Jim Elston is an Nashville-based Illustrator/Animation artist.
Jim studied drawing, painting and illustration at the Columbus College of Art and Design in Columbus OH, graduating with a BFA in Illustration in 1994, and from there went on to a career in Animation with Walt Disney Feature Animation in Orlando as a Clean Up Animation artist, working on such films as Mulan, Tarzan, Emperor's New Groove, and Lilo and Stitch. After that, he spent the next decade as a full time freelance Illustrator, creating artwork for various clients across many different industries. He then rejoined the world of Animation in 2014 working for Big Idea Entertainment / Dreamworks TV as a storyboard revisionist/prop designer/all-around general purpose artist on the Netflix series' VeggieTales in the House and All Hail King Julien. More recently, Jim worked as a texture painter and background painter for the Wingfeather Saga tv series.
Jim thinks of himself as an Illustrator who does animation things. Like, if there was an ANIMATION street, and an ILLUSTRATION street, Jim likes to think that he lives on the corner.
Jim is also an adjunct professor, teaching Concept Development in the Animation Department of Lipscomb University in Nashville. Jim has a deep love for drawing and painting in all mediums, is married and has 5 super interesting kids, likes to celebrate his American and Chinese heritage and loves traveling and trying all kinds of ethnic food from around the world.
He is currently freelancing in the Nashville area.
contact: james.elston@gmail.com