I helped composite and time this piece with Alfalfa Studio for Kate Spade.
It was a lot of fun to work with and a wonderful introduction to Carla Morrison’s music.

Nick Jr. Role Models Campaign- Narcis Monturiol from Nelson Diaz on Vimeo.

I worked with Alfalfa Studio as their lead animator to bring this 45 secs piece to life.

I animated this spot entirely in After Effects.

Narcis Monturiol was the inventor of first combustion engine-driven submarine.

These videos were dreamed up by Nick Jr. along with Rafael Esquer of Alfalfa to present children with powerful role models they can look up to and learn from for Hispanic Heritage month!

Skill & Proficiency

Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash, After Effects
Traditional and digital character animation, Motion Graphics, storyboards, concept design,
character design, Traditional and digital Illustration. Loves to draw and paint.

Experience

Food Network, Illustrator and Animator 2009-Jan 2011

• Designed and animated show openings for Food Network shows Aarti Party, Guy Fieri’s
Big Bite, Melissa D’arabian’s ten dollar dinners.
• Using Photoshop, Flash, Illustrator and After Effects.

“Secrets of the Masters” DVD featurette for Kung Fu Panda 2/Compositor Feb-June 2011

• Combined hand drawn animation, backgrounds, effects and lighting to finish final scene all in after effects.
• Placing all art and effects in Z space for Stereo (3D anaglyph.)
• Worked with Director & Art Director from Dreamworks to address notes and
bring sceneto final.

Nick Digital, Animator March 2010

• Created Motion Graphics for various Nickelodeon interstitials.
• Using Illustrator and After effects

LBI International, Illustrator March 2010

• Created various comps for commercial.
• Using Photoshop and wacom cintiq.

Alfalfa Studio, Lead Animator July-Aug 2009

• Guided animation process for 4x 45 second spots from animatic to final animation.
• Airing Nick Jr’s Hispanic Heritage month (airing Sept 15th to Oct 15th.)
• Character Animation and graphics animated in After Effects.

Scholastic, Storyboard Artist July 2009

• Created storyboards for 3 min Scholastic Web Video for teachers
• Created designs for use in video shoot using various traditional media such as colored
pencils and construction paper

Little Airplane Productions, Character Animator Jan 2007-Aug 2009

• Worked on The Wonder Pets for Nickelodeon and 3rd& Bird for the BBC.
• After Effects Animation.

Animation Collective, Character Animator Aug 2005-Jan 2007

• Worked on Kappa Mikey for Nicktoons and Ellens Acres for Cartoon Network.
• Flash Animation.

Coqui, Award winning original animated short,
Thesis Writer/Director/Animator May 2005

• Wrote & Directed short based on Puerto Rican Allegory
• Traditionally animated in Flash MX using Wacom Cintiq
• Included in various film festivals around the country

EDUCATION

• School of Visual Arts BFA Animation with honors 2005
• High School of Art & Design 2001

AWARDS

• Dusty Film Festival Award winner for Outstanding Achievement in
Traditional Animation 2005
• 1st Honorable Mention in student films category, ASIFA-EAST animation festival 2005
• Pre Production grant for Coqui-Senior Thesis film 2005

I’ve been lucky enough to animate on cartoons such as the Wonder Pets, 3rd and Bird and Ellen’s Acres. I also designed and animated show openings for the Food Network (Aarti Party, Big Bite, Ten Dollar Dinners.)

Recently I worked on the Kung Fu Panda 2 short “Secrets of the Masters” which will be included on the Blu-Ray release.

Things I enjoy are playing and losing at Settlers of Catan and making myself cups of coffee in my old school Dunkin Donuts mug.

Also…drawing.

Also…the legend of zelda.

Nelson Diaz Character Animation Reel 2012 from Nelson Diaz on Vimeo.

Breakdown:

00:00:10- Verizon Alaska commercial (Charlex)
00:00:12- Nickelodeon’s Mega Music Fest 2010
00:00:16- Ten Dollar Dinners (Food Network)
00:00:24- Flying bird (personal work)
00:00:26- Running away from dog (personal work)
00:00:33- Skip cycle (personal work)
00:00:36- Creature run cycle (personal work)
00:00:40- Mr. Geekcast (personal work)
00:00:43- Crabs in love (Verizon Alaska- Charlex)
00:00:45- Submarine (Nick Jr. Hispanic Heritage month- Alfalfa studio
00:01:00- Cat Fiddling (Wonder Pets episode “cat jumped over the moon”)
00:01:03- Pencil head (Nickelodeon Mega Music fest 2010)
00:01:09- 3rd and Bird episode “Muffins friend” (Cbeebies)
00:01:14- 3rd and Bird episode “The Rudy Show”

Nelson Diaz 2012 Motion Graphics Reel from Nelson Diaz on Vimeo.

Breakdown:

00:00:10- Cortes Studio logo (http://cortesstudio.com/)
00:00:19- Aarti Party show opening (food network)
00:00:23- Big Bite show opening (food network)
00:00:27- Rocket animaton (personal work)
00:00:36- Lava sequence (“Kung Fu Panda 2: Secrets of the Masters,” Duncan studio & Dreamworks)
00:00:47- Nickelodeon Mega Music Fest 2010
00:00:49- Aarti Party show opening 2 (food network)
00:00:56- Nickelodeon Mega Music Fest 2010