Pictoplasma returns to celebrate the next generation of character design and art

Taking place 4 November 2016 at The Auditorium of renowned Parsons School of Design, the conference invites artists, producers, animators, illustrators, character designers and all creatively curious, to network and exchange strategies for tomorrow’s visual culture.

Speakers include graphic artist and illustration mastermind Jean Jullien, whose iconic ’Peace for Paris' symbol became an instant global meme; children’s book author and illustrator You Jung Byun, known for her detailed narrative and commissioned work inhabited by strange beasts and lost children; everyone’s favourite gif-wunderkind Julian Glander, creator of bubblegum-coloured digital illustration, indie games and interactive artwork, all subsumed under the catchword 'digital toys'; animator, writer, and producer Ben Bocquelet, creator of the famed animation series 'The Amazing World of Gumball‘; Martina Paukova, illustrator with an incredibly fast-paced career, whose jam-packed images in a trademark palette and Memphis-inspired patterns mirror our mundane lives in the digital age; and Jaime Álvarez, renowned for his 3D rendered Mr. Kat (PE) universe, fusing pre-Columbian with contemporary kawaii aesthetics.

Part of New York’s Illustration Week, the conference is co-hosted by Parsons School of Design and organised by Pictoplasma, the Berlin based annual Uber-Festival for Contemporary Character Design and Art. Prior to the conference’s 5th return to NYC, the Pictoplasma Academy will be hosting a week-long intense Character Design Development course in Mexico City.

Online registration for the conference is available at $260 – for those acting fast, a limited amount of early bird tickets are on offer for $180. More information at nyc.pictoplasma.com.

Via direct submission | Main image courtesy of Martina Paukova