Caleb Meurer

<loud whisper> RICKY SPANISH...If you are lucky enough to work on shows that generate a fan base, eventually you discover that people out there have tattoos of your characters on their bodies! #americandad #rickyspanish #tattooideas #cartoon #characterdesign

I haven't been able to find it yet, haha.

This is a proud moment! I started working on SpongeBob in fall of 1999. Four of my students just worked on the CG for the recent episode "Go Fetch!" Congrats to Jack Gatto, Anthony Syracuse, Lucas Santos, Geoff Roberts. Great job guys! #spongebob #CGartist #animation #legacy #daemenuniversity

When my daughter was 3 she started telling me about her pink baby crocodile friend named Rosie. So one night I made Rosie out of sculpey. Within 10 days, Rosie was lost and has never been found. Still out there somewhere. Stay safe Rosie!
#sculpey #lost #cutebabyanimals #crocodile #characterdesign

Haha, I think so? My kids would think it was hilarious now, but when my son was little and saw me working on it he would always tell me it was "too yucky daddy" :)

This is an old sketch that I've always wanted to do more with. Happy October! #pumpkin #pencilsketch #characterdesign #spooky #humanart

Here's a detail of some of the worst, plus the final stage for some relief. Pro tip: never do an image search for gangrene unless you are getting paid!

Illustrations from a boardgame where your character has contracted a hideous disease. The timing of this could not have been worse – right before the pandemic! It did get some online playtest, but I don't think it ever went into production. #digitalpaint #cartoon #illustration #boardgame #gross

A couple of storyboard panels from season 3. I had a lot of fun drawing the scene in the grocery store. This was right before the original run ended <sob!>. These two panels are pretty much self portrait of me then vs now, haha. #spongebob #oldschool #storyboard #cartoon #pencildrawing #humanart

This is a funny one. The first image is my original color version. But they kinda panicked when they saw how blue he was. They REALLY wanted him bright yellow to catch people's eye on the magazine rack. I still like the blue one better! #spongebob #caveman #magazinecover #cartoon #illustration

A pen and inkwash drawing from many ages ago. It's so hard to get this kind of loose feeling from digital. With robots taking over much of the digital imagemaking I feel like I need to get back into working with natural media. #penandink #rooster #humanart #drawing #handdrawn

Mobsters from S16 episode "The Book of Jeff". We had to create a unique vibe for each of 3 different mobster families. Essentially we landed on sunglasses, tracksuits and suits for the 3 groups. #americandad #characterdesign #mobster #mafia #cartoon

Here is the opening shot BG from my final student film at CalArts (1999). I've always geeked out over cool 2D perspective cheats so I tried several here. Still proud of how it turned out! #animation #bgdesign #perspective #studentfilm #calarts

This fake old-timey comic book cover was created for a special issue of Nickelodeon Magazine. Whenever I study these old styles it gives me new respect for the artists who worked before digital. You really had to know your stuff back then! #spongebob #comicbook #oldtimey #cartoon #digitalink

Roger drop! Someday I will run out of Roger designs to post. But today is not that day! #rogersmith #rogerthealien #americandad #personas #cartoon #animation

Triple Gooberberry Sunrise! Some BTS storyboard drawings from The SpongeBob Movie. The BG was changed completely. Not sure if these exact poses made it into the final version.
#spongebob #storyboarding #pencilsketch #humanart #cartoon #animation

Hey look, I made an original piece! I can't tell you much about this guy except that he's the lead singer in a band. Inspired by multiple people. Been messing with this image for over 6 years. Some sketches refuse to be ignored! #rockandroll #digitalpainting #cartoon #characterdesign #humanart

Top: gator wears a cozy scarf, drinks coffee with hamster. Gator says “It’s the first day of Fall! We should watch something scary.” Hamster replies “Like the news?” Bottom: Gator says “No, that’s too scary. Ooh, what about The Exorcist?”

A page from my "Mr FancyPants" Little Golden Book. White space is one of the great joys of working in this style. I played with the shape design of the boat for hours. I can be weird that way! #spongebob #squidward #littlegoldenbooks #illustrationart #digitalillustration #picoftheday

From the Little Golden Book "Winter Lights" based on the Dinosaur Train episode. It took me a while to figure out how to create the aurora effects in this style.#dinosaurtrain #auroraborealis #littlegoldenbooks #illustration #dinosaur

Happy Oktoberfest! Here are some family redresses from season 16. Always fun to do research on costumes like these. #americandad #oktoberfest #lederhosen #stansmith #francinesmith #hayleysmith #stevesmith #characterdesign #animation

:) thanks!

Thank you so much!

Thanks for your kind words!

Some tight sketches for the book "Goodnight Lagoon". I didn't do the final color for this book, but I helped with the posing and models. Scandalously uncredited! I really like these cosy little poses. #spongebob #bedtimestory #cozy #cartoon #digitalsketch

A spot illustration from the season 5 vol 2 DVD box set. Painted digitally in 2008. This is my favorite image from the set. #spongebob #dvdboxset #animation #illustration #cartoon #schoolpictures

Government efficiency! For a CIA meeting about an important surveillance mission, they painted a detailed renaissance fresco of the plans on the ceiling. From American Dad season 15 episode "Russian Doll". #americandad #fresco #renaissance #cartoon #animation #doge

A couple of "SpongeBob playing Rugby" drawings from the style guide. Drawn digitally. From 2009 I think. #spongebob #rugby #cartoon #animation #digitaldrawing #patrickstar

A few entertaining klaus variations. Dee Bradley Baker is a treasure! I've been in the room with him for probably more than 100 table reads. We rarely do them in person anymore, but I got to see him at our 400th table read in May. #americandad #klausheissler #klaus #deebradleybaker #animation

Some Little Golden Books fun. This is from Krabby Patty Caper based on the second SpongeBob Movie. So sad to see that this one is now out of print. #spongebob #mrkrabs #squidward #littlegoldenbooks #illustrationart #plankton #bubble