Hi there!
I’m Katri Valkamo – a freelance Character Designer & Character Art Director. I specialize in visual and IP development for animation and games projects with compelling stories and narratives.
I love being part of the project's creative journey from the very beginning, where I can help shape and guide the visual identity of the character ensemble, creating designs that are appealing, memorable and aligning with the project's broader vision. Story, narrative and function drive my creative and design thinking. Part of my process is to research and experiment with different styles to find the right combination that is perfect to the particular story and IP we're working on.
Clients typically bring me in when they need an experienced and versatile designer, who understands the development cycle from pitch to production and can find creative solutions to enhance storytelling. I can be brought into a project as a designer doing hands on concept and visdev work or as an AD, putting together a team and supporting and guiding the production of the project's character assets.
Languages: Finnish, English
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Availability: Freelance, remote
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Availability: Freelance, remote
A selection of companies I've done projects for:
Netflix • Jellyfish Pictures • Alpha Animation • BBC
Teaching experience
Animation Art Direction, Aalto University
Guest lecturer for the Animation MA students, 2021
Guest lecturer for the Animation MA students, 2021
Character Design Lecture, Secret Story Draw
2021
Character Design Workshop, Manchester Animation Festival
2020
2021
Character Design Workshop, Manchester Animation Festival
2020
A little bit about my career journey...
Over the past 10 years, I've had the privilege of working on a wide range of IP development projects across animation and gaming. I started my career at a mobile game company in Germany back in 2014, where got my first opportunity of designing fun and unique creature characters for a new game.
In 2016, I made a jump into the animation industry and joined Jellyfish Pictures in London, UK. At JFP I became a core part of the Art Department, working on a wide range of client and in-house animation projects from pitch to production and brand development both as a designer and as an Art Director. Around 2018, Jellyfish Picture's own IP development team, Jellyfish Originals, got launched where I had a chance to help establish a unique visual identity for each project in our development slate. Close collaboration with our teams and talented artists was an important part of my work, supporting each other and sharing knowledge to make the best work possible.
I grew and learned a lot during my years at JPF and - as cheesy as it may be - being in the Art Department felt a lot like being part of big, supportive creative family. For personal reasons me and my spouse moved back to Finland in 2020 and I worked remotely for a few years. I started freelancing in 2024, offering my expertise in character design, visual storytelling and IP development for clients around the world.