Jason van Gumster

Independent Creative

Personal Website

I am an open source creative. Very nearly everything that I produce—stories, animation, designs, videos, podcasts—they’re all made using Free and open source tools, from applications all the way down to my choice of operating system. I’ve run a small animation studio, written Blender For Dummies (now in it’s 4th edition), co-authored GIMP Bible, and helped “”fight bad guys with art”” by designing anti-counterfeit technology for currency. Most recently, I’ve been helping studios and toolmakers integrate Blender into larger production pipelines as part of CG Cookie’s new consulting firm, Orange Turbine.

I do all of this while living and traveling full-time in an RV with my wife, two children, and 90-lbs dog. When I’m not working on my own creative projects, I’m drinking coffee and trying to be awesome. The former I’ve pretty much gotten down to a science. The latter… well, every now and again I succeed at that one and make it look like it wasn’t an accident.