Bringing stories to life through handcrafted 2D animation
Welcome to Michael's Portfolio. Based in Austin, Texas, I specialize in traditional pencil-and-paper animation alongside modern digital production in Toon Boom Harmony and Adobe Creative Cloud.
Animation expertise and disciplines
From classic frame-by-frame sketches to full digital compositing, I craft character-driven movement with expressive timing, weight, and emotion.
Traditional paper
Classic frame-by-frame animation drawn with pencil and paper on a peg bar, capturing organic warmth and dynamic performance.
Toon Boom harmony
Industry-standard digital 2D animation, featuring clean vector and bitmap lines, advanced rigging, and responsive scene setup.
Adobe after effects
Dynamic compositing, cinematic lighting passes, visual effects, and fluid camera movement that tie scenes seamlessly together.
Photoshop & animate
Expressive character model sheets, painted backgrounds, and sharp frame-by-frame cycles produced with Adobe creative tools.
The craft behind the movement
Every sequence starts with a strong understanding of timing, spacing, and character psychology. Operating out of Austin, Texas, I combine traditional animation roots with versatile digital workflows to bring imagination into motion for narrative films, game cutscenes, and commercial projects.
Capturing emotion in every frame
Whether it is an energetic physical gag, subtle character acting, or high-octane action sequence, every second of movement is meticulously animated to tell a memorable visual story.
"Michael's traditional pencil tests gave our short film an authentic classic feel that digital shortcuts simply couldn't replicate."
Independent director
"Working with Michael in Toon Boom Harmony was seamless. His clean keys and breakdown timing were spot-on throughout production."
Lead animator
"Exceptional grasp of character performance and compositing in After Effects. He brought our storyboards vividly to life."
Creative producer
Ready to bring your characters to life?
Browse through finished shorts, breakdown reels, and traditional rough pencil tests in the gallery to discover the creative possibilities for your next production.
Get in touch
Studio location
Michael's Portfolio
Austin, Texas
Available for remote and studio projects worldwide.