Meet Jon Densk | Animator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jon Densk and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jon, why did you pursue a creative career?
I think there is a impactful reason why almost all artists truly persue a path in the arts. Something happens in your youth, that fuels you to chase an explenation or way to process what your child brain couldnt. Drawing and storytelling for me was just somehing I did right out of the gate. Making new stories about characters from games and books and creating my own wacky characters was an easy pass time. Maybe I was just bored being an only child! Ive always loved cartoons and comics. Disney, Pixar, Ghibli, comicbooks like Bone and videogames like the legend of zelda. Espechially the way all their stories were told. Once I discovered that you can actually make an animated film with drawings, it all kind of clicked for me. Animation became the vessil for me to reach into my life and funnel experiences into meaningful stories, like never before. My goal is to make as many animated films, that this world will allow. With drawings!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am an Animator and cartoonist. Im probably most known for my film Axolodyssey that im in the middle of production on right now. The film is about an axolotl named Jojo, on a journey to reunite with his family, seeing new parts of his world, meeting new friends and stumbling across mysterious giant monsters. It is definitely what im most excited for the world to finally see! The story is based off my experience durring the pandemic, where i was not able to see my family for a year and a half. Relying on my freinds and wife were all I had to navigate that unsure time.
I was fortunate enough to go to school and be mentored by disney animator Tom Bancroft. With his guidance i grew quickly in my skills and landed my first job on a feature film, Space Jam a New Legacy, before graduating college. I have been fortunate enough to work in animaion drawing for Disney and Pixar as well, early in my carrier, but getting there was not easy! When you hear of people spending so much time alone working on one thing day and night…thats what i did! Its all I wanted to do, practice and keep refining. That mentality propelled me forward pretty “fast” (if you consider 6 years fast). That is the major lesson ive learned. Just draw, keep moving forward. Each day and drawing gets you one step closer to your goal.
Id like the world to know me for telling honest and sincere stories. If I can move one person with a future project, or even my film now, than i will have made it.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Well, Id definitely try and get a friend to let us into one of the major studios for a tour ha! A whole week long though, im not sure! Little tokyo is always a cool place to visit, its almost like a portal to tokyo so you can experience a whole other country right around the corner. I’ve also always loved the Lunasia Dim Sum house in Pasadena. Best dim sum ive ever had right there! The huntington Gardens is a beautiful park to walk through, and the Zoo is a must see too. As for other food specifics, you can basically find any great resturant at every corner of the road so its an impossible question! I always like going to book stores too, espechially Vromans.
And of course you cant forget Disneyland.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are a few people who deserve a lot of credit that helped mold who I am today! First, my wife, for encouraging me every day and never putting a finger near the pause button on the crazy life of an artist. Her support has meant the most to me out of anybody as shes been there for the highs and lows.
On an artistic level, I have to thank two animators who have really mentored me; Tom Bancroft and Matt Williames. Tom taught me how animation worked and really sat with me to help me grow through the early growing pains of animation. Matt really helped me look at animation in a nuanced way and taught me how to bring myself out in animation.
Last, I have to thank Hayao Miyazaki, who ive never met, but have to thank for teaching and inspiring me from a far. I’ve learned so much in storytelling and drawing just from his films and world view.

Website: https://www.denskdoodles.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jondensk/?hl=en

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-densk-42446b157/

Twitter: https://x.com/DenskJon

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jondensk

Image Credits
Jon Densk