Become an Animated Artist: Let Your Inner Child Free

by Debbie Wilson
Debbie.Wilson@computeranimationschoolreview.com
Computer Animation School Review Columnist

Stephen Hillenburg found a way to create an animation career from his love of marine biology. Sounds unlikely? Haven't you heard of SpongeBob SquarePants?

Animated Marine Biology

Stephen Hillenburg, animated artist and creator of SpongeBob SquarePants, wasn't always certain of his animation career. In fact, as a child, he had an extreme love for marine biology and specifically, tide pool life. He lived his career dreams through marine biologist extraordinaire, Jacques Cousteau. So, it makes sense that he earned a degree in natural resource planning with an emphasis on marine resources. He later went on to teach marine biology at the Orange County Ocean Institute. But his dreams of writing stories and drawing animated characters were continually in his thoughts, so he decided to pursue a Master's Degree in Experimental Animation.

Mix Reality with Animation Fantasy

As a marine science teacher, Hillenburg enjoyed the excitement kids showed when they learned about undersea life and when they got a chance to inspect tide pools. Seeing this made Hillenburg decide to combine his knowledge of science with his passion and creativity for animation. Thus, he developed SpongeBob SquarePants, an underwater sea sponge with hilarious animated features.

Like Hillenburg, you too can enjoy a rewarding career as an animated artist. You just need to find a creative way to pull together your animation talents, educational background, and creative passions. Couple these skills with your life experiences and you have a recipe for animation success.

So go ahead and let your creative inner child free. Spend some time deciding what interests you most, get the technical and animation artistic training you need, and then start enjoying a fulfilling, challenging, and fun-filled animation career.

About the Author
Debbie Wilson currently operates a lakeside resort. Debbie holds a B.A. in Business Management with a minor in Physical Education.

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