What I currently do
Software engineer for a living, Stop motion puppet maker by passion!
I currently live in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. I work as a software engineer but for the last 5 years I have been working in personal projects, collaborating in short films and also have been taking all kind of workshops and classes mostly oriented to stop motion with the objective of learning more about the different areas of stop motion such as photography, animation, character design, puppet and prop making.
Why Stop Motion?
Stop motion involves everything I love to do
I have always found stop motion strangely magical, I love seeing the texture and even some fingerprints in the puppets and sets, it's the trace in these inanimate objects impregnated with the creators energy what brings them to life.
Plus, Stop motion involves everything I love to do, sculpting, painting, creating characters and the most magical part for me, bringing them to life!
What am i looking for?
Collaborate, keep learning and never stop creating
I look forward to be able to participate and collaborate with other passionate people to bring to life stop motion projects and spread wonderful stories to the world. I’m always looking forward to keep creating and learning everything related to stop motion, at some point I’d also like to shoot some short films I have in mind.
Bio
I come from a pretty adventurous family willing to take risk in order to reach their dreams and goals, some of them happened to be in Hawaii where we moved into back in 1992 and lived there for 6 years. My dad fulfilled his dream to surf in Hawaiian beaches and my mom fell inlove with polynesian dance, culture and crafts, which she now teaches here in Mexico. They have in someway inspired me to be adventurous and to do the same with my own dreams, goals and passions.
For as long as I can remember I have always been crafty and creative, my mom is an artisan and has always been crafty too, I would often recreate everything she did but in a smaller or tiny scale, at home there were always all sorts of crafting tools and materials that I was free to use and experiment with. I was that kid always happy in arts class or when I had to do art projects for school, I would make tiny sculptures of my pets, my family and friends just for fun.I always planned to study something related to arts but different situations in life lead me to become a software engineer.
I am currently working as software quality assurance engineer, I monitor the different stages of software development, to ensure the final product meets the requirements and standards. I’ve always been detail-oriented and a perfectionist which actually fits perfectly with my software career, but this creative side of me has never stopped haunting me, it is an urge to dream, to imagine, to sculpt, to paint, to create fantastic worlds and characters.
For several years I thought this creative side of me was just something to keep as a hobby, I had this box with several art supplies always stored in the closet, I sometimes feel that box represented my creative side being repressed, until a few years ago I signed up for an art contest to be part of Tim Burtons expo in Mexico 2017, I took that box out to start working on my sculpture, I remembered how much I loved and enjoyed creating things and realized this side of me is not a hobby, it is my passion. I promised myself I would never ever store that box again in the closet, I would let my creative side be free again. Since then I have dedicated all my energy towards this creative side and decided to start my own career in arts as I always wanted.
That's 7 years old me, knowing better what I wanted in life
Education
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2023, Wigs for stop motion puppets
by Ivan Jimenez, Taller del Chucho
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2022, Detail and Fabrication for props and sets workshop
by Elisa Helguera, Taller del Chucho
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2022, Costume Fabrication for Stop Motion workshop
by Sofia Carrillo, Taller del Chucho
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2022, Painting on Silicone puppets workshop
by Rita Basulto, Taller del Chucho
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2022, Molds & Casts workshop
by León Fernández, Taller del Chucho
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2022, Miniature Costume Fabrication Class LEVEL 2 for Stop-motion Animation
by Annika Schindler (LAIKA costume fabricator)
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2021, Miniature Costume Fabrication Class for Stop-motion Animation LEVEL 1
by Annika Schindler (Costume Fabricator from LAIKA Studios)
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2021, Stop Motion course
by @KraneoEstudio
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2021, Stop Motion Puppets course
by @delana.mx
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2021, Stop Motion Puppets course
by @AnimotionMX
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2020, Confection of Miniature Clothing
Online Domestika course by @CaroIndy
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2019, Stop Motion course
by @CinemaFantasma
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2018, Stop Motion course
by CAAV
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2012, Software Engineer Bachelor degree, Universidad de Colima
Experience
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“Dolores” short film by Cecilia Andalon
October 2022 – Guadalajara, México
Role / Department : Volunteer in the art department
Responsibilities : Prop fabrication
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“Frankelda’s Book of Spooks” HBO LATAM Series by Cinema Fantasma
June 2022 – CDMX, México
Role / Department : Art Department and Puppet Department
Responsibilities : Prop fabrication, Puppet hospital, Set dressing, Costume assistant.
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“Las plantas tambien mueren” short film by Andrea Leon
February - April 2022 – Guadalajara, México
Role / Department : Puppet maker
Responsibilities : Fabrication of 4 puppets (wire armatures and needle felting).
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“The creatures Below” short film by Alexa Garcia & Carolina Revilla
2021 – Guadalajara, México
Role / Department : Puppet maker
Responsibilities : Fabrication of 4 puppets (ball & socket armatures and needle felting).