James Schlenker

James Schlenker is a veteran background and layout artist who has worked for Disney Television and Walt Disney Feature Animation. He has been a lead location designer for Universal Animation and Nickelodeon Studios, and an art director for Warner Bros. Animation and DreamWorks Television Animation.

After graduating from Art Center College of Design with a degree in illustration, he began his career as a background painter at Yong Sung Productions, and later at Filmation Associates. He transitioned to layout design on the movie The Chipmunk Adventure and went on to Disney Television Animation as a background designer for The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, TaleSpin, Darkwing Duck, Goof Troop, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Timon & Pumbaa, 101 Dalmatians, and others. He moved to Walt Disney Feature Animation to work as a layout artist and set designer on Dinosaur, Atlantis, Planes, and Planes: Fire & Rescue.

Schlenker has worked as designer, background supervisor, and art director on shows including Where’s Waldo (DreamWorks Animation), Tom & Jerry (Warner Bros. Animation), Dora and Friends: Into the City! (Nickelodeon), The Land Before Time and Curious George (Universal Animation).

He has been a long-time lecturer and teacher of design, background design, and production design for animation. In addition to Dodge College, Schlenker has taught classes and workshops for Disney Television Animation, Walt Disney Consumer Products, Walt Disney Publishing – Italy, Walt Disney Animation – Japan, Associates in Art, Gnomon School of Visual Effects, Santa Monica College, and Laguna College of Art and Design.