Difference between revisions of "Brenda Cook"

From Sega Retro

m (more on its way)
(1/2)
Line 2: Line 2:
 
| image=BrendaRoss.png
 
| image=BrendaRoss.png
 
| name=Brenda Dee Cook
 
| name=Brenda Dee Cook
−
| birthplace=[[wikipedia:California, United States|California, United States]]
+
| birthplace=[[wikipedia:Northern California, United States|Northern California, United States]]
 
| dob=
 
| dob=
 
| dod=
 
| dod=
Line 9: Line 9:
 
| divisions=[[Sega Technical Institute]]
 
| divisions=[[Sega Technical Institute]]
 
}}
 
}}
−
| role=Artist
+
{{Employment
 +
| company=[[PF Magic]]
 +
| notsega=yes
 +
}}
 +
| role=Artist, Animator{{intref|Interview: Brenda Cook (2015-11-25) by Cindy deRosier}}
 
| education=
 
| education=
 
}}
 
}}
−
{{sub-stub}}'''Brenda Dee Cook'''{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20150216055457/http://lemontreeworkshop.com/about.htm}} (née '''Ross''') is an American artist, designer, and former [[Sega Technical Institute]] video game artist known for her work on a number of [[Sega]]'s first-party games like ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog 2]]'' and ''[[Sonic Spinball]]''.
+
{{stub}}'''Brenda Dee Cook'''{{ref|https://web.archive.org/web/20150216055457/http://lemontreeworkshop.com/about.htm}} (née '''Ross''') is an American artist, designer, and former [[Sega Technical Institute]] video game artist known for her work on a number of [[Sega]]'s first-party games like ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog 2]]'' and ''[[Sonic Spinball]]''.
 +
 
 +
==Career==
 +
===Background===
 +
Born and raised around the [[wikipedia:San Francisco Bay Area|San Francisco Bay Area]], Brenda Ross recalls being passionate for art from at least three years old, involving herself creatively in a number of crafts projects and art contests throughout her childhood. After exiting high school, she received two scholarships for art, proceeding to attend university in both [[wikipedia:Illinois|Illinois]] and [[wikipedia:San Francisco|San Francisco]] for fine art and design. This eventually led to her hiring as a graphic designer and illustrator at the age of 17; "[since then] my entire career has revolved around fine and commercial art."{{intref|Interview: Brenda Cook (2015-11-25) by Cindy deRosier}}
 +
 
 +
===Sega Technical Institute===
 +
Ross came onboard as a graphic artist and animator{{intref|Interview: Brenda Cook (2015-11-25) by Cindy deRosier}} at the newly-founded [[Sega Technical Institute]] around 1989 or 1990. Her first games would be ''[[Dick Tracy]]'', where she drew much of the game's larger character artwork (including the comic book-style cutscenes), and ''[[Kid Chameleon]]'', where she was also tasked with animation duties.{{ref|1=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A994ZMfpP_Y}}
 +
 
 +
Famously, Ross was one of three American [[STI]] staff providing artwork for both ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball]]'' and ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog 2]]''. While most of her contributions for the latter were unfortunately left on the cutting room floor, a magazine-published prerelease screenshot of a desert zone (rumored to be named "Dust Hill Zone") captivated the early Sonic community for years. It was eventually discovered to be a mockup created during her time with Sega, something which created an association between Ross and Dust Hill Zone for decades to come.
 +
 
 +
===Later career===
 +
Like a number of other Sega artists, Brenda Ross left [[Sega Technical Institute]] around 1994. She appears to have migrated to nearby developer [[PF Magic]] (also headquartered in [[wikipedia:San Francisco|San Francisco]]) for a time, working on titles like ''[[Ballz 3D]]'' and the company's successful ''[[wikipedia:Dogz: Your Computer Pet|Dogz: Your Computer Pet]]''. She also seems to have either been employed by or provided freelance work for [[Neversoft]], contributing art to the 1997 [[PlayStation]] release of ''[[wikipedia:MDK|MDK]]''.
 +
 
 +
===Legacy===
  
 
==Production history (Ross)==
 
==Production history (Ross)==
Line 19: Line 37:
 
*[[sonic:Interview: Brenda Ross (2001-02) by Deviance|Interview: Brenda Ross (2001-02) by Deviance]]
 
*[[sonic:Interview: Brenda Ross (2001-02) by Deviance|Interview: Brenda Ross (2001-02) by Deviance]]
 
*[[sonic:Brenda Ross interview by Wetflame|Interview: Brenda Ross (200x) by WetflameG]]{{InterviewList|Brenda Cook}}
 
*[[sonic:Brenda Ross interview by Wetflame|Interview: Brenda Ross (200x) by WetflameG]]{{InterviewList|Brenda Cook}}
 +
 +
==Photographs==
 +
:''Main article: [[:Category:Photos of {{PAGENAME}}|Photos of {{PAGENAME}}]]
  
 
==External links==
 
==External links==

Revision as of 15:39, 23 December 2024

BrendaRoss.png
Brenda Dee Cook
Place of birth: Northern California, United States
Employment history:
Divisions:
Role(s): Artist, Animator[1]

This short article is in need of work. You can help Sega Retro by adding to it.

Brenda Dee Cook[2] (née Ross) is an American artist, designer, and former Sega Technical Institute video game artist known for her work on a number of Sega's first-party games like Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Sonic Spinball.

Career

Background

Born and raised around the San Francisco Bay Area, Brenda Ross recalls being passionate for art from at least three years old, involving herself creatively in a number of crafts projects and art contests throughout her childhood. After exiting high school, she received two scholarships for art, proceeding to attend university in both Illinois and San Francisco for fine art and design. This eventually led to her hiring as a graphic designer and illustrator at the age of 17; "[since then] my entire career has revolved around fine and commercial art."[1]

Sega Technical Institute

Ross came onboard as a graphic artist and animator[1] at the newly-founded Sega Technical Institute around 1989 or 1990. Her first games would be Dick Tracy, where she drew much of the game's larger character artwork (including the comic book-style cutscenes), and Kid Chameleon, where she was also tasked with animation duties.[3]

Famously, Ross was one of three American STI staff providing artwork for both Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball and Sonic the Hedgehog 2. While most of her contributions for the latter were unfortunately left on the cutting room floor, a magazine-published prerelease screenshot of a desert zone (rumored to be named "Dust Hill Zone") captivated the early Sonic community for years. It was eventually discovered to be a mockup created during her time with Sega, something which created an association between Ross and Dust Hill Zone for decades to come.

Later career

Like a number of other Sega artists, Brenda Ross left Sega Technical Institute around 1994. She appears to have migrated to nearby developer PF Magic (also headquartered in San Francisco) for a time, working on titles like Ballz 3D and the company's successful Dogz: Your Computer Pet. She also seems to have either been employed by or provided freelance work for Neversoft, contributing art to the 1997 PlayStation release of MDK.

Legacy

Production history (Ross)

Interviews

Photographs

Main article: Photos of Brenda Cook

External links

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Interview: Brenda Cook (2015-11-25) by Cindy deRosier
  2. ↑ http://lemontreeworkshop.com/about.htm (Wayback Machine: 2015-02-16 05:54)
  3. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A994ZMfpP_Y
  4. ↑ File:Kid Chameleon MD credits.pdf
  5. ↑ File:Sonic the Hedgehog 2 MD credits.pdf
  6. ↑ File:Sonic Spinball MD credits.pdf
  7. ↑ File:Ballz MD US manual.pdf, page 19
Retrieved from "https://segaretro.org/index.php?title=Brenda_Cook&oldid=1047770"