Profile

Philadelphia native Chris McDonnell teaches illustration and animation at the University of the Arts. Prior to UArts, he taught a design and portfolio class at Rowan University. Chris earned his BFA in animation in 2001 from the School of Visual Arts in New York City.

While at SVA, Chris became a founding member of the Meathaus comics/art collective and has since co-edited, co-published and created work for many anthologies of comics and sketchbook art. Chris runs the popular art blog featuring Meathaus members and other artists daily at http://meathaus.com/.

After moving to Los Angeles, Chris animated and edited on the Adult Swim show Tom Goes to the Mayor for Tim and Eric, and has since worked with them on multiple animated projects.

Chris co-authored (with Jon M. Gibson) and art directed the book Unfiltered: The Complete Ralph Bakshi for Universe, which features Bakshi's films and personal artwork, and includes a foreword by Quentin Tarantino. Chris continues to work with Ralph Bakshi on various cartoon projects.

Continuing to art direct and design books for Universe after moving back to Philadelphia, Chris designed Universal Studios Monsters: A Legacy of Horror, Wonder Woman: Amazon. Hero. Icon., Independently Animated: Bill Plympton, and Constructing Green Lantern: From Page to Screen, amongst other book production work.

Chris's recent animated work includes "story time", "jingle", and "remix" animation segments for Yo Gabba Gabba on Nickelodeon, story-boarding for Ape Escape on Nicktoons, and design and animation for Portlandia on IFC and Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! on Cartoon Network.

Chronicle Books is publishing Chris's next book in fall 2011 called Sasquatch's Big, Hairy Drawing Book, which is a drawing and humor book for all ages that Chris wrote and illustrated.

Chris works from his home studio, McD Workshop LLC http://mcdworkshop.com/, in Philadelphia.