I have been drawing and creating since I was very young, but when I discovered animation, something clicked inside me. The process opened doors for me that helped me overcome some of my biggest difficulties. It became how I best express myself.
My name is Nicolas Martinez. I am an animator, and I have high-functioning autism. But my autism alone doesn’t define me ... my creativity, passion, and skill do.
I have worked hard and learned a lot about the process of animation and art to get where I am today. I graduated from the American Academy of Art and from Columbia College Chicago with two degrees in Illustration and in Animation. My training includes both 2D and 3D animation with proficiency in Adobe Photoshop, Flash, Toon Boom, & Autodesk Maya. I’ve also learned along the way from friends and fellow artists who helped me shape my abilities.
I think my autism actually helps me in my work, as it lends me a unique kind of focus that makes me a reliable and careful hire. When I immerse myself in animation, my handicaps disappear. If you are interested in my services, please contact me via email.
Hire me, and let’s make imagination thrive!
View the rest my portfolio by scrolling below.
Be sure to check out the 'Blog' section for updates. Thanks!
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TESTIMONIALS
Nico is one of the most focused, hardest working artists I've seen come through 321 Fast Draw. Nico's storyboards are some of the most advanced I've come across, and he has made profound progress in his execution of them. Nico's attention to detail helps him to excel at whiteboard animation, illustration, post-production graphics and sound design. The amount of complex information Nico can manage is quite impressive, and throughout the last year he has proved himself to be not only diligent and creative, but also trustworthy and capable of understanding advanced subject matter that requires a certain level of maturity and empathy that is rare to find. Nico never has a shortage of ideas, and his ability to learn complex new processes makes him a versatile and valuable player on our team!
-Jackie Petraitis, 321 Fast Draw, Inc.
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"Nico Martinez is a creative, consummate professional who has helped our organization in many ways. His animation and design skills catapulted our brand recognition to the next level. We have been so fortunate to work with Nico as an artist and a consultant and highly recommend him to anyone looking for creative solutions and creative story telling representation."
- Julie Tracy, Urban Autism Solutions.
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"We've hired Nico as a storyboard artist for various videos over the past few months. Not only is he an extremely talented artist, but his work ethic and drive are top notch. He is very reliable and eager to learn and grow."
- Elisa Sweet, p3 mediaworks.
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"Nico is one of the most talented artists we have ever worked with. He is thoughtful, creative and professional in every way. His animations leap right off the screen and into your heart!"
- Heather DeMonte, Klique Creative.
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"Nico was wonderful to work with! He listened to what we were looking to create for our organization, and went above and beyond. His creativity in creating an animation that represented LEEP Forward and the work and play we do here came across in the animation he created for us. Nico was very professional in each step of the process and communication. We are so happy with our partnership and look forward to working with him again in the future!"
- Ashley Ganski, LEEP Forward, Inc.
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"Nicolas is a pleasure to work with. He works quickly and accurately no matter how short the deadline or how heavy the workload. Throughout all, his work maintains its freshness and its beauty. I would gladly work with him again."
Thomas Deshays, Filmmaker/Actor/Writer.