Robby Gilbert (sometimes credited as Rob Gilbert) is an American

animator An animator is an artist who creates images, known as frames, which give an illusion of movement called animation when displayed in rapid sequence. Animators can work in a variety of fields including film, television, and video games. Animat ...

illustrator An illustrator is an artist who specializes in enhancing writing or elucidating concepts by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text or idea. The illustration may be intended to clarify complicate ...

, and

cartoonist A cartoonist is a visual artist who specializes in both drawing and writing cartoons (individual images) or comics (sequential images). Cartoonists differ from comics writers or comics illustrators/artists in that they produce both the litera ...

best known for work in educational and

interactive media Interactive media refers to digital experiences that dynamically respond to user input, delivering content such as Text (literary theory), text, images, animations, video, Sound, audio, and even Artificial intelligence, AI-driven interactions. O ...

. He illustrated the monthly comic strip, " The Adventures of Ranger Rick," and worked on animation for MTV's "

Liquid Television ''Liquid Television'' was an animation showcase broadcast on MTV from 1991 to 1995. It launched several high-profile original cartoons, including ''Beavis and Butt-Head'' and '' Æon Flux''. Other recurring segments include "The Art School Girls ...

". Additionally, he served as an animation director on early projects for

Disney Interactive Disney Interactive is an American video game and internet company that oversees various websites and interactive media owned by The Walt Disney Company. History 1995–1996: Formation and beginnings In December 1994, Disney announced that it w ...

and as senior animator for Broderbund Software's "

Living Books ''Living Books'' is a series of interactive storybook, interactive read-along adventures aimed at children aged 3–9. Created by Mark Schlichting, the series was mostly developed by Living Books for CD-ROM and published by Broderbund for Mac OS ...

" series. His work often explores the relationships and interconnectivity of many artistic disciplines. Gilbert has taught animation, illustration, and game design at several colleges is currently a professor of animation at

Rowan University Rowan University is a public research university in Glassboro, New Jersey, with a medical campus in Stratford and medical and academic campuses in Camden. Founded in 1923 as Glassboro Normal School on a site donated by 107 residents, the scho ...

in Glassboro, New Jersey. Gilbert grew up in New York City where he took an early interest in drawing, acting, music, and film. Animation appealed to him as a discipline that involved a synthesis of creative interests. He has worked extensively as an animator for commercial studios such as

Broadcast Arts Curious Pictures (stylized as curious?ictures) was an American animation studio and multi-media company that was primarily based in New York City that produced television programs, commercials, animation and video games. The company is known for ...

, and

Jumbo Pictures Jumbo Pictures was an American animation studio founded by Jim Jinkins and David Campbell on July 20, 1990. On February 29, 1996, Disney, which completed its purchase of ABC nearly 3 weeks prior on February 9, purchased Jumbo Pictures to add ...

as well as independent television programming and film. In 1993 he began working with pioneering interactive media companies such as Broderbund Software and Paramount Interactive, where he directed projects that earned several awards including a National Parenting Publications award. In addition, he has illustrated several children's books. From 1999 to 2009, he illustrated the monthly comic strip “The Adventures of

Ranger Rick ''Ranger Rick'', originally ''Ranger Rick's Nature Magazine'', is a children's nature magazine that is published by the United States National Wildlife Federation (NWF).Kenneth B. Kidd, ''Wild things: children's culture and ecocriticism'' (Wayne ...

” for the National Wildlife Federation's award-winning ''Ranger Rick Magazine'', combining interests in storytelling, drawing, and environmental themes. Gilbert received a BFA in Media Arts and Animation from the

School of Visual Arts The School of Visual Arts New York City (SVA NYC) is a private for-profit art school in New York City. It was founded in 1947 and is a member of the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design. History This school was started by Silas ...

in 1989, studying under Howard Beckerman and

Harvey Kurtzman Harvey Kurtzman (; October 3, 1924 – February 21, 1993) was an American cartoonist and editor. His best-known work includes writing and editing the parodic comic book ''Mad (magazine), Mad'' from 1952 until 1956, and writing the ...

. He began teaching animation and game design in Seattle, Washington where he eventually earned a M.Ed. in Education. In 2015 he earned a MFA in Visual Art from the

Vermont College of Fine Arts Vermont College of Fine Arts (VCFA) is a private graduate-level college affiliated with California Institute of the Arts. It offers Master's degrees in a low-residency format. Its faculty includes Pulitzer Prize finalists, National Book Award wi ...

in Montpelier, Vermont., studying under feminist artist

Faith Wilding Faith Wilding (born 1943) is a Paraguayan American multidisciplinary artist - which includes but is not limited to: watercolor, performance art, writing, crocheting, knitting, weaving, and digital art. She is also an author, educator, and activi ...

. Gilbert is the founder of th
Vermont Animation Festival
an annual festival that celebrates student animation from around the world. Children's books he has illustrated include: *''

It's Raining, It's Pouring __NOTOC__ "It's Raining, It's Pouring" is an English language nursery rhyme and children's song of American origin. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 16814. Origins The first two lines of this rhyme can be found in ''The Little Mother Goos ...

'', written by Kin Eagle, 1994. Whispering Coyote Press *''Out of the Night'', by Lola Schaefer, 1995. Whispering Coyote Press *''Hey Diddle, Diddle'', by Kin Eagle, 1996. Charlesbridge Publishing *''Rub A Dub, Dub'', by Kin Eagle, 1997. Charlesbridge Publishing *''Humpty Dumpty'', by Kin Eagle, 1999. Charlesbridge Publishing.

References

External links

Official website''Ranger Rick'' interviewMultimedia design and production websiteMusic website
Living people American comic strip cartoonists American comics writers American comics artists American animated film directors American animators American children's book illustrators Artists from New York City Year of birth missing (living people) {{US-cartoonist-stub