Today we’d like to introduce you to Shannon Hallstein.
Hi Shannon, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
Growing up, I had an extremely supportive family of my artistic ambitions. I feel incredibly thankful to have had parents who wanted to foster a home of creativity, joy, and music every day. My parents are artists themselves, involved in music and theatre, and see the value of the arts to further enrich our lives. That positivity has followed me into my adult life and is something I cherish and look to share with others through my own paintings and drawings. My sister and I would spend hours together during our childhood drawing and making comics about characters of our own. That was my spark, the pure joy I had in spending time with my sister being creative together. Now, that spark has turned into a career! It certainly wasn’t overnight, though; I spent all my high school days drawing and painting traditionally mainly and taking as many art classes as I could while doing my own personal study to keep growing. I remember the first time I saw the Disney movie Tangled; that was when I knew I needed to be a part of the animation process. I wasn’t quite sure what part yet! When it came time for college, I applied to the Savannah College of Art and Design and received a full tuition scholarship to study computer animation. I quickly learned that it wasn’t for me and went back to my childhood drawing roots to focus on visual development. When graduation came around, I was lucky enough to be selected to be a visual development Trainee at Dreamworks Animation! That was the launchpad into so many other amazing opportunities that I’ve been able to be a part of, and I’m truly grateful for that experience every day. Since then, I’ve had the honor of working for multiple studios and learning from many talented and inspiring artists on a variety of projects as a visual development artist and character designer.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Many animation artists have self-doubt and imposter syndrome, and I was no different. In fact, I still struggle sometimes! But I had to remember that it’s a normal part of the process that everyone faces in their career, and it can hit you even if you feel you are at the top of your game. The best way I have found to move past it is to not compare yourself to others but to take it as a learning opportunity. There is always something to learn, and life is a marathon, not a race. It’s easy to get wrapped up in your own head, but I’m thankful to have such loving support from mentors, friends, and family to keep going on the journey.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a Visual Development Artist and Character Designer! I feel incredibly lucky that my job involves designing environments, props, and characters for animation. I found enjoyment in all of them and didn’t want to limit myself to just doing one or the other. I’ve been able to work at studios like Warner Bros, Disney TVA, Walt Disney Animation Studios, and more recently, for an exciting feature project with a small studio called Premise Entertainment. I love telling stories with everything I design and paint moments that invite my viewers into another world. I’m incredibly thankful that I can work in a profession where I can make a positive impact in people’s lives with my art, and hope to shine a light with every project I work on!
We’d love to hear what you think about risk-taking.
Moving out to California for me was a risk as I wasn’t sure how long my employment was going to last after the trainee program with Dreamworks. But by working hard and taking it day by day, that risk turned to reward! Making those big decisions are necessary to growing in your own journey, so take them!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.shannonhallstein.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_blue_leviathan/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-hallstein-517257127/
Image Credits
Madison Dunn
