My Portfolio
Hi, I'm Sasha, a traditional animator and composing artist currently living & in Bristol. Welcome to my portfolio, showcasing my work in the animation industry. With over a decade of experience, I have developed my skills in compositing and VFX, specialising in children's cartoons, animated music videos and other animated media. My background in both traditional animation and illustration has been the driving force behind my current position, lending a visually pleasing and creative touch to my work.
As well as my consistent work history, I also have a high level of education in the arts, possessing a Masters Degree in Animation Production, a Bachelor Degree in Animation & a Diploma in Art, Design & Photography.
Fuelled by a passion for animation and cartoons, both traditionally & digitally, I approach every project with dedication and an excellent work ethic. I am a very thorough, intuitive and driven artist, striving for the best results, as well as a communicative & hardworking team player. Each project I work on reflects my genuine love for the art form. I hope you enjoy looking through my portfolio as much as I have enjoyed bringing it together to showcase my work.
My Show Reel
This showreel features all animation, visual effects and compositing work up to 2023.
Features projects for Aardman, A Productions, Blue Peter, Channel 5 (Milkshake), Sky Kids, music videos and feature films.
Software used: After Effects, Photoshop, Toonboom, Adobe Animate.
As well as my most favoured medium: hand drawn traditional animation in pencil and paper.
Music: Count Basie - Corner Pocket (1956)
Studio Work
I have been very fortunate to have worked with some of the biggest companies in the business. Namely Aardman & A Productions, working on projects for Sesame Street, CBBC, Blue Peter, SkyKids, Channel 5's Milkshake and HBO.
I am most at home working in studio environment and enjoy being part of a team. Although recently my circumstances mean more working from home, I am just as happy to be part of the workforce remotely.
Sesame Street: Nature Explorers
This project was a joy from start to finish. I had very professional and excellent team to work with. I was in charge of setting up entire episodes, adding depth of field, parallax, adjusting lighting, adding shadows and volumetric passes. Making sure scenes had seamless continuity among other final checks.
The final composited effect was created using a combination of Toon Boom to extract animation from the rigs correctly and After Effects to put it altogether.
![Our Planet Now Winning Animation COP26 BLUE PETER [TubeRipper.com].mp4-high (2).gif](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/075350_09326681ef6641c2aad2b0b92ab9fddd~mv2.gif)
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Our Planet Now
On this project I produced all the atmospheric animation and VFX, including fire, smog, smoke, particles, shadows and lighting. I also composited scenes with a parallax as well as animating background and foreground props such as automatic doors and cars.
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Milo
My role was compositing 2D animation onto backgrounds, animating shadows and adding VFX assets. Setting up shots and connecting the assets to work intuitively with the animation. I also used Toon boom to extract the animation.
I worked on this project as a compositor and VFX artist. I started the project setting up the shots and adding beauty passes and colour correction. I also created VFX for different weather conditions, volumetric passes, transitions and animated movement lines. Eventually I was given the opportunity to work on 4+ song sequences, these featured more advanced compositing, animating and visual effects.
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The Makery was a children's show shown on SkyKids. It's an imaginative arts and crafts show for ages 3-8.
On this project I integrated CGI & 2D assets into live action. I was also in charge of compositing set up.
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Earthworm Heart - Tom Fun Orchestra
A fun but gruesome music video for Tom Fun Orchestra. I worked as a 2D animator on this project working in Adobe Animate. This was combined rigged animation and frame by frame. Was one of the most fun projects I've worked on.
Freelance
As much as I love studio work, my freelance work can be just as exciting, lending a very diverse set of projects. From compositing, traditional animation (pencil & paper) and illustration work. I have enjoyed working on many projects for different people. I hope to continue my freelance work and hopefully revisit my love for hand drawn traditional media in the very near future.
I have created work for TV & feature films as well as for charities such as WWF & also work for the NHS.
The Seventeenth Kind is a satirical science-fiction movie starring Tony Curran, Brian Blessed and Miriam Margoyles.
I was approached by Hydra Films (Loose Canon) to create a completely hand drawn, traditionally animated scene inspired by the 1950's version of War of the Worlds. I animated in pencil and paper, coloured using Photoshop and composited with After Effects.
Below you can see the scene with Miriam Margoyles and the uncomposited animation.
The Seventeenth Kind
No Reason To Stay - Turbo Fruits
I created selected animation for this music video. Most pieces are traditionally animated with pencil and paper and composited and edited using Photoshop and After Effects. I worked closely with the editors and made sure they were provided with all pieces of animation in the correct format and frame rate.
Hidden Worlds Charity Event
This was one of the most stressful projects, giving me just 4 days to create, from scratch and immersive underwater scene.
This was traditionally animated with pencil and paper, composited in after effects.
WWF: Save the Polar Bear Campaign - Denmark
Entirely hand drawn animation and painted backgrounds. This was actually created in my 3rd year of my degree and used as part of the WWF campaign afterwards. I always cnsider this my first credit and as a true animal lover, very proud it was with a charity like this.
ABOUT ME
Hello! I'm Sasha, a Bristol-based artist, working in the captivating world of animation & children's media. My expertise lies in compositing and VFX, and I take immense joy on children's cartoons. With a wealth of experience spanning more than a decade in the animation industry, I've had the privilege of collaborating with esteemed companies like Aardman and A Productions. Additionally, I've had the pleasure of contributing to projects of renowned names such as HBO, Sesame Street, Blue Peter, Channel 5, and CBBC. The journey has been nothing short of hardwork and I'm thrilled to continue growing my career and sharing my knowledge.
Apart from animation, I harbor a deep passion for children's book illustration, where I find myself particularly drawn to traditional techniques like watercolours and ink. Nostalgia blended with nature holds a special place in my heart. Among my greatest sources of illustration inspiration are Quentin Blake, Ernest Shappard, Thelwell, Beatrix Potter, and Raymond Briggs. Their incredible works have had a profound influence on both me and my art, shaping the way I approach and create illustrations.
In addition to my love for children's book illustration, I am traditional animation and classic cartoons fanatic, with a keen focus on the "Golden Age" spanning from 1928 to the late 60's. Exploring the captivating relationship between animation and music, particularly classical, ragtime, and jazz. This holds a special fascination for me, especially when delving into its profound influence on cartoons during that era. My passion for this collaboration of animation and music runs so deep that I even dedicated my dissertation to the subject. It's an exciting journey of discovery that continues to enrich my appreciation for the art forms I cherish.
In addition to my art and animation pursuits, I have an immense passion for animal welfare, nature, and wildlife. This love often finds its way into my art, as I delight in incorporating animals into the majority of my creations. In my leisure time, I find great joy in the company of animals, whether it's embracing the beauty of nature or devoting my time to volunteering. I have been fortunate enough to have had the extraordinary opportunity to lend my support and contribute to the Soi Dog Foundation in Thailand, where I actively worked in behavioral support and rehabilitation for the dogs there. It was an unforgettable experience, leaving an unforgettable mark on my life, and gifting me one of the most cherished Christmases ever. The connection I share with animals continues to inspire and enrich my journey, infusing my art with heartfelt expressions of their beauty and significance.
