Aiden Budnick
I earned my BFA in Animation at Lesley University College of Art & Design in 2016. Instead of taking the traditional route for internships, I chose to work as an adjunct professor at Lesley, where I taught the art of stop-motion animation (specifically claymation) for the school’s pre-college program in 2016 and 2017.
I currently balance my day job with personal creative work, like writing and illustration. At the moment I am in the process of writing a children’s book, which I aim to submit for publishing by mid 2025. I also take on independent commissions, from a series of custom wine labels to portraits of Dungeons & Dragons characters. I put the same special level of care and meticulous detail into each project to ensure its quality.
When starting a commission, I always take a step back and break it down into bite size pieces. If it’s someone’s personal character, I ask them what the character’s personality is like, so I can be “properly introduced.” If it’s a bigger client with a product they’re selling, I ask what the product does and the message they’re trying to get across. It ensures I end with an excellent quality piece and a lasting relationship.
During the Halloween season, since 2016, I nightlight as a scare actor. I started at Six Flags New England, but am in the process of branching out to more nearby haunts. I routinely build my own characters from scratch, and collaborate with the extremely talented team of makeup artists. It’s an amazing, albeit unconventional, way to exercise my creative muscles and reignite the fire. My most recent character is a clown that goes by the name Fidget.