Life & Work with Kimberly Cranfield

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kimberly Cranfield.  

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I knew I wanted to be an animator very early. I remember for fun I’d use a pad of post-it notes to create animations using stick figures. In kindergarten, the teacher had an artist visit and draw us whatever we wanted, and when she drew a cartoon pony for me, I felt like she was some sort of magician. After that, I simply kept drawing and painting and made an effort to take as many art classes as possible. I taught myself how to use digital painting programs, and wanted to go to school to learn more than fine art. After getting my basic fine art classes out of the way at UT Knoxville, and after taking a month-long class in Florence, I transferred to the Art Institute in order to specialize in 2D animation. Luckily, many of my teachers were in the industry at the time, and one of them asked if I’d like to work on a project for Sesame Street at the studio Magnetic Dreams. This was in 2011, and I’ve been fortunate enough to be working as a full-time freelancer at the studio ever since. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I question whether or not I’m really good enough sometimes because I’m surrounded by such talented coworkers. One thing that has made the difference for me is to realize that everyone has their own special niche. Another thing I have a hard time balancing is personal and professional projects. I look at that as emotional work (things that maybe nobody ever sees, yet that makes me remember why I’m an animator) versus technical work (projects that are purely meant for showcasing). I recognize that many times I have to let go of my personal work in order to have the energy to get the technical work done. But it is really important to not let that little spark of personal interest get forgotten. So, I have to make an effort to do things for fun, as I used to as a kid, because it’s important to bring that “spark” into any project to make it memorable. 

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I specialize in 2D animation and illustration. I’ve always been adamant about sticking to 2D, rather than dabbling in 3D animation, which I was worried would limit me. Luckily that hasn’t been the case. For the studio, I’ve done a variety of work, such as animation for short films, feature films, music videos, video game animations, instructional videos for kids, episodic shows, and commercials. I sometimes get to do things outside of my scope, like editing and compositing. I have some published illustrations for a children’s book series called “The Dog Rescuers”. I have done pet portraits and caricatures on the side. For fun, I typically paint watercolors or paint my beehives. I’m quite proud of my bee village “Lark Star Farm”. I like to think the bees feel extra special because their houses have flair. They were featured last year in Franklin Lifestyles Magazine. 

People usually associate me with withdrawing dogs and horses, but as far as animation goes, I’m still trying to find my personal style. I’m lately trying out some hand-drawn “stream of consciousness” style animation that I could apply to music videos or spoken word poetry in the future. It’s freeing to break from technical animation every once in a while, to rediscover the looseness of hand-drawn. Even if it’s not pristine or meant to make you feel anything, it has that little extra “realness” for me. It’s unscheduled, unruly, and dreamlike, and it doesn’t have to fit any standards. I like that it’s about the feeling I get from a phrase or music, not so much forcing a story into the visuals. 

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
It’s hard to predict with animation. When I started in 2011, I noticed 3D animation was ramping up. But in the last few years 2D has made a pretty significant comeback. I think it’s appealing because it doesn’t always require a huge team and can have a variety of styles that aren’t as restrictive. Music videos with 2D animation seem to be gaining popularity, and I hope that continues because those are usually fun projects. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kimberlycranfield.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Lark-Star-Farm-Honey-Bees-110392367320925
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4Ce80H3OXgOpl78RW50a0g
• Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6435814/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0