this year. Discover how the film’s unforgettable worlds and characters were built from the ground up through the eyes of the production designer, art director, head of character design, and visual development artists. From the earliest rough concepts at Sunrise Animation Studios to the final polished look on screen, you’ll gain rare insight into the world-building, character design, and artistic decisions that shaped the visual identity of the film. This is an incredible opportunity to learn directly from the film industry’s top creative minds who helped define the worlds we see on screen.
Skill Level: General Audience
Lighting the Story: Color Design Across Games & Animation
Color and lighting are essential storytelling tools that shape mood, guide the audience, and define the visual identity of a project. In this panel, six artists working across games, television, and feature animation share how they design intentional color and lighting arcs that support the narrative, and how that process shifts by medium. We'll cover the real differences between casual games, more mature games, and TV/feature work, exploring how choices in hue, saturation, and value contrast shape the emotional impact the viewer experiences.
Skill Level: General Audience
The Look of Forgotten Island: Creating Nakalimutan
Join artistic leadership from DreamWorks Animation’s latest original feature film for an in-depth exploration of the creative decisions that charted the course to the mythical and magical world of Nakalimutan. Through a combination of inspired innovations in VFX, technology, cinematography, animation, and production design, attendees will discover the means and methods that are moving the needle that brought the characters and island of Nakali life.
Skill Level: General Audience
The Power of Shape, Value and Contrast in Cinematic Imagery
Join veteran Production Designer, Visual Development Artist and illustrator Michael Knapp (Spies in Disguise, Epic, the Ice Age franchise, Robots) as he breaks down how to craft dynamic images which tell layered visual narratives and direct the viewer’s eye with strong visual hierarchy through the use of shape, value, contrast and more.
Skill Level: General Audience
Blend it All Together: Mixing Blender and 2D Workflows
This demo will cover my workflow using both Blender and Photoshop, and will demonstrate how this combination achieves results more quickly than using either software alone. In this talk I’ll be sharing every trick and clever shortcut I know for this approach!
By the end of this presentation you’ll know which stages of your creative process to lean on for Blender vs Photoshop, which elements are best resolved in 2D or 3D, and how to get the most mileage out of your models for a wide range of 2D assets for a concept pipeline.
A basic knowledge of Blender and Photoshop is ideal for this talk, but if you can add a cube in Blender and make a layer group in Photoshop that’s enough to follow along!
Skill Level: General Audience
Art of the Revival
Join us for a conversation with past and present directors of the beloved animated primetime show, King of the Hill. We’ll discuss the similarities and differences between production in 1996 and 2026, the nuances of realism in animation, and how they brought the Hill family into the present-day and beyond, without losing that unique propane flavor.
Skill Level: General Audience
Life Drawing with Karla Ortiz
Inspired by LBX and itching to draw? Then you won’t want to miss Life Drawing with Karla Ortiz! Come join us for a laid back life drawing session, complete with good music, occasional art tips and overall just a good artistic time! Come early as seating is limited!
Skill Level: General Audience
Creative World Building: Disney Lorcana TCG by Ravensburger
Step behind the curtain of the Disney Lorcana TCG and discover how the creative partnership between Ravensburger and The Walt Disney Company brings new stories, characters, and worlds to Lorcana. Join Creative Director and Illustrator Matthew Eng, Senior Narrative Designer Nicole Smith, Principal Artist John Loren, and moderator Shane Hartley, VP of Creative, Ravensburger, for an inside look at the art, storytelling, and vision behind the magical realm of Lorcana. Through concept art, behind-the-scenes development, and a look into Hyperia City, learn how Disney storytelling, original world building, illustration, narrative development, and game design come together to create immersive experiences for players and collectors worldwide.
Skill Level: General Audience
The Magic Behind Netflix’s Steps
Join Directors Alyce Tzue and John Ripa for a behind-the-scenes look at Steps, a fresh and heartfelt reimagining of the Cinderella story from Netflix Animation Studios. Together with Production Designer Shelly Wan and Art Director Dan Casey, the team will dive into their reinvention of the familiar tale, exploring the enchanting world of Alouette, the artistry behind the quirky cast of characters, and the healthy dose of style and technical brilliance sprinkled throughout.
Skill Level: General Audience
The Best Demo Reel (and Portfolio) I Ever Saw
As recruiters we review mountains of demo reels and portfolios every year! While we find lots of amazingly talented artists, there are a handful that we'll always remember. Join industry recruiters as they go down memory lane and discuss THE BEST DEMO REEL (and portfolio) I EVER SAW.
Skill Level: General Audience
Painting with Confidence (LIVE)
In a time where people are encouraging you to use 'TOOLS' that will help with productivity. There really only has been one tool I found works the best, confidence. Believing in yourself and what you can learn and accomplish transcends physical tools. As that landscape of our industry is ever changing your foundational skills is what will keep you relevant more than anything else.
Skill Level: General Audience
Anatomy for Artists
Join Dr. Michael Habib, anatomy professor and animation/VFX advisor, as he takes you through key aspects of human (and creature) anatomy specifically for artists in storytelling. The presentation will focus on joints, motion, and dynamic surface changes that any artist - from beginner to advanced - can use to make their characters more compelling, unique, and dynamic. Dr. Habib will leverage his 20 years of experience as a VFX and Animation Technical Advisor to provide veteran tips for how to design characters that will sculpt, rig, and animate beautifully (and realistically). Come ready to sketch, take notes, and ask all your questions about anatomy that you never got to ask.
Skill Level: General Audience
Webcomics 101: Creating Your Story
Want to make the story in your head a reality? Want to make a comic but don't know where to start? Come learn everything you need to know to make your very own webcomic, from a creator with over 15 years of experience!
Skill Level: General Audience
GXS Productions’ Animation Journey with Sonic the Hedgehog
Join GXS Productions for a behind-the-scenes look at our animation journey with the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. We'll share how a small, artist-led studio partnered with Sega to create Dark Beginnings and Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, while building a streamlined production pipeline with storytelling at its core. The panel will cover our creative process, hybrid 2D/3D workflow, collaboration with international partners, production philosophy, and the techniques we use to achieve a cinematic, anime-inspired look. We'll also offer an exclusive behind-the-scenes sneak peek at our latest project, Sonic: Memories and Beyond, created in celebration of Sonic's 35th Anniversary.
Skill Level: General Audience
Movie Magic: Editing for Animated Films
In animation, the edit is the movie. Long before final frames are rendered, editors shape story, timing, and emotion using storyboards, animatics, and scratch dialogue—working closely with directors to build the film from the ground up.
But how do you cut a scene that doesn’t exist yet? And how can understanding editorial make you a stronger, more hirable artist?
Tailored for LightBox Expo’s community of aspiring and professional animators, this panel explores how animated films are crafted in the edit—how sequences evolve, how decisions impact the entire pipeline, and what skills studios are looking for today.
Featuring Bret Marnell, ACE (Ultraman: Rising, Smurfs: The Lost Village), along with editors from Netflix, Disney, and Pixar.
Skill Level: General Audience
The Great Mouse Detective 40th Anniversary!
“The game’s afoot!”
Join us for an unforgettable 40th Anniversary Celebration of Disney’s The Great Mouse Detective, the animated classic that saved Disney Animation and launched a whole new era of storytelling!
Step into the world of Basil, Dawson, Olivia, and the villainous Professor Ratigan alongside the legendary filmmakers who created them — directors John Musker and Ron Clements! Hear behind-the-scenes stories, creative insights, and reflections on the lasting legacy of the film that helped pave the way for the Disney Renaissance!
This discussion will be moderated by Nick Manfredi, host of the video podcast series Nick's Friends in Film! Come relive the mystery, adventure, and magic of The Great Mouse Detective with the iconic filmmakers who made it all possible!
Skill Level: General Audience
Before We Were Directors: Women in Animation
Everyone starts somewhere—and sometimes that "somewhere" is a portfolio you'd rather forget. Join the women leading Titmouse's most adventurous projects (Jentry Chau Vs The Underworld, Golden Axe, Niko and the Sword of Light, the upcoming Lore Olympus) as they candidly revisit, critique, cringe, and get nostalgic over their earliest work. They'll offer portfolio and hiring advice and share the lessons they learned as they climbed the ranks from PAs and Interns to Directors in a male-dominated industry. Panelists will reflect on how the animation landscape has evolved alongside cultural and structural changes, and how they managed to survive the ebbs and flows. Leave with a better understanding of what hiring teams are looking for and how to build a career that lasts.
Skill Level: General Audience
Dylan Cole – Creating Worlds
Join Academy Award nominated production designer, Dylan Cole, as he shares work and insights from his 25-year career spanning from Lord of the Rings to Avatar: Fire and Ash. This talk celebrates Dylan's new retrospective book of his work as well as offers never before seen art and process.
Skill Level: General Audience
Demo: The Layered Workflow Method in Animation
Join veteran animator Michal Makarewicz for a live demonstration of the Layered Workflow Method in character animation. Michal will show how to build a performance in clear, manageable passes—starting with storytelling poses and timing, then layering in body mechanics, facial expressions, and final polish. This practical approach helps animators stay organized, iterate efficiently, and make stronger creative decisions throughout the process. Perfect for students and professionals, this session offers proven techniques for creating more believable, emotionally compelling animation.
Skill Level: General Audience
Creating Beloved Characters with Pixar’s Deanna Marsigliese
What makes a character iconic? In this session, Pixar Character Art Director Deanna Marsigliese (Inside Out 2, Incredibles 2, Luca) breaks down her process, exploring the creation of beloved characters through thoughtful storytelling & meaningful design decisions that delight audiences worldwide.
Skill Level: General Audience
Figure Drawing – Jam Session Open to All!
Join us for a live costumed model session with quick 1–5 minute gestures and longer 10-20 minute poses. Illustrator and Disney Lorcana Art Director Andrew Theophilopoulos will be projecting their iPad painting demo while attendees are encouraged to draw along. Whether you’re working traditionally or digitally, this is a relaxed, welcoming figure drawing jam focused on gesture, observation, color and light. Artists of all skill levels are welcome!
Bring your sketchbook or tablet and hang out!
Skill Level: General Audience
Storyboard Smorgasbord: Brainstorming for Comedy & Character
In this interactive workshop, animation storyboard veterans Christian Roman (The Simpsons, Disney TVA, Pixar, Aardman), Josh Lieberman (Blue Sky, Dreamworks, Sony) , and Mike Daley (Blue Sky, Pixar) will engage with the audience using interactive exercises, tips, tricks and techniques to help you create and iterate yourself out of any story, scene or comedy rut. Bring your drawing tools of choice, be ready to draw and join in on the fun!
Skill Level: Beginner
An Artist’s Most Powerful Tool
Framestore Art Director Philippe Gaulier, will highlight the importance of the human mind in creating concept art, sharing how he remains curious and excited about the craft, after nearly 3 decades in the industry.
Skill Level: General Audience
Creative Proceduralism: The Automation Studios Actually Need
As artists, we are increasingly asked to do more in less time. How do we meet this challenge without resorting to using methods that replace artists or the intent behind our work? Creative Proceduralism! Tools and workflows you build for yourself, shaped around the way you already work, where every creative decision is still yours to make.
Join Disney visual development artist Ryan Lang and pipeline engineer Alan Wyatt as they look at what that means in practice, from the problem solving behind it, to examples pulled from real productions, and why building your own tools tends to make the work both faster and more satisfying! You don't need a technical background, this talk is about staying in love with the craft by broadening your approach to find workflow solutions.
Skill Level: General Audience
Wesley Burt Drawing Demo
Character drawing demo from concept artist/illustrator Wesley Burt, with active Q&A throughout
Skill Level: General Audience
Game Art Portfolio Secret Sauce
Trying to build a Game Art Portfolio but don't know where to start? This talk is for you! Learn insider tips on portfolios, networking, applying for, and landing your first job in the games industry.
Skill Level: Beginner
Neurodiversity in the Digital Arts and Animation
This panel brings together neurodivergent artists and their managers to explore how inclusive hiring, workplace support, and career development are strengthening the digital arts and animation industry. Industry leaders will discuss the value of neurodivergent voices on creative teams and share practical strategies for recruiting and supporting neurodivergent talent. Neurodivergent artists will learn to showcase their skills, advocate for themselves in the workplace, and navigate a rapidly-changing industry.
Presenters include representatives from Exceptional Minds, a vocational academy and professional studios for artists on the autism spectrum, independent neurodivergent artists working in the industry, and leaders committed to hiring and supporting neurodivergent talent.
Skill Level: General Audience
Building an Indie Animation Pipeline That Actually Works
Today, artists have unlimited access to creative tools for animating their own projects outside the traditional studio system. But what about the production side of indie animation? Building an Indie Animation Pipeline That Actually Works takes you through the industry standard production pipeline and shows you how to adapt it, step by step, to work for teams with smaller budgets, leaner crews, and artist led storytelling.
Skill Level: General Audience
Public Speaking for Artists
Artists in the animation industry discuss how they go about preparing and presenting to groups of people. The artists in this panel span from professionals that teach or give talks at industry conferences, to directors, storyboard, and visual development artists that pitch ideas to their colleagues in studios. The panel will share stories and tips for those who are developing or want to improve their skills in presenting artwork and storytelling.
Skill Level: General Audience
Animayo Internacional Film Festival of Animation
The International Film Festival Animayo presents the Official Awards. The International Jury selected 18 award winners and 3 special mentions from nearly 2,000 films submitted from 78 countries, with only 75 works reaching the Official Shortlist. Animayo is the first and only animation festival in Spain recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as an Oscar® Qualifying Festival in two categories, and since 2026 it has also joined the exclusive Annie Awards Qualifying Festival List promoted by ASIFA-Hollywood. Over the past years, films showcased at Animayo have earned 7 shortlist, 5 Oscar® nominations and 1 Academy Awards with In the Shadow of the Cypress. This screening presents the festival’s most outstanding award-winning films.
Skill Level: General Audience
Welcome to the Future: The Making of Ray Gunn
Join two-time Academy Award winner Brad Bird for an in-depth look at his long-awaited passion project, Ray Gunn, from Netflix and Skydance Animation. Alongside key collaborators Wendell Luebbe (Art Director), Josh Herrig (VFX Supervisor), and Neysa Bové (Costume Designer), Brad will explore the film's creative journey, the artistic influences behind its distinctive retro-futuristic aesthetic, and the technical craftsmanship that brought the vibrant world and unforgettable characters of Metropia to life.
Skill Level: General Audience
Wrangling Art Directors – Make Art You Like and Keep a Job
A panel of concept artists, each with over a decade of professional experience, discuss tips and tricks they’ve learned over the years to navigate any situation while maintaining distinct artistic voices.
Skill Level: General Audience
Character Design : Exploring your creativity!
Finding some problems narrowing down a cartoony character design from the scratch? Cartoon is not only about drawing, is how you think in terms of design and ideas! In this demo, i'll show you my process on live and how, with just 2 or 3 words, we can create a full page of explorations! Storytelling, shape and comedy are keys for pitching a concept in the feature development. Come here and have fun with the limits of creativity and how far we can push it! This demo will be open to any level, and we'll combine few different topics to create this page!
Skill Level: General Audience
Clarity Over Chaos: How Artists Regain Their Direction
In today’s rapidly changing creative landscape, shaped by layoffs, AI disruption, and growing competition, many artists are questioning not only their skills, but their direction. Drawing from my own artistic path and industry experience, I developed The Artist Compass as a practical guide for artists who feel stuck, scattered, or pulled between survival, recognition, curiosity, and personal meaning.
This talk helps attendees understand what is driving their creative and career decisions, recognize the possibilities and limits of each force, and move forward without self-blame. Through real examples and practical questions, artists will learn how to navigate competing priorities and discover how clarity often emerges through action rather than before it.
Skill Level: General Audience
SketchCrawl
The annual tradition returns! Join Director Dave Pimentel and Story Artist Nick Sung for SketchCrawl—a community event where we slow down, draw from life, and get a chance to meet one another. It’s a fun way to practice quick sketching, make new friends, and spend some time drawing together. Meet by the LIGHTBOX letters and get ready to draw!
Skill Level: General Audience
Storyboard Portfolio Reviews All Day (Storyboard Deli)
Storyboard Deli is a one-stop shop for all your story needs. Take a number and get in line for a portfolio review (with cheese), live demos (on rye), or just hang and chat story with animation industry veterans (but keep it kosher). Lead sandwich makers Michael Daley, Josh ‘Hat’ Lieberman and Christian Roman have a collective 66 plus years of experience behind the animation counter serving up story hits and comedy slices. We will also have a rotating menu of seasonal special guests. Find us in the Exhibit Hall Lobby outside ballroom doors D/E at Booth 1500. Come on down to Storyboard Deli!
Skill Level: General Audience
HUXLEY: Creating an Original Sci-Fi Universe
Join Ben Mauro (Call of Duty, Halo Infinite) for an in-depth look at the creation and evolution of HUXLEY, his original sci-fi universe more than a decade in the making. Ben will trace the project’s journey from early worldbuilding and character development through the release of the first graphic novel, before diving into the newest prequel chapter, The Oracle.
The presentation will explore how The Oracle expands the lore, themes, and scope of the HUXLEY universe, with a behind-the-scenes look at concept development, illustration workflows, and visual storytelling across media.
Skill Level: General Audience
SVA Alum Spotlight: Shannon Prynoski
This panel traces Shannon’s creative and professional journey from the School of Visual Arts (SVA), founding the Titmouse Animation Studios, to the founding of Titmouse Foundation, culminating in a screening of The Fisherman’s Lullaby, the first short animated film fully funded and supported by the Foundation.
Skill Level: General Audience
Drawing with Exaggeration + Design: How I See and Make Marks
This class will be drawing with a live costumed model. I will breakdown how I see and design with character design in mind.
Skill Level: General Audience
The Legend of Vox Machina: From Script to Screen
Go behind the scenes of The Legend of Vox Machina with the creative team who brings the hit series to life, from script to final delivery. A panel of writers, character designers, storyboard artists, retake animators and directors break down how each of their roles shape the production pipeline—and how collaboration transforms ideas into finished episodes. Through production artwork, marked-up scripts, animatics, and scratch-to-final animation, the panel will reveal the creative process behind the series, while crew members share their non-linear journeys towards their respective roles in the animation industry. Plus, discover what it's like working on an established IP not beholden to legacy characters or a commercial studio, and the benefits of having access to the original creators.
Skill Level: General Audience
Animating 2DFX with Tristan Fairclough
Tristan will be animating 2D FX on a character. He will provide breakdowns of his methodology and the way he likes to tackles challenging scene. He will work on a sample scene as if it was assigned by his director of supervisor.
Skill Level: General Audience
AppleTV+’s Yo Gabba GabbaLand – Rigging Toon Boom Characters
Lead Animator Michael Hilliger takes you behind the scenes of how "Yo Gabba GabbaLand" built character rigs in Toon Boom Harmony under tight deadlines and intense pressure - all remotely out of his childhood bedroom in Wisconsin.
Skill Level: General Audience
Cartoon Comedy: Five Animators Discuss Their Animated Inspirations
Humor in animated films has a long diverse history – and we've come far from the days of Gertie the Dinosaur getting a laugh by throwing an elephant into a lake or Felix The Cat using his tail for an umbrella. Max Fleischer, Tex Avery, Chuck Jones and Jay Ward defined animated humor in the past and have influenced much work of the present. This panel will invite five current animators to discuss humor in animated films, they will also show clips from their favorite classic cartoons – and explain how that has influenced their work.
Panelists include Chris Prynoski (Titmouse), David Silverman (The Simpsons), Eric Bauza (Looney Tunes), and Yvette Kaplan (Beavis and Butt-head). Animation Historian Jerry Beck (The 50 Greatest Cartoons) will moderate.
Also, ASIFA-Hollywood will make an announcement during this panel about their latest Award for Humor in Animation.
Skill Level: General Audience
Beginner’s Map to Learning Blender
Where would an experienced blender artist begin with learning blender if their memory was erased and they had to start from zero today?
An array of seasoned blender artists and instructors with different specialties, working in games and animation, share about what they think are essential steps along the way, to either retrace their paths, or start in an entirely fresh way!
This discussion is bound to reassure & inform new blender users who find the first steps intimidating, difficult and lonely to go through.
We've all been there and want to help out!
Skill Level: Beginner
Professional vs Personal Work
In his talk, Jama will discuss his approach to balancing professional and personal work—a challenge that has become increasingly important in an ever-evolving and rapidly adapting industry.
Skill Level: General Audience
Making Memories: The Story of Forgotten Island
Much like the world of Nakalimutan, creating a story can feel like paradise, but when that story is created from a original idea from the scratch it comes with a unique set of challenges and expectations. Join the Story Team of Forgotten Island as they step through the beats, scenes, and moments that make DreamWorks Animation’s newest original feature unforgettable.
Skill Level: General Audience
The Magic of Character Design in Disney’s “Hexed”
Join Disney Animation Production Designer Lorelay Bové and Art Director, Characters, Bill Schwab for a look inside the collaboration and artistry behind the characters that fill the secret magical world of Disney’s “Hexed.”
Skill Level: General Audience
Vector Animation: In Search of Imperfection
Vector graphics offer a lot of flexibility for 2D animation, but they are constantly limited to producing only clean, perfectly scalable lines, restricting artists to using them only in a limited range of styles. If an artist seeks the imperfect look of natural media, working with bitmaps seems to be the only option.
But what if we could obtain all the flexibility of vectors, along with the imperfect, natural look that bitmaps provide? In this talk, Víctor Paredes, animator and co-owner of Moho, will show how new tools can deliver all the advantages of vector animation while achieving the imperfect, infinitely diverse look of bitmaps and natural media.
Skill Level: Beginner
3D Painting in Procreate with Jarom Vogel
Portland based illustrator Jarom Vogel will showcase the 3D painting capabilities in Procreate. Often overlooked, Procreate's 3D painting allows you to paint detailed and textured artwork onto 3D objects using the much-loved Procreate brushes.
Jarom is a professional illustrator who loves to dabble in 3D and code. He has worked with clients such as Apple, Disney, Facebook, Spotify, Pepsi, Peugeot and many others.
Don't miss this exciting demonstration of Procreate's 3D capabilities.
Skill Level: General Audience
SWAPPED: Transform Your Destiny
Join acclaimed director Nathan Greno for a special presentation of SWAPPED, an imaginative animated feature where one unexpected transformation changes everything. Journey behind the scenes to explore the film's unforgettable characters, richly crafted world, and universal themes of identity, empathy, and self-discovery—revealing how the choices we make can transform our destiny.
Moderator: Clarisse Chua (Storyboard Artist)
Panelists: Nathan Greno (Director), Siddhartha Khosla (Composer), Kendelle Hoyer (Head of Story), Ray Shenusay (Head of Story)
Skill Level: General Audience
Life Drawing with Wouter Tulp
A casual life drawing session, where I'll join you in this LBX exclusive drawing session.
Skill Level: General Audience
Designing the Wasteland: Adapting Fallout from Games to TV
How do you bring one of gaming's most iconic worlds to life for television? Join Concept artists Matt Sama (season 1), Alex Nice (season 2-3), Jarred Marantz (season 2-3), and Thang Le (season 1-3) as they explore the art and design behind Fallout's journey from video game to live action. Discover how the team translated the franchise's signature retro futuristic aesthetic through the designs of environments, vehicles, props, and creatures, while making creative choices that honored the look, tone, and spirit of the beloved game series. Panel moderated by Lance Malbon (Season 2-3 Researcher).
Skill Level: General Audience
How to Break Into Storyboarding for Feature Films
Join some of the best storyboard artists working in Hollywood today as they gather to share their personal journeys of how they broke in as professionals and discuss the current state of the entertainment industry. They will give advice to aspiring storyboard artists and share tips on breaking in, marketing yourself, and how to survive and thrive as an artist in the face of AI. Moderated by Jeffrey Henderson (Predator Badlands, Spider-Man 4)
Aaron Sowd (Predator Badlands, Godzilla vs. Kong)
Amy Umezu (Moana, Black Panther Wakanda Forever)
Dwayne Turner (Spider-Man No Way Home, Star Wars Skeleton Crew)
Sam Tung (The Odyssey, Iron Man 3)
Tony Liberatore (Black Panther, Thunderbolts*)
William Groebe (Star Wars Star Fighter, Deadpool & Wolverine)
Skill Level: General Audience
Frame by Frame: The Greyscale Animation Journey
Join the creators behind “Odd Dog” and the Oscar-qualified “Oren’s Way” for a behind-the-scenes look at the journey of making independent animated short films. From early concept to final frame, the panel explores the creative, technical, and emotional process of bringing unique stories to life at Greyscale Animation. Plus a special sneak peek at our futures projects!
Skill Level: General Audience
Environment Design for Visual Storytellers
In this presentation Marcos Mateu-Mestre will analyze the use of environment design for the purpose of storytelling, applicable to animation, live action, graphic novels, illustration etc , inspiring script visualization while looking at how our choices in this process will help us emphasize the personality of our characters and the specific emotional moments the story will lead us through.
Skill Level: General Audience
How To Get Experience For Creative Jobs
You need to get experience to get the job, but you need the job to get experience... What to do? Whether you're an entry level candidate or late in life career changer, it's important to know how to get job experience from scratch and communicate that experience to employers. In the age of layoffs, AI, and global competition; I think it's an important skill for anyone to learn, honestly. We'll touch on strategies you can use as a creative to stay adaptable and get experience for new jobs. I'll show you real examples from myself and my career coaching clients too!
Skill Level: Beginner
The Art Disney Lorcana TCG by Ravensburger
Go behind the scenes of Disney Lorcana TCG and explore the creative partnership between Ravensburger and The Walt Disney Company that brings beloved Disney characters and stories to life. Join celebrated illustrator Nicholas Kole and Ravensburger Principal Artist John Loren, moderated by Creative Director of Illustration, Disney Lorcana TCG Matthew Eng, for an inside look at the collaboration behind some of the game’s most iconic cards. Learn how Ravensburger artists work with Disney to honor classic characters while developing Lorcana’s unique visual identity. Discover the artistic process, creative decision-making, and storytelling that shape this growing Disney trading card game.
Skill Level: General Audience
6-Point Perspective: 6 Angles to Working in Entertainment Art
6 different artists describe their unique journeys in the Entertainment Art Industry, working across a variety of disciplines and specialties. From Visual Development and Storyboarding in TV and Feature, Concept Art in mobile, indie, and AAA games, to Editorial Illustration and Graphic Novels, each of us will share our experiences and thoughts on the differences and similarities within our respective careers, how we navigate an ever-changing industry, and how we diversified our crafts.
Skill Level: General Audience
South Asian Stories: If Not Now, Then When?!
With the global reach of animation, we have an opportunity to create cross-cultural fandoms! We can build an appreciation of diverse stories and cultural understanding, and yet we do not see much diversity. Heck, we don’t even see an equal representation of culturally-specific stories. So this got us thinking… If some of the most epic stories, folklore, and mythology come from South Asian culture, why do we not see that represented in the onslaught of content being delivered to audiences? Where are the fantasy action shows? Ear-worm Musicals? Epic hard-as-nails video games? Page-Turning graphic novels?
This panel explores the pathways for South Asian stories to expand across streaming, gaming, publishing, and merchandising, because if not now, then when?!
Skill Level: General Audience
Changing the Game: The Making of GOAT
Go behind the scenes of Sony Pictures Animation's GOAT with director Tyree Dillihay and members of the filmmaking team who brought its original world to life. Explore how the team reinvented the animated sports film through expressive character design, immersive cinematography, groundbreaking animation techniques, and a bold visual style - all in service of telling a timeless underdog story for the modern era.
Skill Level: General Audience
From Script to Screen
No castle stone is left unturned as showrunners share how the magic is made for Sofia the First: Royal Magic.
Skill Level: General Audience
Finding Your Family: The Importance of Creator Communities
Building a career in animation, illustration, or entertainment art can feel isolating—but the right creative community can change everything.
This panel explores how artists find mentors, trusted peers, honest feedback, accountability, and the shared knowledge that helps careers grow. We’ll discuss where to find existing communities, how to start your own, and why in-person connection still matters, from casual coffee meetups to organized events.
We’ll also look at the benefits and pitfalls of social media and how artists can build deeper, lasting relationships online and off. Whether you’re established or just starting out, you’ll leave with practical ideas for finding your creative family and becoming stronger together.
Skill Level: General Audience
How to Start the Scene: Storyboarding for the Procrastinator
As a storyboard artist, every assignment has its challenges, but just getting started can be the biggest challenge of all. Feature animation story artist Michael Herrera will share some of the tricks and methods that can help you get started on a sequence, even when your brain doesn't want to.
Skill Level: Beginner
Everything on Your Head: Creating Worlds for Graphic Novels
What is that on your Head? Is it a Bulldozer? Is it a House? Is it a small brick? Why is it up there? Scott Campbell will discuss the creation of his graphic novel series for young readers called Cabin Head and Tree Head (Tundra Books) and the lessons he learned while developing this wild little world of HEADS. He will discuss what it took to bring this series into reality.
Skill Level: General Audience
AI: Why the I is Bigger Than the A
Discussing the human factors that make the I bigger than the A. A group of industry professionals discuss the organic, and inherently human, characteristics that will outlast the pervasive tech trends that are disrupting and reshaping the industry.
Skill Level: General Audience
Thriving as a Freelancer
In a time of uncertainty, job scarcity, harsh competition, and growing concern over AI affecting creative work, some freelancers are thriving despite it all. Join a panel of working artists who continue to stay busy and in demand, and learn what it takes to make yourself indispensable. Discover how to build the kind of value that keeps opportunities coming and allows your freelance career to grow, even in uncertain times.
Skill Level: General Audience
Zombie Figure Drawing: Gesture, Story and the Human Form
Zombies are the perfect teachers for figure drawing (yes, really!). They exaggerate pose and gesture, they show anatomy (sometimes a bit too much) and they make us consider character and story. Join industry veteran, educator, and certified medical illustrator Hardy Fowler for a unique live figure drawing session exploring gesture, anatomy, storytelling, and expressive design through the lens of the undead. Whether you love horror or simply want to strengthen your figure work, this session is packed with memorable lessons and practical drawing techniques.
Skill Level: General Audience
It Takes a Village: The Community Behind Every Artist
Join and hear from Community partners representing TAG, BRIC, CCA, ASIFA-Hollywood alongside Wacom to discuss the importance of finding, fostering, and leaning into the creative community.
Skill Level: General Audience
Disability and Design: Crafting Characters with Intention
An exploration of disability and how it influences style and the creative process. Discover ways to design thoughtful and humanizing depictions of disabled characters, using various art examples, research-based approaches, and the artist's lived experiences.
Skill Level: General Audience
Adapting in Animation w/ Matt Braly
Join writer & show creator Matt Braly (Amphibia) in a casual & humorous examination of his 15+ year career in animation. The ups, the downs, and most importantly: the pivots. Working in a creative industry means things don't always go according to plan. Hopefully this presentation will give Lightbox goers some tips and tricks when it comes to accepting unforeseen (and often frustrating) circumstances in a way that leaves your creative spark not only intact, but stronger than ever.
Skill Level: General Audience
Lost Shorts of Disney TV Animation
In 1995, Disney TV Animation green-lit a direct-to-video compilation of shorts to be called "Totally Twisted Tales". Four shorts went into production, only two were completed for release - "Redux Riding Hood" and "The Three Pigs". The project was scrapped. The two completed shorts where shown in a variety of festivals, winning several awards, then they were put away in the Disney vault, where they have languished until now! Thanks to the Lightbox Expo, you lucky people can enjoy these long lost shorts presented by their directors.
Skill Level: General Audience
From Dream to Reality: How to Build Your Own Art Studio!
Whether you start your own art collective, self-funded project, or full scale production house, starting one’s own studio can be a monumental labyrinth of opportunities and challenges that many artists yearn to embark upon.
Join industry veterans who have been instrumental in starting their own ventures, as they discuss where they started, how to take on and fund projects, and what to do when you have to cut content, re-scope, and reject client work.
Starting your own studio can be an infinitely rewarding endeavor. Managing administrative work, creating assets, leading a responsive team, and finding your newest talent are the keys to excelling in this dynamic modern environment.
Join us as we shed light on how to take on becoming your own studio.
Skill Level: General Audience
Star Wars Animation: How Stories Get from Idea to Screen
Join creative development executives at Lucasfilm as they discuss their approach to project and story development over a wide breadth of animated series and specials set in a Galaxy Far Far Away...from Lucasfilm Animation's Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord to LEGO Star Wars, Star Wars: Visions and much more!
Skill Level: General Audience
Drag and Draw
It's life drawing, except the models are all drag queens! Join us for an hour and a half of celebrating local queer artistry, hosted by the team at ActuallyRea. And don't forget to bring your favorite art supplies! PS: Meet and Greet with the team and queens will occur after the panel. See you then!
Skill Level: General Audience
Designing Appealing & Believable Characters for Animation
In this demo talk, Emmy award-winning character designer Kal Athannassov, will go over his process for designing appealing and believable characters.
Designing characters is sort of like building a house - if it doesn't have a solid foundation it is likely to collapse. In character design - research and reference building is as important as the art you create. During this demo, Kal will go over how he designs characters from start to finish - from collecting reference, style choice, & exploration, all the way to a finished design.
This is a great resource for all levels interested in character design!
Skill Level: Beginner
The Art of Imagining the Future
Why do humans constantly imagine the future? And what makes great science fiction resonate across generations? In this lecture, concept artist and Art Director David Levy explores science fiction not as a genre, but as a way of thinking. Through examples from Avatar, TRON: Legacy, Dune Prophecy, Star Wars and other productions, you'll learn how the strongest fictional worlds are built on meaningful themes, believable design, and a deep understanding of human nature. Whether you're creating for film, games, books or personal projects, you'll leave with practical methods for designing futures that inspire curiosity—and ultimately, hope.
Skill Level: General Audience
Crafting Comedy in Storyboards
Join animation industry veterans Josh ‘Hat’ Lieberman (K-pop Demon Hunters, Despicable Me 4, Wish Dragon) and Michael Daley (Turning Red, Luca, Incredibles franchise) as they discuss their approach to crafting visual comedy, writing jokes, and how to apply it all in storyboards.
Skill Level: General Audience
The Human Hand: Why Stop Motion Animation Endures
Known for their work on Smiling Friends (David Braun), Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio and Corpse Bride (Ian Mackinnon), Tumble Leaf (Kelli Bixler) and Marcel the Shell with Shoes on (Kirsten Lepore), the panelists will have a candid discussion on all things stop motion animation, moderated by Ramin Zahed, author and editor-in-chief of Animation Magazine. For more than a century, stop motion has endured not because it resisted technology, but because it used technology in service of something timeless: the human hand. As AI and digital tools redefine animation, is there still a place for an art form created one frame at a time? Hear what our independent animators, who blend hand-crafted, stop-motion aesthetics with elevated storytelling, have to say and be part of the conversation.
Skill Level: General Audience
Finding a Personal Style After Marvel Studios
I will show a peak of what new art I have been working on after being with Marvel Studios for over 15 years. Come see how I work and my thinking when doing a concept piece.
Skill Level: General Audience
The Best Production Design Panel Ever*
Prepare to have your minds blown! Ever wondered what it takes to design the worlds of your favorite films? Join me, Yuhki Demers, and some way more talented super star production designers as we discuss exactly what it took to design the coolest movies on the planet. We'll get into the nitty gritty and talk about our own journeys toward production design and what you can do to improve your portfolio by shifting your mindset to one of a production designer.
*Disclaimer: Panel may not be the best ever
Skill Level: General Audience
Costume Figure Drawing w/ Sustainable Taxidermy
Draw the figure alongside animal anatomy (from skeletal and sustainable taxidermy). Drawing instruction led by live-action Storyboard Artist, Sienne Josselin, on various techniques to find drama, action, gesture with a costumes model accompanied by beautifully designed still life from pieces at Vulture Culture. We’ll sketch from life and use our imaginations to build bold and beautiful compositions. All levels welcome!
Skill Level: General Audience
In Waves: Memory in Motion
In Waves, the first animated film to open Critics' Week at the Cannes Film Festival, tells the true story of two young surfers who embrace love and life, hand in hand. Join director Phuong Mai Nguyen and graphic novelist AJ Dungo as they discuss adapting AJ's autobiographical work for the screen. Dive into the deeply personal story at the heart of the film, the unique artistry behind its visual style, and discover how the intimate memoir became a moving cinematic experience.
Skill Level: General Audience
A Hybrid Career: From Films to Picture Books
How can a career in visual development become a pathway into picture books? In this presentation, 2026 Caldecott Medal–winning illustrator and visual development artist Cátia Chien explores how a background in VisDev can open unexpected doors into picture books. Through examples from animation, publishing, and her own career, she’ll break down the skills that transfer—worldbuilding, character, color, composition, mood, and visual storytelling—and the ones that require a new way of thinking. Students will learn how the picture book industry works, what art directors and editors look for, how to shape a portfolio, and practical ways to begin making the leap from VisDev into publishing while building a creative career that can move between both worlds.
Skill Level: General Audience
The Story Artist’s Journey: Breaking In & Staying In
As an international storyboard artist based in LA, Christina Park has been proactive in establishing herself within the animation industry since graduating from Ringling College of Art and Design. She landed her first professional position at Skybound Entertainment, where she worked on Invincible VS, and has continued to develop her career as a storyboard artist and strengthen her presence within the animation community. In this presentation, Christina will share valuable insights and practical skills, including networking, finding your niche, and developing artistic abilities to help you stand out. Through her personal experiences and career journey, she hopes fellow animation artists can gain a better understanding of what it takes to “break in” and “stay in” the industry.
Skill Level: General Audience
Ending the Era of the Starving Artist
Artists have never had more ways to share their work, yet making a sustainable living from original art often still depends on landing work with a studio.
What if there were another path?
Join Bobby Chiu, Jim Bryson and Josh Tyler as they share how An Infinite Story is changing what's possible for independent creators. Using Magrid's Magic Shoppe as a real-world case study, they'll reveal how one artist and a giant illustration became a fully playable interactive experience.
Discover how artists can create immersive games without animation, programming, or a large production team, and why this new approach could give creators a new way to earn a living from their art and build new audiences.
Skill Level: Advanced
The Irreplaceable Spark
As the film industry transforms, one question looms: what makes a concept artist the one indispensable co-creator for filmmakers?
Join Virginie Bourdin —50+ titles as art director— and Oriol Armengou —7 years pre-production & concept art event organizer— as they explore human creativity's enduring value in an automated landscape. This panel reframes concept art not as technique, but strategic creative problem-solving for storytelling.
Through five case studies—Alien: Earth, Captain Marvel, Barbie, Jurassic World 2, Edge of Tomorrow—the speakers demonstrate how meaningful design becomes iconic cinema.
The conversation ends with an invitation for artists to level up as IP creators.
Whether you're an artist, filmmaker, or creative, this panel offers a roadmap for remaining irreplaceable.
Skill Level: Advanced
The Art of Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu
Join us as we discuss the art and artists behind Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu. In this insightful panel, these artists will discuss their creative processes, share behind-the-scenes stories, and talk about what it's like to bring Star Wars to life.
Skill Level: General Audience
Blender for Illustrators: A Canvas Without Edges
You don't need to become a 3D artist to unlock the power of Blender in your portfolio.
Discover how painters, illustrators, concept and vis-dev artists can use Blender to build worlds from their own hand-painted artwork and textures. Using PNG image planes and Blender's lighting, cameras, atmosphere, and scatter systems, we'll create everything from intimate story moments to epic environments, while keeping painting at the heart of the process.
See how Blender can transform your illustrative skills into living worlds. Combine the power of 3D with your favorite 2D software to create visuals that extend beyond the brushstroke!
Skill Level: General Audience
1 Artist. 1 Year. 1 Hour a Day
The talk is called "1 Artist. 1 Year. 1 Hour a Day". and focuses on how I created my animated short film How Not to Die on an Alien Planet by working just one hour a day over the course of a year. Instead of trying to replicate a large studio pipeline, I embraced creative limitations as part of the process, using strict time constraints, simplified workflows, Eevee rendering, long shots, and exploratory design methods to create a very personal animated film with minimal resources.
More than a technical breakdown, the talk focuses on the mindset behind sustaining personal projects over long periods of time, protecting creative energy, and learning how limitations can become a creative advantage rather than an obstacle.
Skill Level: Advanced
Lecture: Layered Workflow in Animation
In this presentation, veteran animator Michal Makarewicz shares his practical approach to building performances through a layered animation workflow. Drawing on decades of experience in feature animation, Michal demonstrates how to break complex shots into manageable passes—starting with core storytelling poses and timing, then progressively adding body mechanics, facial performance, and subtle polish. He will discuss how this method helps animators stay organized, make stronger creative choices, and maintain flexibility throughout production. Ideal for students and professionals alike, this session offers actionable techniques for creating more believable, emotionally engaging character animation.
Skill Level: General Audience
The Fight for Artists Against Generative AI
Join us for a discussion on how you can continue to protect your art from generative AI, updates on the laws and regulations to protect artists that are actively underway, and ways to stay motivated in creating your art in the current landscape.
Panelists: Karla Ortiz (concept artist and activist), Ben Zhao (University of Chicago Profesor behind the team that created Glaze, Nightshade, and Hemlock), Deana Igelsrud (legislative and political advocate), Matthew Butterick (lawyer on the artist-led class action lawsuit against generative AI companies) and Tim Friedlander (voice actor, advocate, and NAVA President). Moderated by Rob Salkowitz (Forbes journalist).
Skill Level: General Audience
Life Drawing: Anatomy in Motion
Join Dr. Michael Habib, anatomy professor and animation/VFX advisor, as he collaborates with a professional model to demonstrate how anatomy moves – and how to build for effective motion in your character (and creature) designs. Rather than a traditional life drawing session, this presentation will give you the chance to practice rapid sketching of a model in motion – all while Dr. Habib gives you key tips about how our bodies move. Dr. Habib will leverage his 20 years of VFX and Animation consulting experience, along with his 20+ years of teaching anatomy (USC, COC, UCLA) to provide key insights on how to design characters that will translate effectively to dynamic 3D assets.
Skill Level: General Audience
Memory Jar – Making An Animated Short Film In Unity 3D
Ruel Pascual is the writer, director, and producer of “Memory Jar,” an animated short film currently screening on the 2026 film festival circuit. "Memory Jar" has premiered on the big screen at multiple U.S.-based international film festivals, continues to be selected by additional festivals, and has received awards at several festivals.
In this presentation, Ruel will discuss the inception and development of the film, detailing the creative process of producing it with a small, resourceful team and a limited budget, as well as the technical approach to building the project in the Unity 3D engine while navigating the film festival circuit.
“Memory Jar” is a film about the everyday struggle of balancing work and family, and the choices we make about how and where we spend our time.
Skill Level: General Audience
Out of the Blue: Culture and Legacy of Blue Sky Studios
A group of renowned Blue Sky Studios artists — Andrea Blasich, Michael DeFeo, Mike Knapp, and Jason Sadler — look back on their uniquely formative years at the studio. Situated far from Hollywood, Blue Sky cultivated a creative environment enabling genuine collaboration and a distinct artistic culture shaped by its East Coast roots. Their conversation explores the studio’s rare atmosphere, unforgettable stories, and the profound impact it had on their careers.
Skill Level: General Audience
Paint Volumetric Lighting in Three Steps
In today’s fast-paced creative industry, efficiency is more important than ever. In this demo, Lynn shares her approach to painting volumetric lighting in three clear steps. She’ll explore essential lighting fundamentals, break down different types of light sources, and demonstrate practical approaches to painting light with confident, expressive brushstrokes—helping you work more efficiently while developing a flexible workflow that you can adapt to your own paintings.
Skill Level: Beginner
Viva La Animación: El Proceso Behind the Art
Have you ever wondered how the process of developing a show's look works?
Join Andrea Fernandez (Art Director - Tales of TMNT, Cuphead, Unikitty), and Mark Mohamed (Art Director / Color Supervisor) - Tales of the TMNT, DC League of Pets, Back to the Outback) as they share with us their process and stories behind developing the look of many iconic shows.
Moderated by Viva La Animacion's Committee Member Perry Esparza
Skill Level: General Audience
The Art of Wicked For Good: Costumes
A rare and inspiring glimpse into the whimsical sketches, illustrations, and behind-the-scenes concept art that helped shape the beloved costumes, key character looks, and props of Wicked: For Good. A magical and inspiring panel for aspiring artists and film lovers alike.
Skill Level: General Audience
Balancing Personal Projects and Character Design for Feature
As AI changes the animation industry, personal projects can offer artists more than a creative escape—they can help us rediscover our voice, strengthen our craft, and build a direct relationship with an audience. Character designer and art director Shiyoon Kim shares lessons from his work in feature animation and his experience developing independent projects. This presentation explores how professional and personal work can nourish each other, how artists can protect their curiosity within a changing creative landscape, and why developing a distinct point of view matters more than ever.
Skill Level: Beginner
Annie Award Legends: Crafting Excellence Then and Now
What does it take to create award-winning animation—and where can that career lead?
This panel features past Annie Award winners in craft categories such as character animation and storyboarding, exploring the work that earned them recognition and the career paths they've taken since. From breakthrough moments to industry shifts, you'll gain insight into how top artists continue to grow and adapt.
Designed for LightBox Expo artists and aspiring professionals, this session highlights the creative decisions, storytelling skills, and dedication behind award-winning work, while offering practical advice you can apply to your own creative journey.
Skill Level: General Audience
Creating Atmospheric Fantasy Art with Light & Color
In this panel, illustrator and concept artist Kiuyan Ran will share how she approaches atmospheric fantasy illustration through light, color, texture, and mood. Using examples from her personal and professional work, she will discuss how to build emotional visual storytelling, create a strong sense of atmosphere, and use Clip Studio Paint as part of the illustration process. The session will also include practical insights on developing fantasy imagery, refining visual direction, and balancing painterly detail with readability.
Skill Level: General Audience
Special Screening: “IRON BOY” (Animated Feature)
Winner of the Special Jury Prize at Cannes Festival and 3 Awards in Annecy Festival last spring, Pixar animator Louis Clichy’s gorgeous hand-painted animation tells the story of a boy in need of a back brace who seeks the courage to stand alone. For anyone who has felt alone or out of place in their surroundings, Christophe’s tale reminds us that we can all use some form of support, regardless of where it comes from. The film will be introduced by its writer/director Louis Clichy.
Please arrive early as seating will be limited. Note: you will need your LightBox badge to be admitted the screening.
Skill Level: General Audience
Concept Art Awards
The annual Concept Art Awards are judged by a panel of industry experts and recognize excellence in character, creature, vehicle/prop, environment, keyframe, color keys, and visual development. The 2026 Concept Art Awards will be held on Saturday, October 24th at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium during LightBox Expo and celebrates professional, personal, and student work, along with a Rising Star, LBX Luminary, and Lifetime Achievement Awards.
Skill Level: General Audience
The Very Best Animated Shorts of the 2026-2027 Awards Season
Experience a rollercoaster of emotions and a dose of inspiration with The Best Animated Shorts of the 2026–2027 Awards Season. Curated by The Animation Showcase, this exclusive collection brings together some of the year's most acclaimed animated shorts, selected from the world's leading festivals. Previous editions have featured films that went on to earn Academy Award® nominations and wins. Following screenings at the world's leading animation studios, the program now comes to Lightbox.
Skill Level: General Audience
Alla Prima Cheat Code: Portrait Demonstration
Join professional oil painter Kai Lun Qu for a live alla prima portrait painting demonstration focused on wet-on-wet oil painting and the universal fundamentals that apply across all visual art. Using oil paint as the vehicle, Kai will break down the intellectual side of painting: shape design, value relationships, edge control, color temperature, simplification, and visual decision-making in real time. Rather than teaching formulas or medium-specific tricks, this demo emphasizes the foundational concepts that strengthen drawing, painting, and observation regardless of medium. Attendees will get an inside look at how a professional artist approaches a portrait from block-in to finish while learning practical ways to think more clearly and intentionally about image-making itself.
Skill Level: General Audience
How Visa Taught Me to Look Beyond the Classic Animation Path
Studios are restructuring, jobs are harder to find, and a lot of artists are waiting to see what happens next. This talk is about expanding the definition of the animation career.
As an international student on a visa who graduated right on the AI boom, strikes, and studios shutting down, Anastasia Rykova shares her journey and how she found that animation lives in a lot more places than entertainment.
This talk follows her path from short films and commercial animation into product visualization and brand cinematics — how the same skills travel across industries, how to advocate for yourself when additional barriers stand in your way, and how to create opportunities when there aren't any obvious ones. The talk will hopefully inspire you to be creative with your career choices.
Skill Level: Beginner
Moho and Blender Playing Together: 2D Rigging for 3D Scenes
Creating and animating 2D and 3D characters are two very different worlds. While 3D offers a huge advantage in terms of possibilities, 2D animation has become fast, fun, and incredibly powerful.
Could these advantages work together? In this talk, Víctor Paredes, animator and co-owner of Moho, will show you how to quickly create 2D rigs in Moho and export them to Blender, preserving all their animation, bones, and smart actions. Moho's ease of use for getting results quickly, combined with Blender's incredible power, creates an ideal hybrid workflow.
Skill Level: Beginner
Oops! I Became a Content Creator: Social Media & Burnout
Hosted by JumpyJune, Meppity, Milky Tomato, and Here Comes KO, we crack the code on making engaging art-related content without selling your soul to the social media grind. We will give our personal tips on growing your account, keeping a healthy relationship with social media, avoiding burnout, and how sometimes these platforms can pay your rent! Join the discussion to learn how our platforms have led to funding an Indie Series, opening an Online Shop, and sharing our artwork with millions of followers!
Skill Level: General Audience
Re-Sharpening the Blade: Inside Blue Eye Samurai Season 2
Jump back into the world of Blue Eye Samurai as co-creators Michael Green and Amber Noizumi, Production Designer Toby Wilson, and Character Design Lead Emily Sasaki talk through creating Season 2 of the critically acclaimed series. Together, they’ll dive into the new London setting, the new and evolved character designs, and the meticulous crafts at work behind the highly anticipated second season.
Skill Level: General Audience
SketchCrawl
The annual tradition returns! Join Director Dave Pimentel and Story Artist Nick Sung for SketchCrawl—a community event where we slow down, draw from life, and get a chance to meet one another. It’s a fun way to practice quick sketching, make new friends, and spend some time drawing together. Meet by the LIGHTBOX letters and get ready to draw!
Skill Level: General Audience
Storyboard Portfolio Reviews All Day (Storyboard Deli)
Storyboard Deli is a one-stop shop for all your story needs. Take a number and get in line for a portfolio review (with cheese), live demos (on rye), or just hang and chat story with animation industry veterans (but keep it kosher). Lead sandwich makers Michael Daley, Josh ‘Hat’ Lieberman and Christian Roman have a collective 66 plus years of experience behind the animation counter serving up story hits and comedy slices. We will also have a rotating menu of seasonal special guests. Find us in the Exhibit Hall Lobby outside ballroom doors D/E at Booth 1500. Come on down to Storyboard Deli!
Skill Level: General Audience
Your Voice Is What Gets You Hired
When you develop your voice and stay true to what excites you, you do not just become more fulfilled as an artist, you become more hirable.
In this panel, professional artists share how developing a personal artistic direction helped them stand out, avoid burnout, expand into new opportunities, and build lasting careers. Learn how what makes you different can become your greatest advantage.
Skill Level: General Audience
Illustrating The Point: Tales from ADG’s Greats!
Who's behind your favorite scenes and designs from your favorite big-budget Hollywood movies? Join IATSE Local 800 (Art Directors Guild) concept artists Warren Manser (Spider-Man, The Matrix, Speed Racer), Neville Page (Cloverfield, Star Trek, Avatar) and Sean Hargreaves (Heat, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Avengers: Endgame); alongside storyboard artists Eric Ramsey (Project Hail Mary, Iron Man, Detective Pikachu) and Benton Jew (Wonder Woman, Logan, The Phantom Menace). The panel will discuss the process and technique behind some of the most memorable designs and sequences in cinema.
Moderated by Matthew Cunningham (Westworld, Godzilla x Kong, Suicide Squad).
Skill Level: General Audience
Life Drawing with Wouter Tulp
A casual life drawing session, where I'll join you in this LBX exclusive drawing session.
Skill Level: General Audience
Game Development and Cross Collaboration
Learn from the Game Development production at Otis and how they collaborate with other institutions to create games to market
Skill Level: General Audience
Show Me Something I’ve Never Seen Before
Show me something I've never seen before. These words can be exhilarating—or completely paralyzing. In an industry where millions of images are only a click away, how do you create work that genuinely feels new? Is originality a gift, a process, or just the result of endless iterations?
In this panel, concept designers discuss how they generate fresh ideas when the obvious answers aren't good enough. This is a conversation about the craft of originality—how to recognize it, cultivate it, and consistently deliver it under the pressures of real production.
Whether you're staring at a blank canvas, buried under references, or trying to solve the seemingly impossible brief, you'll leave with practical tools to escape clichés and surprise your audience.
Skill Level: General Audience
Character Design and Storyboard: A Necessary Collaboration
A reflection, based on my years of professional experience, on the benefits of a close partnership between the Story and Character Design departments
Skill Level: General Audience
Designing The Bloody Universe Of Invincible
Everything you see on screen in Skybound Entertainment's hit adult animated series INVINCIBLE on Prime Video was thoughtfully designed by an individual artist. Every character, every weapon, every wild outer space locale, and every streak of blood spraying across the screen was thoughtfully created by a team of designers and artists making bold choices.
Join INVINCIBLE Art Director Dou Hong, Background Paint Supervisor Corwin Woo, Color Supervisor Victoria Thornberry, and Environment Design Supervisor Edwin Fong as they share BTS production designs for scenes from Season 4, to go deep on each of the specialties that contribute to the final image you see: environments and sets, characters, props, background paintings, color, FX, and more.
Skill Level: General Audience
Indie Animation, Creator-Owned Futures
Sheridan College's new free programming to support emerging animators
Let's get real about the challenges and opportunities faced by emerging and established artists looking to work independently in the creator space. From viral YouTube releases and Kickstarter campaigns to grassroots screenings and small independent studios, an incredible panel of groundbreaking creators discuss what it takes to make ambitious independent work sustainable today. Stay till the end to hear about an exciting new free global program from Sheridan College for emerging and established animators, illustrators, and other artists looking to supercharge their capacity to operate independently in the creator space.
Skill Level: General Audience
The Story Art of HBO’s The Last of Us
Join story artist Colin Lorimer as he walks you through the process from script to storyboard, and everything in between, for HBO's The Last of Us.
Skill Level: General Audience
The Rise of Indie Animation: Breaking the Studio System
The animation industry is changing, and creators are taking ownership of their stories like never before.
Join a panel of artists building original films, series, comics, toys, and creator-owned worlds outside the traditional studio pipeline. Learn how they're financing projects, growing audiences, assembling teams, and transforming passion projects into thriving creative businesses.
Skill Level: General Audience
From Reference to Cinematic Design
In this demo, we will explore how to take real world references and analyze their visual elements (lighting, mood, materials, and composition), and use them to create cinematic keyframes and designs. We will also look at storytelling, how to build believable worlds in these early and creative explorations, and how to use effective 2D and 3D techniques to create high quality visual pieces.
Skill Level: General Audience
Illustrations in Motion with Procreate Dreams
Explore the space between illustration and animation. Join artist and educator Lisa Bardot as she brings a static Procreate artwork to life through animation, demonstrating how thoughtful motion can enhance storytelling, evoke emotion, and transform the way your art is experienced. Along the way, she'll share practical tips for working in Procreate Dreams, including some of its newest features.
Skill Level: General Audience
Making Coyote vs Acme: Classic Animation in the Modern World
What happens when the chaotic, hand-drawn magic of Wile E. Coyote collides with the cutting-edge tech of Hollywood's tomorrow?
From the dancing penguins of Mary Poppins to the seductive siren song of Jessica Rabbit, to Bugs Bunny's dominance on the court with Michael Jordan, animated hybrid movies have captivated audiences for generations. This August, Coyote vs. Acme charged onto the screen to continue that legacy with bold execution.
Join us as we pull back the curtain on the modern hybrid filmmaking pipeline. This panel will explore the craft, collaboration, and creative problem-solving required to honor the spirit of classic Looney Tunes performances while navigating a modern hybrid filmmaking pipeline.
Skill Level: General Audience
From First Step to First Credit: Careers in Animation
Discover how to build a career in animation, no matter where you’re starting from. In this panel, artists and production staff from Netflix Animation Studios will share how they broke into the industry—from early portfolios or resumes and networking strategies to landing their first credit and growing their careers. Learn practical tips on developing your skills, collaborating with teams, and finding opportunities in today’s evolving animation landscape.
Skill Level: General Audience
The Making of Jentry Chau vs The Underworld
In 2024 Jentry Chau vs The Underworld released on Netflix to critical and fan acclaim.
At LBX, Show-runner/Creator Echo Wu & Character Design Supervisor Kal Athanassov sit down with panel moderator Nick Manfredi to discuss creating, pitching, and ultimately making the show a reality. This talk is a great look into how projects evolve from pitch to final product and what artists can expect when working on big productions.
All audiences are welcome! Fans of Jentry are HIGHLY encouraged to not miss this panel.
Skill Level: General Audience
Life Drawing with Karla Ortiz
Inspired by LBX and itching to draw? Then you won’t want to miss Life Drawing with Karla Ortiz! Come join us for a laid back life drawing session, complete with good music, occasional art tips and overall just a good artistic time! Come early as seating is limited!
Skill Level: General Audience
Producing the Vision: Latino Creatives Leading the Way
Step behind the scenes of some of the most imaginative worlds in television and film with this exclusive conversation featuring today’s leading Latino animation showrunners, directors, and producers. In this panel, creative leaders pull back the curtain on the storytelling, artistry, and production that bring animated productions to life.
From early concept to writers’ room collaboration, casting, design, production pipelines, and the ever-evolving animation landscape, these industry leaders will share their unique approaches to building compelling narratives and managing the complex creative ecosystems that make animated storytelling possible.
Hosted & Moderated by LatinX in Animation
Skill Level: General Audience
Storytelling Through Design
Every design decision can tell a story. Join veteran Production Designer and Visual Development Artist Michael Knapp (Spies in Disguise, Epic, the Ice Age franchise, Robots) as he illustrates how effective world building and design choices create visual rules that imbue character and environment designs with logic, purpose and visual subtext which enrich the stories we tell and leave lasting impressions on audiences long after the credits roll.
Skill Level: General Audience
Leveling Up a Career in Gaming Animation
Building a lasting career in game animation takes more than talent or a nice reel. Join leaders from Agora Studio and Steamroller Studios as they share what they learned collaborating on the Annie Award–winning South of Midnight.
From the technical skills studios look for to the soft skills that matter just as much, this panel explores how adaptability, teamwork, and a learning mindset help you thrive in a competitive and ever‑evolving industry.
Whether you’re blocking out your first hit reaction or directing epic cinematics, you’ll leave with practical insights to help you level up your game animation career.
Skill Level: General Audience
NEVATARS | When Characters Break Free From the Screen
What happens to the beautifully designed characters that never make it beyond an artist's hard drive? Join the creative team behind NEVATARS for a behind-the-scenes look at the development of a groundbreaking mixed reality animated experience. From the project's earliest sketches to worldbuilding, character design, animation, and the creative challenges along the way, discover how an original idea evolved into an immersive story where animated characters step beyond the screen and into our world. Featuring exclusive footage, concept art, and an audience Q&A, this session explores the future of storytelling at the intersection of animation, immersive technology, and human creativity.
Skill Level: General Audience
Beyond the Frame: Motion Graphics & Paths into Animation
What does a Motion Graphics Artist do at a feature animation studio? Join Sony Pictures Animation's Motion Graphics team for a behind-the-scenes look at the creative work that helps bring films to life through design, animation, and visual storytelling. Through exclusive artwork, project breakdowns, and personal career stories, discover how two artists transformed graphic design backgrounds into successful careers in animation. Moderated by Sony Pictures Animation Recruiter and former designer Christina Harder, this session explores the power of transferable creative skills, nontraditional career paths, and the many ways artists can find their place in feature animation.
Skill Level: General Audience
Farm to Tablet: Cultivating Characters for Big City Greens
Join a team of designers to discuss how we fill the Big City full of memorable characters from scratch. Join us afterward for an interactive Halloween drawing activity at the Disney booth!
Skill Level: General Audience
Wheels, WIPs & Weight: Stylized Vehicle Design
Join Dustin d’Arnault for a demonstration on designing stylized hero vehicles for production. This session will take you through the design journey of sketching rough concepts, exploring silhouettes, and fleshing out a finalized design. Along the way, we will cover how to blend references, design theory and techniques to effectively balance the wonderful trinity of form, function and style. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to sharpen your skills, you’ll walk away with practical insights, tips and techniques that you can use to expand your process for creating striking vehicle designs!
Skill Level: Beginner
Storyboard Like a Boss
I will be demonstrating how I start from a thumbnail to a finished frame on Procreate.
Skill Level: General Audience
An Hour with Yoshitaka Amano
One of the most celebrated artists of our time comes to the LightBox Expo stage for a rare live conversation. Join legendary illustrator and character designer Yoshitaka Amano as he reflects on a remarkable career spanning Character designs, animation, fine art, and some of the most iconic imagery in video games. Hear stories behind his creative journey, his artistic philosophy, and the inspirations that continue to shape his work. Whether you've admired his illustrations, followed his groundbreaking designs, or simply want to hear from one of the industry's true visionaries, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity you won't want to miss. Moderated by Charles Solomon.
Skill Level: General Audience
The Primal Eye: A Feral Approach to Composition
This feral talk covers the primal brain and how it informs why effective compositions are effective, based on our instincts, ingrained needs, and what attracts or repels our eye. This talk applies to illustration, vis dev, character design disciplines, and more.
Skill Level: General Audience
The Business of Art: Building a Sustainable Career
Talent alone is not enough to build a long-term creative career. In this talk, artist and creative director Santiago “Samlo” López shares lessons from a 10-year journey turning art into a profession: building an audience of millions, collaborating with global brands, creating meaningful projects, and navigating the challenges of making creativity sustainable. Attendees will learn practical insights on personal branding, networking, creating opportunities, and transforming passion into a career without losing purpose or authenticity
Skill Level: General Audience
Starting Your Indie Story: How We’re Making LUNAIIRA Happen
Ready to bring your indie story to life but don't know where to start? This is the panel for you! In 2023, childhood best friends Morgan Clae and Samantha Timple stopped waiting for permission and began developing their original high-fantasy musical, LUNAIIRA: Soul's Rift. Three years later, LUNAIIRA has raised over $60k on Kickstarter, expanded into many departments, premiered Episode 1 in January 2026, and is currently in production on the remaining 11 episodes of Season 1. Learn how to run a successful Kickstarter, build a social media fan base, grow a team with little to no budget, and experience EXCLUSIVE never-before-seen visuals... :)
Skill Level: Advanced
Lets Draw a Live Model While I Drop Drawing Tips!
We will draw the live model costumed with a theme and I drop drawing insights from my 43 year career. Q and A as well. I LOVE doing this at LightBox Expo. Ask me anything just draw and learn.
Skill Level: General Audience
Designing Avatar: Fire and Ash – Environments and Vehicles
Join the production designers and concept artists of Avatar: Fire and Ash as they walk through the design process of bringing the countless environment and vehicle designs to life for James Cameron's epic film. From the Windtrader Gondola and Ash Village, to Bridghead City and the Factory ship, see and hear insights from the creative team responsible for these iconic designs.
Skill Level: General Audience
Believable by Design—How Industrial Designers Make the Unreal, Real
Want to know how fictional worlds, vehicles, and props are made to feel real? Please join Phil Saunders, Ed Natividad, Andrés Parada, and myself Jim Martin to find out how we use our unique, specific skillsets as Industrial Designers to create convincing fictional designs. We will dive into their design philosophies, techniques, and processes and learn what goes into creating believable designs that help make previously unseen worlds feel real.
Skill Level: General Audience
The Art of Predator Badlands
A deep dive into the art of the mech, worldbuilding, and costume design of the hit movie, featuring key designers from the film whose work spans environment art, creature design, industrial design, alien flora and fauna, and the visual language that defines its world.
Skill Level: General Audience
What to Expect When Making Your Own Indie Pilot
With more and more artists turning to Indie Animation to get their stories told, what does the dream of making your own pilot actually entail, and how can you make it a crowdfunding success? As the creator of the Stormfellers pilot and it's fully funded Kickstarter, we'll talk about everything I've learned in the process.
Skill Level: General Audience
The Legacy of Eyvind Earle
Join us as we discuss and celebrate the legacy of and the inspiration that is Eyvind Earle, one of this year's Concept Art Awards recipients. Panelists include legendary Disney animators, animation historians, designers and executives who knew and worked with Eyvind or were deeply inspired by him.
Skill Level: General Audience
The Essence of Landscape Painting with Angela Sung
Grab your MovinkPad, fire up Clip Studio Paint, and get ready to see landscapes differently! Join Angela Sung for this LightBox session as she breaks down how to Capture the Essence of a Landscape using nothing but color and shape- no fussy details required. Come curious, come ready to experiment, and let's have some fun with it!
Skill Level: General Audience
The Art of Performance in Animation
How do animated characters connect with audiences? Join animator Renato dos Anjos as he shares insights into the animation process and the role of performance in storytelling. Through examples from his work at Walt Disney Animation Studios, Renato will explore how movement and emotion bring characters to life, and how collaboration helps shape memorable films.
Skill Level: General Audience
Iconic 3D Character Modeling with Rakan and BirD
How do we translate a 2D concept into an iconic, animation friendly 3D character for companies like Epic and Blizzard? Join industry veterans BirD and Rakan as they share their favorite tips and tricks for creating iconic characters inside ZBrush!
Skill Level: General Audience
Cartoon Saloon @ 25: Untold Stories from Our Founders
From a small studio in Kilkenny, Ireland to becoming one of the world's most celebrated animation companies, Cartoon Saloon has spent the past 25 years creating visually distinctive, emotionally resonant films that have captivated audiences across the globe - a legacy beautifully documented in the recently released book The Art of Cartoon Saloon 25 Years by Charles Solomon. Join founders Tomm Moore, Nora Twomey, and Paul Young - on stage together for the first time in North America - for a conversation reflecting on the studio's remarkable journey. Expect candid insights, behind-the-scenes anecdotes, and a look ahead at what's next for one of animation's most influential studios.
Skill Level: General Audience
The 3-Part Content Strategy That Will Sell Your Art
The content you post selects for the audience you build, and most creatives are accidentally building an audience of peers instead of customers.
In this session I'll break down the three-part content strategy I've used with hundreds of creatives to fix that. You'll see real before-and-afters, including a fantasy illustrator who went from 4K views a reel to 400K, and a ceramicist who 10x'd her views without changing a single thing about her work.
You'll leave this session with a filled-out content strategy for your own business, and more clarity on how to market your work than you've ever had before.
Skill Level: Advanced
Ravensburger: What We Look For in Freelance Illustrators
Join the creative team behind Disney Lorcana TCG and Ravensburger tabletop games for an inside look at Ravensburger’s freelance illustration process. Featuring Matthew Eng, Creative Director of Illustration; Liz Richards, Art Director for Disney Lorcana TCG; Jake Breish, Art Director and Creative Manager, Ravensburger NA, and Dawn Yamazi, Sr. Artist Relations Manager, this panel will share what Ravensburger looks for in artist portfolios across products including Disney Lorcana, Disney Villainous, and other Ravensburger tabletop games. Learn how artwork evolves from concept to publication, gain portfolio and submission tips, and explore real-world examples from recent releases. Ideal for illustrators seeking insight into the creative process and hiring expectations.
Skill Level: General Audience
A Demonstration of Traditional Hand-Drawn Animation
Rick will give a brief rundown of his career, including his exclusive works on funny sidekick characters. He will then give a demonstration of tradional , classic hand drawn animation.
Skill Level: General Audience
Showcase of the 24 Hours Animation Contest for Students
Screening of the 24 HOURS Animation Contest for Students—a global challenge where teams create a 30-second animated film in just 24 hours! Entries are judged by top industry pros, with prizes from sponsors like Toon Boom, Disney, Pixar, Netflix, Sony, DreamWorks, and more. Over 15,000 students from 240 schools in 35+ countries, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, India, Israel, Kenya, Lebanon, Mexico, Spain, the UK, the USA, and more have competed simultaneously worldwide. The screening includes a Q&A with select filmmakers, , moderated by Nathan Brown from Wacom. Sponsored by Legends Animated, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit supporting impactful, independent animation.
Skill Level: General Audience
Peaking & Peeking: A Look at Autism in Animation
Because Autism in Entertainment so thoroughly enjoyed the 2025 LBX AIE GENERATIONS panel experience and its overwhelmingly positive response(s) - such as hundreds of thousands of views/comments/claps on our corresponding social posts - we're back with part 2! In multiple ways, present day is *peak* time for autism in animation. At 2026 LBX, we will discuss - and *peek* at - current animated projects that involve autistic talent. This stellar gathering will screen animated video clips and elaborate on employment of neurodivergent talent in key roles - such as voice actors, storyboard artists, character and background designers, color stylists, editors, writers, and more - on their projects, respectively. The speakers also will answer audience questions.
Skill Level: General Audience
Figure Drawing – Jam Session Open to All – PART 2!
Join us for a live costumed model session with quick 1–5 minute gestures and longer 10-20 minute poses. Illustrator and Disney Lorcana Art Director Andrew Theophilopoulos will be projecting their iPad painting demo while attendees are encouraged to draw along. Whether you’re working traditionally or digitally, this is a relaxed, welcoming figure drawing jam focused on gesture, observation, color and light. Artists of all skill levels are welcome!
Bring your sketchbook or tablet and hang out!
Skill Level: General Audience
Beyond the Internship and Into Forgotten Island
Meet the former interns who turned early opportunities into careers on Forgotten Island. From Production Assistants to Vis Dev artists and creative support roles, they'll share how they helped bring the film's breathtaking world to life and offer insights for those hoping to follow a similar path.
Skill Level: General Audience
Introducing the Art of Star Wars: Unlimited
Discover your next creative adventure with Star Wars: Unlimited! Meet our lead Art Directors for an inside look at how we bring this exciting trading card game to life. We'll discuss what makes Star Wars: Unlimited unique, explore our current concept-to-card pipeline, and learn what our Art Directors look for when reviewing artist portfolios. Whether you're a professional illustrator, or still building a name for yourself, come and join us for an insider's perspective on how artists can become part of the Star Wars: Unlimited creative experience.
Skill Level: General Audience
YouTube 101: How to Make Videos Worth Watching
Whether you're an aspiring student or industry professional, YouTube can change your life. But how do you stand out from the crowd? By making videos worth watching. I'm Brokendraw, and I gained over 100,000 subscribers in one year by following this principle. In this talk I'll tell you exactly how to go from script to screen in a way that feels authentic and worthwhile. If you've EVER wanted to make YouTube videos - this talk will tell you exactly how to do it.
Expect to learn:
- Why every creative NEEDS a YouTube channel
- How to FIND video Ideas
- How to WRITE valuable videos
- How to RECORD videos authentically
Skill Level: General Audience
Betting on Animation in the Age of Disruption
The pace of technical disruption in animation keeps climbing — real-time engines, AI, creator platforms, shortform, and whatever's next. This opens up new business models and experiences that couldn't have existed a few years ago. However, it can also create anxiety. We've been around long enough to see how the animation industry evolves and ends up for the better. We will always bet on animation. We discuss the skillsets that stay relevant and how we have adapted and revelled in the disruption.
Skill Level: General Audience
Stop Drawing the Same Face: Casting and Character Design
Let's explore how to create memorable characters by designing faces that communicate personality, history, and narrative role at a glance. Instead of relying on the same polished superhero features, this demo focuses on treating character design like casting for a film: every feature should support who the character is and the story they tell. Industry veteran and teacher Hardy Fowler will demo concepts and techniques for varying facial structure, age, proportions, expression, and visual rhythm to build more distinctive and believable characters. Perfect for illustrators, concept artists, comics creators, and character designers looking to push beyond generic stock-model faces and create characters that feel alive.
Skill Level: General Audience
Stylized 3D Blender Speed Sketch
How much can we get done in Blender in just an hour? I want to show that Blender is an amazing tool for expressive, impressionistic sketching. You can quickly create something interesting when thinking like a painter & combining the power of implying shapes with 3D tools, lighting, compositing, etc. Furthermore, when familiar with this approach, building up your idea is simply about spending time crafting more personality and specificity into each element established in the beginning stages. My aim is to show how easy, fun and explorative 3D can be, and how far it can help take your ideas and overall creativity. Hopefully it resonates with you as much as it does for me! For those interested in learning more, I teach about these ideas on Schoolism.com :)
Skill Level: General Audience
The Art of Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender
Discussing the process for crafting the unique 2D/3D style for the recently released Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender. This talk will break down the visual pillars for the films art style, early explorations and paintings all the way through the production art and the cinematic compositing style of the movie.
Skill Level: General Audience
Using a Limited Palette for Plein Air
In this demo, Misa will be showing her process of painting a plein air landscape using oil paints. Misa will go over her process of underpainting, color washes, and building up her oil paints quickly as she mixes colors studying the scenery from life. This demo will be focusing on the limited palette using the colors: Ultramarine Blue, Alizarin Crimson, Titanium White, Burnt Sienna, and Cadmium Yellow.
Skill Level: General Audience
The Artist’s Roadmap To Multiple Streams of Income
One of the biggest struggles facing artists and animators today is having a solid plan to succeed at art/animation in the internet age and even more so in the age of artificial intelligence (AI). The Artist’s Roadmap to Multiple Streams of Income focuses on a modern approach for the technology-driven world. The core ideas of this talk will focus on mindset and tools an artist/animator needs, to marketing your art on social media, licensing your work, and getting jobs in the industry. You will learn how to set up an art/animation career with multiple sources of income coming in, how to set goals, and develop a personalized plan for artistic success.
Skill Level: General Audience
Billion Dollar Janitor
Join Kris Wimberly as he walks through his 18 year career and the mindset he used to build bridges of opportunity as a custodian at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, to his role as Supervising Director on the return of the billion-dollar, award-winning Disney franchise "Sofia the First"! Talk will include time for Q&A.
Skill Level: General Audience
Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender Special Screening
We are pleased to host a special screening of Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender on Sunday, Oct 25 that will take place at 5:00pm in the Civic Auditorium, immediately following The Art of Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender panel (which is slated for 4:00-5:00pm in the Civic). As the convention wraps up this will be the only event on the schedule at 5:00 p.m., making it a special closing event for the weekend!
Skill Level: General Audience
