Picto●●LDN
Pictoplasma returns – This October, Berlin’s leading character design conference heads back to London’s Royal College of Art for an all new 1 day refill: 6 new artist talks to inspire; fresh animation screenings to bend your brains and soothe your retinas; and plenty playful opportunities to connect with a local community of character experts and enthusiasts.
ARTIST TALKS
Enjoy a compact celebration of all things character with 6 hand-picked lectures by some of today’s most influential graphic and illustration artists, upcoming talents and leading animation filmmakers.
Plantopia
FR
French creative animation duo perfecting playful camera movements and wide angled perspectives to create minimalistic and theatrical scenes that turn little moments of life into something surreal
Alex Norris
UK
Welsh cartoonist with millions of followers online and the same punchline every comic for over 10 years: “oh no”
Cat Johnston
UK
Veteran working in stop-motion animation for over twenty years inspired by her love of folklore, weird horror films and nature in all its strange and wonderful forms
Conor Kehelly
IE
Animator, illustrator & music producer from Ireland, creating playful, dark, textural scattershot portraits of a society in crisis
AJ Jefferies
UK
Director, animator, illustrator and designer creating 3D character worlds for the advertising, gaming and entertainment industries
Anna Ginsburg
UK
Award winning filmmaker with a diverse skillset, known for inventive transitions, visually rich storytelling and a fearless perspective
ANIMATION SCREENING
Meet the latest generation of characters in motion: Pictoplasma London presents a feature-length selection of 18 fresh animated shorts and experimental narrations. A far cry from family-friendly entertainment, expect psychedelic eye-candy and storytelling genius.
INDUSTRY
NETWORKING
Do you want to practice your animation project’s elevator-pitch or get personal feedback on your illustration portfolio? Do you crave to hook up with “the industry” or need advice by someone who might be able to help recalibrate your character project?
Pictoplasma’s rapid-fire industry speed-dating event grants attendees fast-paced face-to-face time with a dozen industry leaders, agencies, production companies and talent scouts.
No pre-registration: first come – first served!
Big Active
Greg Burne, Matthew Pettit
“Big Active is an artist management, animation production and design studio. The award-winning team want to meet stand-out practitioners from all disciplines who demonstrate a strong commitment to their work and want collaborate on marketing and creative development.”
Brilliant Artists
Hannah Shilland, Sam Walker
“Brilliant Artists was founded in 2020 and represents a tightly curated roster of illustrators working across commercial, editorial, and publishing projects. We look for distinctive illustrators with unique creative voices and timeless appeal.”
BUCK
Ellen Turnill Montoya
“BUCK is a global creative company working across design, animation and storytelling, with studios in New York, Los Angeles, Sydney, Amsterdam, Vancouver and London. We’re always excited to meet artists who love design and animation as much as we do. We’re drawn to individuality — the personal touches, bold decisions and unexpected choices that show how you see the world. Show us how you bend the rules, break them or make your own!”
Disney
Shamik Majumdar, Fazilet Akbaba
“We are looking for creators with fresh authentic visions to collaborate with on the next wave of international animated hits for kids & families. We work with independent studios and design/storyboard/animation talent around the world.”
Duolingo
Ryan Bird, Robert Duncan, Sam Stoney
“Duolingo’s in-house Design Studio is the team behind Duo, Lily, and the characters whose every bounce, blink, and dramatic sigh keeps millions of people learning. Whether you’re an illustrator, animator, or motion designer, bring your portfolio and come say hi!”
Handsome Frank
Stuart Whitton
“Handsome Frank is a UK-based illustration agency. We represent a global roster of contemporary illustrators, creating custom artwork and animation for advertising, branding, publishing and editorial campaigns.”
Jacky Winter
Clara Marcus
“Jacky Winter is a global creative representation and production company. We’re always on the lookout for artists and image-makers who have a consistent, inimitable style, consistently push their craft, and inject their personality into everything they create.”
Jelly
Rachinta Platts, Giovanna Utichi
“Jelly is a specialist creative studio based in London, New York and Barcelona that works alongside best-in-class global talent to create bold, highly-crafted visual brand stories. We believe that promising talent comes from any background regardless of experience, and we work hard to make the creative industries more accessible and representative. Come see us for feedback on craft and storytelling.”
Pocko
Laura Brown, Tasha Wells
“Pocko connects global brands with an extensive, international network of diverse creative talent, ranging from 2D and 3D illustrators and animators to muralists and experiential artists. We are excited to meet 2D and 3D animators, illustrators, CGI artists, mixed-media creators, and installation artists.”
Snafu Pictures
Dan Dixon, Paul Schleicher
“Snafu Pictures was set up with the express interest of working with idiosyncratic storytellers wherever they create their work. From features to TV series, we strive to create must-see animation for audiences worldwide. Artistry and storytelling are at the centre of everything we do, so we look forward to meeting and seeing your work.”
Studio AKA
Kristian Andrews
“Studio AKA is always looking for artists who love the intersections between animation, character design, and story as much as we do. Whether you’re an animator, designer, or technical artist working in any medium, we’d love to see how you express your unique perspective and craft. Share your work and chat with us – we want to meet you!”
TICKETS
Registration payments are handled by secure credit card transaction and PayPal.
No physical tickets are sent out prior to the event. All attendees receive a unique ticket code (QR) via email. Your conference passes (wearable, non-transferable wrist-bands) will be awaiting you directly at the venue.
Please read our terms & conditions before making the online payment.
Tickets for PictoLDN now available
VENUE
GORVY LECTURE THEATRE
Royal College of Art
Dyson Building
Riverside
1 Hester Rd
London, SW11 4AN
SCHEDULE
FRIDAY, October 30
13:00
DOORS OPEN:
REGISTRATION
14:00 – 16:00
Artist Talks:
Anna Ginsburg
AJ Jefferies
Cat Johnston
16:00 – 17:30
Networking:
Industry speed dating
17:30 – 19:30
Artist Talks:
Plantopia
Conor Kehelly
20:00 – 21:20
SCREENING:
PICTOPLASMA OFFICIAL SELECTION 2026
FREQUENTLY
ASKED
QUESTIONS …
… and a handful of answers
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