Event Review

Explosions of colors, styles and the kinetic delights of animation filled the Pasadena Convention Center this past weekend, as the first ever Lightbox Expo delighted art fans, guided and encouraged students and gave pros a chance to show their stuff, sell some prints and network.

If you are a habitué of big cons – whether “comic cons”, sci-fi, horror or anime – you are probably used to mainstream media promotion machine, pop culture “activations”, Sharpie-wielding celebrities (from A-listers to Z-listers) and too-elaborate-for-the-available-space style of cosplayers. Some of these same kinds of shows take place right in this same space in tranquil Pasadena. The best thing about Lightbox Expo is what it did not feature… namely, none of the above. For once, at a space devoted to the power and wonder of visual art, the focus remained on the actual artists, their craft and their expression. This highly curated and focused Expo kept all of the usual “noise” of conventions at bay. Instead, the showstoppers proved to be the art, itself. Sure, major corporate properties still loomed (especially Into the Spider-Verse), but it was more refreshing to see actual animators, directors and visual development folks shine, rather than the more consumer-oriented PR machines these franchises typically unleash at cons.

The main hall primarily showcased artists and felt like the artist alley at a large con, but one that was more highly curated and much more focused on non-superhero art. Appealing animation-style art felt most dominant, although more angular, abstracted styles (think Invader Zim), game development art (think Overwatch key art) and live action visual development (think concept art for Avengers movies) were plentiful. A few major comic pros, like Kate Leth and Humberto Ramos, also had a table. The creator of Hellboy, Mike Mignola, showcased a mini-gallery of original paintings and warmly greeted his fans.

Studios and other employers, such as Warner Animation Group, Sony and Netflix, camped in the side room, with large booths focused on recruiting the next generation of industry pros. Schools and online instructions and hardware companies (like Wacom) filled out the rest of the space. It was great getting a hands-on experience with high end tablets and the chance to explore Procreate.

Across the courtyard, scores of simultaneous panels filled a two story building with pro and amateur artists learning new skills, new techniques and new career paths. Back in the main floor, an entire row of booths offered portfolio reviews.

Lightbox Expo came into existence as an alternative to CTN Animation Expo, which the creators of Lightbox felt to be exclusionary. I never attended CTN, but Lightbox delivered an experience worth the price of entry and offered a rich panoply of programming. The best part of the show was the way it provided experiences for a wide expanse of skillsets, from legends and established pros at the top of their game to those seeking to enter the ranks of the paid professionals, to those just starting to find their way.

A few take-aways:

DISCOVER NEW ARTISTS! No matter where you live, you can use this link to explore the nearly 300 featured artists who participated in the Expo. I’ve spent most of my free time since the show ended exploring these links and following the artists that resonated with me. I think this group represents a vanguard of non-superhero popular art and the diversity is self-evident.

JOIN ASIFA (if in Los Angeles)! If you are an Los Angeles area based student or creative, ASIFA-Hollywood has a more affordable membership tiers that gives you access to screenings, discussions and the opportunity to submit to industry film festivals. It was discounted for the show, but still seems worthwhile.