Don Carson cover
Don Carson

Concept Illustrator, Desinger & Art Director

United States

Senior

Designer of Theme Parks for Disney and Universal, currently art directing the creation of virtual worlds to be viewed via VR headsets and glasses.

Biography

I was trained as a commercial illustrator, my work has branched out to focus on the design of physical and virtual spaces. Working as a Senior Show Designer, and freelance contributor to Walt Disney Imagineering, my job is to communicate design through conceptual sketches and 3D models. This work has expanded to include everything from designing entire lands for the Disney parks to guiding teams of designers as they build 3D environments in virtual worlds and 3D games. I am currently the Sr. Art Director at Mighty Coconut, creating attractions to be experienced in VR.

Work Experience

2021 – Present day

Senior - Art Director (Full Time)

Mighty Coconut (Austin Texas (remote from Oregon))

Bringing the lessons learned designing physical story driven environments for Disney and Universal theme parks to the virtual world, via miniature golf.

1989 – 1995

Senior - Sr Show Deisgner (Full Time)

Walt Disney Imagineering (Glendale, CA)

Sr Show Designer responsible for the art direction of WDW's Magic Kingdom's Splash Mountain, art director on team designing Mickey's Toontown for Disneyland CA. Concept lead on Blizzard Beach, and 35 years as a contributing freelance designer to Walt Disney Imagineering.

Education

Present day

4-year degree

The Academy of Art College of San Francisco

Illustration