Skip Jones Provides Distinctive Animation for JonesTV

By Leslie Brown, Chief Editor

Born Frank Glen Jones, “Skip” is the engine that drives the animation on JonesToonsTV, one of the many channels that comprise the JonesTV family of entertainment. Steeped in tradition and empowered by technology, Skip Jones is no run-of-the-mill artist. Mentored by one of Disney’s greatest animators, Skip has also mastered state-of-the-art techniques, blending tradition and leading edge technologies to breathe life into his animation. With hits like the TV show “101 Dalmations” and over 20 different animated properties to his credit, Skip has twice been nominated for Daytime Emmys for Outstanding Children’s Animated Programs.

Skip’s rise to prominence in the industry has its roots in his early interest in and preoccupation with drawing as a teenager. While working in a hardware store, Skip was discovered by a Disney animation assistant. Skip was soon enrolled in the Disney Animation Training program. Recognizing his talent, Disney sent Skip to the renowned Arts Center in Pasadena, California, and then offered him a job before he even completed the program.

At Disney, Skip had the tremendous good fortune to work with one of the all-time great Disney animators, Milt Kahl. Kahl, named as one of the “nine old men” by Walt Disney, was one of the most important artists in the studio. He collaborated with his colleagues on such classic movie characters as Peter Pan and Sleeping Beauty. Working with this mentor, Skip learned animation and sculpting, as well as other art forms. His diverse talents brought him praise and recognition throughout his tenure at Disney.

Skip now stands out as one of a few professionals trained in traditional animation and an expert in the latest animation technologies. He currently contracts with Disney, Warner Brothers, and Universal Studios, specializing in the “biomechanics” of movement, which gives animated characters their fluid, life-like quality. Working on equipment like the Wacom Cintiq (a touch screen computer monitor that turns drawing into computer-generated figures), Skip creates characters that have been seen in film and television.

Currently, Skip’s work includes the “Dog Pack,” an animated show for Jones Toons. All of the characters are designed and animated by Skip, and, in addition he’s developing cartoon strips for the website. To share his talents with other artists, Skip will also sponsor an online “master class.”

Skip lives in Sherman Oaks, California, with a menagerie of animals that inspire his imagination. Always a lover of nature and art, he has a library full of books on these subjects. Skip is the brother of Thomas Chase Jones, composer and the President of JonesTV. The two brothers have worked together on projects, and they are excited about their collaboration on the new media website.