HunterGatherer

HunterGatherer is a Brooklyn-based multidisciplinary creative studio founded in 2000 by artist, designer and animator Todd St. John. Its work brings together narrative-driven design, illustration, animation and physical making for commercial, editorial and cultural projects. The studio combines handcrafted stop-motion and analog techniques with digital 2D and 3D animation, moving between screen-based storytelling, printed imagery, brand identities and objects.

Its visual approach draws on minimalist geometry, subtle changes in spatial volume, dry humor and hand-cut wooden constructions. Physical materials play a central role: models, miniature sets and fabricated props become both subjects and tools for animation and illustration. This approach extends into exhibition, environmental, product and furniture design, connecting the studio’s graphic work with three-dimensional experiences.

Editorial storytelling

For The New York Times Magazine, HunterGatherer directed and animated the weekly Behind the Cover video series, exploring the concepts and artistic processes behind the magazine’s covers. Its contributions also included physical cover treatments using folded cardboard and pill typography. Work for The New Yorker includes animated title sequences, cover shorts and the interactive illustration accompanying “The Doomsday Invention,” which explored artificial intelligence and existential risk.

Brands, objects and public experiences

Commercial projects range from the handcrafted miniature environments of Toyota’s “Prius Goes Plural” campaign to a dynamic illustration and icon system for Google Assistant. For YouTube, the studio created a 15-minute Premiere Countdown using hand-painted wooden models animated entirely in stop-motion. Other commissions include Casper’s “Gravity” film and a complete identity system for Pilgrim Surf + Supply, encompassing typography, apparel graphics and signage.

HunterGatherer has also developed work for public and educational settings. Its GreeNYC identity and character animation supported environmental messaging for the New York City Mayor’s Office. For MICRO’s The Museum of Care, the studio contributed miniature exhibition design, models and animated sequences. Its Sesame Studios short “Party Mouth” used music and animation to introduce children to oral hygiene.