, keep up the great work!

Brandon Gully Mentorship
TV Animation Styles

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Program Overview

Master the fundamentals of working in TV animation as a Background Designer or Painter with BG artist Brandon Gully. 

Enjoy a regular weekly schedule of personalized critiques and lectures in a small group class setting. 

This is a great program for individuals who are serious about working in TV animation, and need help and guidance in creating work in different styles.
Mentorship Program Design
Interactive Learning
14 Weekly LIVE classes over Zoom

Personalized Feedback
Receive critiques on class assignments and relevant personal projects in live sessions

Private Discussion Group
Enjoy the companionship of a group of artists who learn and grow by your side, with private access to a classroom discussion board.

Support From the Sentient Team
Reach out to the Sentient team for additional support!
Preview Demo Lesson


Brandon will offer you personalized feedback and critiques during weekly live classes hosted via zoom. Classes will target a specific principle each class, and will follow a rotation of assignment driven lessons and demos with personalized critiques and feedback.
Preview Personalized Critique

Brandon accurately pinpoints the strengths and weaknesses of each student so that he can best guide them on what skills to focus on. Brandon will ensure all of his students develop expertise in fundamental style principles as well as confidence in advanced techniques.

The work and assignments you do with Brandon each week will carry over into your personal work and help you to develop a professional portfolio.

Program Details

This 14-week mentorship program is designed to guide students through the fundamentals of working in TV animation as a Background Designer or Painter. Students will complete three finished portfolio pieces, each in a different style, while learning to create backgrounds from descriptions, storyboards, and more. The class will cover how to research, match, and create backgrounds in popular styles from TV shows, movies, books, and beyond. Each week will feature in-depth discussions, reviews, and hands-on assignments.

Each live session will be recorded for unlimited HD replay which you can access for your duration in the program.

Format: This is a 14 week program.
2 Hours Weekly Live Group Sessions / Critiques / Class recordings / Bonus Demos / Private Community Discussion

Tuition :
$400 per month ($1200 collected over a three month period)
Time and Day: Tuesdays 6 PM PST/ 7 PM MST Each class period will last between 1.5 hours and 3 hours depending on the prepared lesson content and the number of students in attendance. 
Class Begins March 4th 2025. Final class June 2025.

Applications open January 13th! Enrollment begins February 18th.
Students on the Waitlist will be notified by email when applications open.

What if I can't make it to live sessions?

Each live session will be recorded and uploaded to the course for you to rewatch. At the end of the 14 Week Program, students will enjoy a month of free where they can rewatch all of the lectures and critiques from the live classes, plus any additional lectures and demos Brandon provides throughout the session.

If you submit your homework by the due date, your mentor will provide a critique during class as usual, and the recording of that critique will be made available for you to view. If you reside in a different time zone and anticipate being unable to attend classes live, please inform your mentor in advance about your situation. Sentient works with artists globally, so this is a common occurrence. Both the Sentient team and your mentor are more than happy to assist you.

What if I decide to leave the program early?

This program requires both a financial and time commitment from you and your mentor. We expect mentees to demonstrate the same level of dedication and priority that they expect from their mentor. Please note that no refunds will be issued for completed payments. If you wish to terminate your payment plan and exit the program, a mandatory early exit fee of $100.00 will apply.

By accepting a seat in this program, you are committing to it fully. Choosing to leave, for any reason, not only disrupts your mentor's time but also takes away an opportunity from other applicants who were denied participation in favor of your placement.

How long will I have access to mentorship recordings?

Students will have access to mentorship recordings for the duration of the program plus one month after the program ends. At the conclusion of that time period students will no longer have access to the mentorship recordings as Sentient will be preparing for a new term and a new student group. This practice is consistent with optimal learning. Sentient Mentors do not advise students to become overly focused on the same lectures and critiques for a long period of time as this ultimately hinders growth and confidence. 

If a student quits the program early they will lose access to the recordings at the end of their pay period. Please email the sentient team if you are uncertain as to when that will take place for you.
Working from Storyboards
Translate boards into finished backgrounds

Refine the Style
Cleaning linework for roughs
Harmonize with the Narrative
Explore Color Choices and Create Color Keys

Art Direction
Focus how art direction influences the final image
Working from Descriptions
Interpret and Visualize detailed descriptions

Sketching for a Style
Render descriptions into visual concepts

Color and Line
Explore color palettes and finalizing linework
Portfolio Preparation
Review all projects with detailed feedback

Portfolio Presentation
Present completed projects with confidence
Past student

Artist Name

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Meet your instructor

Brandon Gully

Brandon Gully was born to be a Background Designer and Painter. It is even his initials! Brandon is currently working for Disney Television Animation as a Background Painter on Mickey Mouse Funhouse.​

He has previously worked for DreamWorks Television Animation, Titmouse Animation, Sequoia Capital, and TicToc Games. When Brandon is not at his Cintiq, you can often find him out on plein air painting, hiking, or just exploring the world with his wife and 4 shiba inus.​

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