Hi, I’m Alana McCarthy, a Toronto-based illustrator, designer, muralist and hand-letterer. Since 2002 I’ve collaborated with publishers, studios, and brands delivering illustration, mural art, hand lettering, and design across publishing, advertising, editorial, animation, and marketing campaigns. I also host public Paint Nite events in Toronto, teaching painting workshops, and I’m actively expanding into creative education to help fellow artists build profitable and sustainable businesses. I’m passionate about color, storytelling, and collaboration, and I love working with my clients to bring their ideas to life in the best way possible.…

Alana McCarthy

Hi, I’m Alana McCarthy, a Toronto-based illustrator, designer, muralist and hand-letterer. Since 2002 I’ve collaborated with publishers, studios, and brands delivering illustration, mural art, hand lettering, and design across publishing, advertising, editorial, animation, and marketing campaigns. I also host public Paint Nite events in Toronto, teaching painting workshops, and I’m actively expanding into creative education to help fellow artists build profitable and sustainable businesses. I’m passionate about color, storytelling, and collaboration, and I love working with my clients to bring their ideas to life in the best way possible.…

Available to hire

Hi, I’m Alana McCarthy, a Toronto-based illustrator, designer, muralist and hand-letterer.

Since 2002 I’ve collaborated with publishers, studios, and brands delivering illustration, mural art, hand lettering, and design across publishing, advertising, editorial, animation, and marketing campaigns.

I also host public Paint Nite events in Toronto, teaching painting workshops, and I’m actively expanding into creative education to help fellow artists build profitable and sustainable businesses.

I’m passionate about color, storytelling, and collaboration, and I love working with my clients to bring their ideas to life in the best way possible.

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Skills

Experience Level

Work Experience

Founder & Creative Director at Alana McCarthy Creative
January 1, 2002 - Present
Self-employed multidisciplinary artist providing illustration, mural art, hand lettering, and design services for clients across publishing, advertising, editorial, animation, and marketing. Host of public Paint Nite events in Toronto, teaching painting workshops. Currently expanding into creative education, helping fellow artists build profitable and sustainable businesses.
Senior Designer at Nelvana / Corus Entertainment
January 1, 2010 - January 1, 2018
Managed and art directed a team of designers. Projects included style guide creation, graphics, trend research, mood boards, trade show booths and marketing material. Brands include Little Charmers, Franklin and Friends, Babar, Trucktown, and Ranger Rob.
Illustrator / Designer at Geeky Pet
January 1, 2012 - Present
Side hustle creating illustrations of pets in pop-culture costumes. Selling prints online, marketing through social media and travelling to comic conventions across Canada.
Owner at Scrapbook Graphics
January 1, 2008 - January 1, 2010
Ran an online studio designing, marketing and selling digital products to scrapbookers around the world.
Graphic Designer at PlanetWare
January 1, 1999 - January 1, 2001
Scanned and digitally manipulated travel attraction photos in Photoshop. Created graphics for their travel attraction database.

Education

Illustration with Honours at OCAD University
January 11, 2030 - January 1, 2002
Visual Arts (cum laude) at Etobicoke School of the Arts
January 11, 2030 - January 1, 1998

Qualifications

Royal Dragonfly Book Award
January 1, 2021 - January 2, 2021
Royal Dragonfly Book Award for my illustration work on the picture book A Firefly’s Journey written by Kat Rees D'Ambola
Reader’s Choice Book Award - Lucy & Her Unicorn
January 12, 2026 - January 12, 2026
American Illustration Award - Three Fates
January 12, 2007 - January 12, 2007
American Illustration Award for my illustration entitled Three Fates
Communication Arts Illustration Award - Three Fates
January 12, 2007 - January 12, 2007
Communication Arts Illustration Award for my illustration Three Fates
HOW Magazine Design Award
January 12, 2004 - January 12, 2004
HOW Magazine Design Award for illustration
Applied Arts Award - Hand Gestures
January 12, 2002 - January 12, 2002
Applied Arts Award for my illustration Hand Gestures
Corus President’s award - Babar and The Adventures of Badou Style Guide
January 12, 2011 - January 12, 2011
Corus President’s award for graphic design work on Babar and The Adventures of Badou Style Guide
Gemini Award - Best Cross-Platform Project Babar and the Adventures of Badou Interactive Website
January 12, 2011 - January 12, 2011
Gemini Award - Best Cross-Platform Project Babar and the Adventures of Badou Interactive Website - graphic design work
InnerSpace TV interview segment
January 12, 2014 - January 12, 2014
Interviewed in my studio by Morgan Hoffman for a fifteen minute segment on the InnerSpace show, Space Channel, Bell TV

Industry Experience

Media & Entertainment, Professional Services, Software & Internet, Education, Computers & Electronics

Skills

Experience Level