Name: Claude
Specialties: Illustration with a focus in visual development. I also specialize in sequential art, character design, and as a color artist.
Style / Genre: Experimental, Cartoon-Inspired, Illustration
Contact info: claude.castaneda@hotmail.com
Page rate for commissions: $50-$100+ and negotioable
Rate for Prints of original work: $20+
Current affiliations: @cloudcastor on twitter, tumblr, instagram, and facebook.
Previous work: Clean Up Artist for Indivisible by lab zero games. Cover Artists for Kawokee novel. A member of Latinxs in Animation gallery showcase. Visual Development for LGBT Fairy Tales project.
Current projects: Moderator and contributor for future unreleased zines.
What was your first project that made you feel like a real artist and how did you get it? It would definitely be the clean up artist position I got at lab zero games. A friend of mine recommended me for the position and it has done so much for my identity as an artist as well as teaching me industry standards and
What is your primary inspiration when creating art? A primary inspiration is always my own background, being poc and lgbt, I always want to bring that to the forefront of my work, as well as the vibrancy always associated with them. I also love using music as a big inspiration when creating works.
What other artists do you use to learn technique? Classic illustrators and visual development artists such as Eyvind Earle and Mary Blair, with their high contrast and shape heavy styles, have influenced me in the way I see compositions and my own technique. Many modern artists have helped shape the way I approach work as well, seeing how it’s much easier to see other’s process through social media.
Where would you like to see yourself in five years with your art? I’d love to be in a place where I can more easily find opportunities to showcase my art, as well as just being in a place where I can be more confident in my art and abilities.
What would your dream project be? I’d love to work any in studio job of any kind, but visual development on a tv show would be amazing!
Final four questions –we ask everybody
Q) When the zombies take over the world where will you be?
You can catch me hiding in my room still drawing and unaware haha
Q ) How do you identify Jedi, lesbian, Ninja, gay, vampire, bisexual, were-wolf, transgender, pirate, asexual, fairy, aromantic, sith, intersex, Spartan, non-binary, wizard, genderfluid, queer, …? ? I’m nonbinary and queer!
Q) What piece of art, be it in the form of music, a ,book, a film or picture, do you think people must experience before they die? This is a tough one… probably any of Satoshi Kon’s movies.. I’d recommend Tokyo Godfathers!
Q) Give one fact that most people would not believe about you?
I met Rebecca Sugar on the streets of San Diego and managed to snap a picture with them!
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