Hi, I’m Bernie Cavender, a visual designer and illustrator with 15+ years of experience leading design teams and creating high-quality graphics, character designs, environments, and branded assets for award-winning animation, children’s media, marketing, and social media. I’m passionate about craft, collaboration, and storytelling through visuals. I’ve had the pleasure of working with brands like Nickelodeon, LEGO, MARVEL/DC, STAR WARS, Apple TV+, Sesame Workshop, and nonprofit organizations to build cohesive visual identities, tell visual stories, and deliver compelling pitch presentations.…

Bernie Cavender

Hi, I’m Bernie Cavender, a visual designer and illustrator with 15+ years of experience leading design teams and creating high-quality graphics, character designs, environments, and branded assets for award-winning animation, children’s media, marketing, and social media. I’m passionate about craft, collaboration, and storytelling through visuals. I’ve had the pleasure of working with brands like Nickelodeon, LEGO, MARVEL/DC, STAR WARS, Apple TV+, Sesame Workshop, and nonprofit organizations to build cohesive visual identities, tell visual stories, and deliver compelling pitch presentations.…

Available to hire

Hi, I’m Bernie Cavender, a visual designer and illustrator with 15+ years of experience leading design teams and creating high-quality graphics, character designs, environments, and branded assets for award-winning animation, children’s media, marketing, and social media. I’m passionate about craft, collaboration, and storytelling through visuals.

I’ve had the pleasure of working with brands like Nickelodeon, LEGO, MARVEL/DC, STAR WARS, Apple TV+, Sesame Workshop, and nonprofit organizations to build cohesive visual identities, tell visual stories, and deliver compelling pitch presentations.

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Language

English
Fluent

Work Experience

Designer / Illustrator / Graphic Designer at Room 17
March 1, 2021 - April 1, 2025
Developed a cohesive visual identity, including custom logos, social content, and marketing materials. Designed persuasive grant pitch presentations using PowerPoint, Canva, and Articulate Storyline. Contributed to educational and fundraising initiatives with clear, accessible visual communication.
Lead Background, Prop & Character Designer at Nickelodeon Animation & Apple TV+
May 1, 2022 - April 1, 2024
Designed characters, props, logos, and backgrounds for Wonder Pets in the City! Utilized Photoshop for photo manipulation, color correction, painting, and asset creation. Collaborated with multi-disciplinary teams to maintain visual consistency across the series.
Character Designer at Sesame Workshop
April 1, 2021 - August 1, 2021
Concepted and illustrated original character designs for animated pilots in development. Contributed to early visual identity exploration and world-building.
Illustrator / Graphic Artist / Digital Asset Designer at Sockeye Media
July 1, 2015 - February 1, 2025
Illustrated children’s books, designed animation environments, and created character and prop assets. Produced logos, social media visuals, website graphics, and digital marketing assets using Adobe Creative Suite.
Illustrator / Graphic Designer at LEGO
May 1, 2015 - November 1, 2020
Illustrated packaging and promotional artwork for STAR WARS, MARVEL/DC, and LEGO product lines. Designed visuals for campaigns across web, print, and in-store retail displays. Used Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign to align visuals with major global brand storytelling.
Lead Animation Background Artist at WildBrain
June 1, 2014 - April 1, 2015
Designed engaging backgrounds and environments for the educational math series UMIGO. Created narrative-driven visual worlds supporting each episode’s storytelling goals.
Lead Animation Background Artist / Game Interface Designer at FableVision
April 1, 2014 - February 1, 2015
Designed all backgrounds, props, and title cards for the Smithsonian science series Good Thinking!. Created user interface layouts for the educational PC game GENIVERSE.
Graphic Designer & Presentation Designer at Nickelodeon Development
July 1, 2014 - August 1, 2015
Designed pitch decks and promotional materials for animated and live-action shows in development. Used PowerPoint to communicate creative concepts to executives and stakeholders.
Lead Animation Environment & Prop Designer at Nickelodeon Animation – Umizoomi
May 1, 2010 - November 1, 2013
Designed characters, props, environments, and logos for the animated series Umizoomi. Performed photo manipulation, painting, and color correction in Photoshop.
Lead Designer – Backgrounds, Characters & Props at Nickelodeon Animation – Wonder Pets
July 1, 2004 - November 1, 2009
Led design and layout for characters, props, and backgrounds for Wonder Pets. Collaborated with a creative team to maintain consistent visual style and production standards.
Art Director at Nickelodeon Animation – Little Bill
July 1, 2000 - April 1, 2004
Directed environment, prop, and character design for Seasons 2–3 of Little Bill. Oversaw development of merchandise, children’s books, and educational materials. Began in environment/prop layout before being promoted to Art Director.
Presentation, Marketing & Social Media Designer at Camp HBCYouth
April 1, 2025 - Present
Create high-impact social media graphics and pitch materials for Instagram, Facebook, and partnership campaigns. Use PowerPoint and visual storytelling to improve brand visibility and donor engagement.

Education

Bachelor of Fine Arts at Ringling School of Art and Design
August 1, 1992 - March 26, 1996
Bachelor of Fine Arts, Illustration at Ringling College of Art and Design
January 1, 1992 - January 1, 1996
Bachelor of Fine Arts, Illustration at Ringling College of Art and Design
January 1, 1992 - January 1, 1996

Qualifications

Add your qualifications or awards here.

Industry Experience

Education, Media & Entertainment, Non-Profit Organization