David Pietila
Creative Director | Visual Strategist | 2D Animation Layout Specialist | Storyboard Artist | Illustrator
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About
I’m a 2D Layout and Storyboard Artist specializing in television animation, with a strong focus on production-ready layout, shot design, and storyboard revisions. I have developed Design Systems for layout and design, creating style guides and standard layout operating procedures.
I’ve worked on a wide range of animated series, specials and features including Magic School Bus, Arthur, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Clifford, Let’s Go Luna!, Lu & the Bally Bunch, Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum, Ace Ventura, The Ripping Friends, Open Season, and Super WHY’s Comic Book Adventures.
My core strengths are layout design, scene composition, camera staging, and storyboard clarity. I’m frequently brought in for layout revisions, storyboard cleanup, and late-stage production support, helping teams improve readability, continuity, and animation flow under tight deadlines.
I have hands-on experience across 2D layout, storyboard scene and sequence composition, character posing, background and location design, prop design, and pre-production development design. I work comfortably within established animation pipelines and adapt quickly to different production styles.
I’m proficient on both Mac and PC using Toon Boom Storyboard Pro, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Animate, Adobe Illustrator, Clip Studio Paint, Sketchbook Pro, and related 2D animation tools. I’m known as a reliable, fast, and production-friendly layout artist who integrates smoothly into active teams.
🔹 Available for freelance and contract work
🔹 Roles: 2D Layout Artist, Storyboard Artist, Storyboard Revisions, Layout Revisions, Development
🔹 Remote / On-site (Canada)
🔹 Portfolio: www.dobidy.weebly.com
Experience
Layout Supervisor at C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures
Supervised and trained a team of artists in traditional, Flash/Animate and Photoshop layout.
- Worked on Iggy Arbuckle
Layout Supervisor at 2 Presidents Productions
Supervised and trained a team of artists in traditional, Flash/Animate and Photoshop layout.
- Worked on Will & Dewitt
Layout Supervisor at 9 Story Media Group/Brown Bag Films
Supervised and trained a team of artists in traditional, Flash/Animate and Photoshop layout.
- Worked on Arthur, Fugget About It, Creative Galaxy, The 3 Amigonauts, Magic School Bus Rides Again, Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, Clifford, Let's Go Luna, Lu & The Bally Bunch, Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum, Let's Go Bananas!, Super Why's Comic Book Adventures
Layout Artist at Nelvana Ltd.
Created layouts for animated series.
- Ace Ventura
- Little Bear
- Magic School Bus
- Rupert
- Sam & Max
- Pippi Longstocking
- Bob & Margaret
- Rescue Heroes
Layout Artist at Pictor Ent.
Created layouts for animated series.
- Bob & Margaret
- Elliot the Moose
- Hoze Hounds
- Ned's Newt
Layout Artist at Red Rover
Created layouts for animated series.
- The Ripping Friends
- Bob & Margaret
Layout Artist at C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures
Created layouts for animated series.
- Iggy Arbuckle
Layout Artist at Smiley Guy Studios
Created layouts for animated series.
- The Dating Guy
Layout Artist at Cuppa Coffee Studios
Created layouts for animated series.
- Ugly Americans
Layout Artist at 9 Story Media Group/Brown Bag Films
Created layouts for animated series.
- Pound Puppies
- Arthur
- Numb Chucks
- Magic School Bus Rides Again
- Sunflower
- Blues Clues
- Open Season
Location Design at Pictor Ent.
Designed locations for animated series.
- Elliot the Moose
- Roswell Conspiracies
Location Design at 9 Story Media Group/Brown Bag Films
Designed locations for animated series.
- Creative Galaxy
- Magic School Bus Rides Again
- Sunflower
- Lu & the Bally Bunch
- Let's Go Bananas!
- Super Why's Comic Book Adventures
Storyboard Artist at Amberwood Ent.
Created storyboards for animated projects.
- Rob the Robot
Storyboard Artist at Big Soul Productions
Created storyboards for animated projects.
- By The Rapids
Storyboard Artist at DHX Media/Disney XD
Created storyboards for animated projects.
- Packages from Planet X
Storyboard Artist at 9 Story Media Group
Created storyboards for animated projects.
- Creative Galaxy (Musical Sequences)
Development Design at MTV Animation
Designed pitch bible and pilot script.
- Designed pitch bible and pilot script 'Stez & Randy'
Development Design at Smiley Guy Studios
Created background development design.
- Background development design for The Dating Guy
Development Design at National Geographic
Developed style guide design.
- Development style guide design for Toot & Puddle
Development Design at 9 Story Media Group
Developed designs for multiple productions.
- Development design for multiple productions
- Clients include PBS, Discovery and Golden Books
Advisory Committee Member at Mohawk College (Present)
Member of Animation Program Advisory Committee.
Instructor at 3D Technical Academy
Developed and taught storyboard course.
- Developed a Storyboard course
Education
Diploma in Classical Animation – Sheridan College
Certificate in Art Fundamentals – Sheridan College
