Bertrand Todesco

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Where did you grow up? At what age did you start thinking about pursuing an artistic career?
I was born in the 80's in the south east of France, in a tiny village near Arles called Fourques. I have always been drawing and I started to think about turning my passion into a career at a very early age, around 8 maybe. The comic book industry in France/Belgium is very important so it is the first thing everybody thinks about. I was watching a lot of animation too, mostly American and Japanese. As a young boy from the country side, working in animation was really something too far to imagine, which is why in high school I was even considering a career in sales! Luckily, a classmate (thanks Cyril forever) told me about the upcoming opening of an animation school, right in Arles! I checked their portfolio (students' graduation short films) and the career opportunities. At that moment, at the age of 17, I knew I wanted to make a career in animation and that is was possible!

Did you go to an art school or are you self taught? How did you develop your skills?
I guess I probably started to draw by copying characters from comic books or shows, like most kids. Then I started to create stories, at first short fan fiction strips of the TMNT, then my own stories with own characters. I was playing a lot with my G.I. Joe action figures, imagining I was the camera, and creating incredible sets in my bedroom with blankets, Playmobils, Legos or shoes boxes. Later, in middle school, I had a revelation when the art teacher taught us anatomy and proportions, the size of the head in relation to other parts of the body. It was huge! I then started to draw more realistic characters, going away from French-Belgian style and closer to American comic books with superheroes... As I said earlier, I joined the animation school SupInfoCom (now MoPA) which is one of the best CG animation schools and which was opening by chance a new branch in my city just the year after I finished high school! I had my very first real drawing classes, then storyboard, animation... I learned 3D modeling too, and I loved that. I realized later, when I eventually returned to 2D, that 3D modeling gave me additional skills, especially to understand volumes. It is very helpful to draw turnarounds, which is one of the main tasks of a character designer.

Have you always been supported in your artistic path or has it been challenging to let your family and friends understand your choice?
My family always supported me and I feel very grateful and lucky. I guess having an artistic career has never been a forbidden path in my family, and it came pretty naturally actually. No one is a professional artist but my grandmother used to paint landscapes and my father and older brother play guitar. I tried piano but I sucked… so I continued in the drawing path! Although pursuing a career in animation meant moving far away from my friends because all the studios are in Paris and London, I truly believe they would have been disappointed if I had not followed my dream. 

What was the strongest influence you had when you were growing up ( artists, movies, cartoons, comics etc.. ) ?
Like most kids, I started reading comic books, and it was my introduction to art and storytelling. The "Spirou and Fantasio" albums were for sure a revelation. Japanese animation was very popular in France with shows such as "Captain Tsubasa", "Saint Seiya", "City Hunter" or "Dragon Ball" of course and I grew up watching more anime than Disney movies. At the same time, the American pop culture was everywhere. I loved "TMNT", "Back to the Future", "The Goonies", "Karate Kid", "Saved by the Bell", "Fresh Prince of Bel Air", Michael Jackson and Michael Jordan… My art is very influenced by these references and therefore my color palette is saturated, and I developed this interest for fashion and patterns. It was also the golden age of action movies with Stallone and Schwarzenegger and especially Jean-Claude Van Damme for me, because he is French speaking. Movies like "Bloodsport" and "Predator" subconsciously taught me the importance of the diversity of body shapes and colors in an ensemble, having strong and recognizable features on the main characters, create stereotypes... When I was a teenager, I dove into American comic books from Image. I reached a new level drawing girls thanks to J.Scott Campbell ("Gen13") and Michael Turner ("Witchblade"). I then returned to mangas to continue to improve, with "I"s" by Masakazu Katsura, "F.Compo" by Tsukasa Hojo and finally "Slamdunk" by Takehiko Inoue. Bruce Timm, Bill Presing and Marguerite Sauvage are also great references.

Did you have a favorite subject to draw when you were a child and do you still have one today? If you do, what makes it so special?
Since I was a teenager, my favorite subject to draw has been girls. I guess it is because of "Baywatch" and Pamela Anderson hahaha. I love to play with the shapes and curves, hairstyles, lashes, fashion… I improved a lot thanks to the authors quoted just above, and eventually I evolved in my way of seeing and drawing girls. One of the best compliments I've ever been given is that I draw girls like a girl, meaning that I draw girls like human beings and not like objects of desire.

From the initial client idea to the final work: What goes through your mind and what is the method you use when starting a project? Could you describe it?
The first step to me is to know the audience/age target, and the style of animation (or software). From there, I know what kind of style I should go for. I collect a lot of images and references from various artists and this first step leads me directly to this or that folder or artist. Within the main style direction, I usually give different proposals, so the producer (or show runner, writer, art director…) and I can talk and refine together. Regarding the characters' features, clothes and details, I tend to use the description of the script or bible to make a list of key words, and all the ideas that pop from them. Then, I draw everything, mostly as small simple icons, and that constitutes my library of shapes and colors. The most important thing is to create recognizable, unique characters so I look for stereotypes, but trying to avoid clichés. I also always pay attention to add diversity, in body shapes and colors. 

What is your process in creating your art and what are your favourite tools?
In addition to my reference folders on my computer, Google Image is the main source for my research. I avoid Pinterest because I'm afraid to drown in the rabbit hole. I draw on Photoshop with a Wacom Cintiq 22 inches, and I recently started to use custom brushes. A new world opens up to me!

What part of the creation process is the most fun and easy and what part is the hardest?
I LOVE visual developments! The most exciting as a designer is to explore graphic styles and search clothes, colors, hair styles, accessories, etc. I absolutely enjoy drawing different styles and finding the one that fits the project perfectly! Drawing turnarounds in T pose for CG is the most boring, but I learned a lot from that.

What is a typical day for you, and who are the people you work, collaborate or share your creative time with?
It all starts with a script, and the breakdown list of all the characters appearing in the new episode. I highlight their descriptions, if any, and important dials. The Art Director and/or Show Runner and I share our visions for each character. I start drawing prelim designs, basically several 3 quarter front views in color, very rough. When the prelim is approved, I draw the turnaround, from rough to clean up. I can be asked to draw some facial expressions and special poses to complete the model sheet. I can also do some drawovers or layout poses when the storyboards show perilous perspectives or when the animation studio asks for help. Usually I have several weeks to finish all the designs assigned to me for one episode. Depending on the production and its budget, I have to create ALL the characters, or I work with a team of other artists. I like the second option better because it is challenging to share and confront your ideas with other character designers. There is emulation and that pushes me to learn new things and therefore improve.

What are some of the things you have learned from other artists who you have worked with or whose work you have seen?
I'm very curious, eager to develop my skills and improve my art, and part of that I get from learning from the multiple talented people I work with. I watch a lot of art on Instagram too. I observe a lot. I try to breakdown the process and assimilate the shape language of other artists. I learned a lot from Benedicte Ciaravino and Gaelle Autin on LoliRock, not only on the drawing side, but also on the managing side. They made me a better artist and better Lead for sure, telling me what comment can create an art block, and what other comment can motivate. Thank you so much. I have been learning a lot by watching storyboards too: it is important as a character designer to create designs that are visually great but, at the same time, not too complex in order to make the whole production pipeline more efficient. Story artists have a way to simplify designs that is always a great inspiration. Thank you my buddy Etienne Guignard.

Is there something that you have designed that you are most proud of?
I am very proud of my work on "Cleopatra In Space". This is my first series with an American animation studio. Dreamworks gave me the amazing opportunity to create the style and main characters of this series, with my Art Director Angela Mueller. I was lucky to work with a super team of talented and friendly artists who welcomed me well in this new country. The animators at Titmouse Vancouver did an incredible work too and I just wish that everybody see this show. It is on Peacock! Go watch it!

What projects have you worked on in the past and what are you working on at the moment (if you can tell us)?
I started my career in 2005 as a 3D modeler, character designer and story artist on TV commercials at CUBE Creative in Paris. Eventually I directed a few commercials with my former classmate and friend Franck Balson (now Creative Director at BLUR studios). I jumped into the animation industry in late 2008 joining Marathon Media (now Zodiak kids), producers of the global hit "Totally Spies". I created the main characters of "Gormiti", based on the toy phenomenon. From then, I created the main characters on 4 other shows ("Basketeers, Tony Parker", "LoliRock", "Bapt&Gael" and "MarbleGen") on which I also contributed as lead character designer. In parallel, I worked on a lot of developments with many French studios, especially La Chouette Compagnie. I directed a pilot too, with my friend Etienne Guignard, for the TV series project "Pirates of the Abyss". In 2017, I finally got my first gig, as a freelancer from France, with an American studio, Nickelodeon, on "Glitch Techs". Few months later, I moved to Los Angeles for "Cleopatra In Space". The second show I worked on at Dreamworks is streaming on AppleTV+ on November 13th! "Doug Unplugs" is the cutest preschool show, all in CG, and the youngest kids will love it! Since August, I am working at Titmouse on "The Legend of Vox Machina" (based on the "Critical Role" web series on Youtube) for Amazon Prime. I can't tell much about it for now but this is VERY different from my previous show!

Do you have a longterm career goal? What would your dream project be?
In parallel to my work on "Legends of Vox Machina", I am developing a personal project and I will be ready to pitch it soon! Creating my own show is clearly my goal. I have several ideas in mind.

Working in-house for a company or freelancing: what suits you best? And why?
As I said previously, I worked on a lot of developments in 2015-2016. It was my everyday job, I was creating characters for projects and I did that from my tiny apartment in Paris. I guess it’s fine when you have to create things, alone, but when it comes to work on an actual production, I do prefer to work in house. You meet colleagues, friends, and you can also see what is being done at the same time on other shows. All of this creates good emulation, motivation and it is important. I really enjoyed working at the Dreamworks campus for example: it was a very nice environment. I like the feeling of being part of a group, a family. CUBE Creative, Marathon Media, La Chouette Compagnie, Dreamworks, I built families there. Because of Covid, I have never been to the Titmouse office yet but I am working with a super crew, and I can't wait to work with them in person!

What advise would you give to an artist who is dealing with an artist’s block? How do you boost your imagination and keep yourself creative?
In my case, most of the times when I have a block, it is because I have too many things in my head, too many styles I want to explore. It ends up making me procrastinate. What helps me is creating a list of all the things I have to do, pick the first one and do it. This sounds like a simple advice, but it does help me as an artist to bring some structure and discipline to my creativity.

Concept art, animation, illustration, comics, you name it. There are so many careers and when you are very young, sometimes you know only one thing: you simply love to draw. In your opinion, what should a young person take into consideration to make the right decision when choosing an artistic path?
I am the perfect example of someone who went in multiple artistic paths in my career: I went to a CG school, interned in a videogame studio, worked as a 3D modeler and as a TV commercial director. Now, I am a hand-drawn designer for animated series. Maybe in 10 years I will do something different… If you want to take a more specific path, here are my advices: first of all, I think you have to be realistic and know what you are good at and what you are not. But you will evolve, so most importantly, you need to know what you really like. What task do you like the most (telling stories, drawing backgrounds, objects...)? What is your favorite age target (preschool, adult, teenager)? What kind of style (cartoon, chibi, realistic)?  The answers should help point you out to an industry. Each industry has its constraints as you can do things in videogames that you can't in TV series. Working on a show ties you for more than a year drawing the same universe, against only a few weeks for TV commercials. You have a hierarchy and a team of specialists (backgrounds, characters, props, fx, story artists…) in animation, while you do everything in a comic book… As a character designer, you draw one hundred times the same character in multiple angles, turnarounds, mouth charts, expressions, while keeping the style, and the volumes… I love my job because I also love the “boring” part of it. I see in it a game or challenge I need to accomplish. I know it doesn't suit everyone. There are schedules, budgets etc too! Being a character designer, or a professional artist of any kind, goes beyond passion. It requires a lot of discipline, and hard work.

In your own experience, what would you suggest to someone who is inspired by your work and wants to follows your footsteps: should they work in one consistent style, or work on many different ones?
If you want to be a character designer, versatility is key in my opinion. Develop one consistent style if you want to be an illustrator or comic book author, and want to sell your name and art as a recognizable brand.

If you had to recommend only one art book (a comic book, graphic novel, children book, ‘‘how to’’ book) to a fellow artist, what would it be and why?
I love the art books of the Megaman/Rockman TV series ("Battle Network", "Star Force" and "Zero"), although I never watched even one episode of those shows! I just think these books are full of excellent ideas. You can find in them a little bit of everything, design wise: early designs, final clean ups, turnarounds, poses, facial expressions, kids, adults, mechas, fat, slim, tall, short, haircuts, clothes, armors… So many great shapes and colors that can be an inspiration for your own designs. Chances are small that you work on a story with a kid in armor, in a Japanese style, so you can't copy. You have to assimilate what you like and this is how you grow as an artist. 

What’s your point of view about the industry today: what are the expectation for someone who wants to make a living with an artistic career?
With the multiple streaming platforms in the market, and their need for new content, there is right now an incredible peak of productions in the animation industry. It creates more opportunities and it may be a good moment to jump in. Yet, it is still a competitive market and you will always need to work hard and make sure you stand out in the crowd. Understanding your strengths and leveraging them is important. You also want to be a good team player and build your relationships. The industry is small and artists jump from one studio to another frequently. People will want to work with you not only for your art, but also for who you are. With the pandemic and the work from home situation, times may be challenging for a newcomer. Hopefully, it won't last for years. Something that may change though, after this crisis, is the need to live in Los Angeles. Studios seem to work pretty well with remote artists so I don't know what will happen.

Who are the artists who inspire you the most today and what are some of your favorite designs out there?
Todd Kaufmann, Izzy Abreu, Jason McLean, Keiko Murayama (Cake-O), Jesse Aclin, Willie Real, Justin Rodrigues, Karl Cruz, Rickey Tickey, Bobby Pontillas, Brittany Myers, Corey S Lewis (Reyyy), Kyu Bum Lee, Maxime Mary, Fabien Mense, Bill Otomo, David Maingault, Willy Ohm…

We have a soft spot for hand-drawn animation, what is your opinion about the future of this art form?
I love hand-drawn too! Years ago, the animation made with digital 2D softwares (Flash/Animate and ToonBoom Harmony) was very cold, stiff and robotic. Recently, we came to a very good point. The hybrid between hand-drawn and puppet gives astonishing results! Take a look at the productions by Titmouse ("Midnight Gospel", "Mao Mao", "Cleopatra in Space") and Mercury ("Tangled", "Hilda"), they are so beautiful!

Social networks, crowdfunding websites, print on demand online services, and so on. New media on the Internet are connecting the artists directly with their fans like never before. In your opinion, how is this affecting the industry and what are the pros and cons?
I love having this direct connection with fans. They come asking me questions about "LoliRock", "Cleopatra in Space" or even "Gormiti". It is so nice and cheering. After all, this is why I want to create shows: make the little kids dream, like I did when I was watching "Saint Seiya", "TMNT"… I think the studios care a lot about their fans on social media and listen to them (the LGBTQ+ community or the Black Lives Matter movement for example). We can see the series are changing lately and it is always a good thing to have more inclusion and diversity in characters and stories.

Finally, where can we see your art online and get in touch with you? How can we buy your creations and support your work?
The main source is my Instagram art account ( @bertragram ), although I have a Twitter, Tumblr and Facebook too. Please come talk to me! Thank you so much for the interview, hope it helps to know me better and most importantly, that it helps some inspiring artists in their choices.

Thank you Bertrand :)