Lisa Cordero GALLERY

Expectations: I have achived all that I have hoped to achieve in my sculpting and fabricating career, I have worked on so many projects , With no two being the same, So many different techniques to achieve the final product, And with my crazy hubby Ralphie, together we have had so much fun creating it all. I can only wish for it to never stop, puppets and Makeup Fx and especially Toys are just a joy to create. Doing it all with your best friend makes it that much more enjoyable. It becomes a way of life as you never stop thinking about how you would build that next project. It's like being a Mad scientist and you are in your lab, Muh-ha-ha-hah " What shall I make today."? And I get to do that everyday. I cannot ask more than that..
Advice to new or amateur sculptors: The best advice I can give is to practice ,practice, practice, sculpting for us has been a way of life, we are always thinking...How do we mold this, How should we sculpt that, scheduling, budgeting, molding and casting, painting, lots and lots of R+D if you do finishing and other fabrication. Get the best tools and supplies that you can afford. Sketching your ideas on paper is a very valuable tool, learn digital photography and Photoshop. You will use it to paste together and format pics for internet communicating, incredibly helpful and in some cases mandatory tools if your clients are out of state. Learn all the mediums that you will be required to use. Carving wax, Castilene, Polymer Clay etc. Be careful to budget your time wisely, missing a due date , or bidding too low, can get you in big trouble. the pressure can be intense, you need to keep your head and be a good negotiator.
Other: This kind of job usually is not 9 to 5. Expect long hours on many jobs. Lost weekends and late nights.
Comes with the territory. Keep up with the current technologies, and see what the current trends are like styles that are in demand, Practice those styles. It will keep you a valuable asset to your clients. And most of all, the motto I have always had in my studio, or wherever I may roam....Have Fun. By keeping an upbeat attitude, you will meet the hardest challenges with enthusiasm. And you will do a fantastic job. Always work clean, clean work will impress your clients to no end, and keep em coming back for more. So keep it Fun , Play hard, and Laugh.
We keep cartoons and crazy movies playing all day in the studio. Life is short, your talent is an amazing gift, use it, share it, and it will treat you well..

Influences: My Hubby has been an incredible influence on my career, He introduced me to a whole new world. There have been so many artists who have kindly shared their knowledge it would be some list: Rick Baker, Dick Smith, Mitch Devane, Aaron Sims, Gino Acevedo, Steve Wang, Matt Rose, Jose Fernandez, Carlos Huante, Dave Allen, Randy Cook, Charlie and Steve Chiodo, Mike Hebden , Brent Armstrong, Jeremy Ailello, Art Sakamoto, Moto Hata, Phil Ramirez, Dave Grasso,Jim Kagel, Patrick Tatopolous,Jana Crawford, Carol Koch, Eddie Yang ,Dave Kindlon,Colin Batty ,Mike Elizalde, Pete Brooke, Rick Lazzarini, Ken Walker, Mark Setrakian, Kazu, Asao Goto, Vince Niebla, Jordu Schell, James Oxford , Ryan Peterson, and so many more, the list goes on, all except for Dick( who's studio we visited in NY), I have had the chance to collaborate with all of these and many more inspiring masters of the arts. And it has been a privelege to call them friend. And then there is Takeya, Nirasawa,Rob Bottin, Henry Alvarez, Simon Bisley, Johnan Vazquez, Otomo Katsushiro, Clayburn Moore, Scott Hensey,Ray Harryhausen, Michealangelo, Bernini, Matt Groening,Tim Burton, (Nightmare before Christmas rules}Szukalski, etc.... so many more, But most of all, the Greatest Art Director of all time: Mother Nature. There is no greater source of inspiration in this world.
Companies: Broadcast Arts, Little Ceasar's, Curious Pictures, Pillsbury, Nestle's, Tasty Cake, Budwieser,Kool Aide,Tidy Cat, Hydrox , Arm and Hammer, Dow Corning, Wrigley's, Oreo, Nabisco, National Dairy Council, Shreddie's, Parker Bros., Disney, Fisher Price, Nickelodeon, Mattel, 3 Design Studio, Universal, Crystal Dynamics, Cinnovation Studio {Rick Baker's},Jim Henson Creature Shop, Muppet workshop, Creature Fx lab, Makeup FX Lab, John Criswell's Animatronic FX, Tatopolous design, The Character Shop, Lazy Bonz, Spinmaster, X-Concepts, Dave Allen Studios, High Dream Corp, Full Moon Studios, Will Vinton Studios, Fat Cactus Productions, Ben Cooper, ReSaurus,Cartoon Books, Horizon Models, Todd Master's FX, Marvel, Spectrastar, Toybiz, Spectral Motion/Design, Nintendo, etc, too many to list.