Nilah is a writer and artist in Los Angeles. From her beginnings in the woods of Maryland she developed an eternal love for three things: nature, books, and animation. Naturally, all of her school notebooks were full of doodles of animals and cartoon characters.
Nilah received a B.A. in communication arts from Hood College and B.F.A. in computer animation from Ringling College of Art and Design. She has illustrated for comics, children's books, film and commercial television.
When she is not drawing or writing, Nilah is reading fantasy novels, watching movies, rollerskating, and fighting her cat for control of her desk chair.
October 3, 2015 - My picture book has a new title! Keep an eye out for HOW TO FIND A FOX, releasing November 2016!
March 26, 2015 - From Publisher's Marketplace: McDuffie Diversity Award-winning author/illustrator Nilah Magruder’s FOX HUNT, in which a little girl sets out to snap a photo of the elusive red fox, to Anna Roberto at Feiwel and Friends, in a pre-empt, by Michelle Witte at Mansion Street Literary Management.
This film was my senior thesis, completed at the Ringling College of Art and Design in April, 2010. A baker's early morning work is interrupted by an unexpected visitor. Best of Ringling Entrant, 2010. Run time: 1:57.
Modeling, animation, shader creation, special effects, and lighting performed in Autodesk Maya, with the Pixar RenderMan plugin used for rendering. Texture maps were painted in Adobe Photoshop. Some sugar effects created with After Effects. Final compositing and editing performed in Nuke and Adobe Premiere.
Texturing Reel
Texturing reel. Modeling, animation, shader creation, and lighting performed in Autodesk Maya, with the Pixar RenderMan plugin used for rendering. Texture maps were painted in Adobe Photoshop. Final compositing and editing performed in Nuke and Adobe Premiere.
Animation Reel
My 2010 demo reel. Animation, modeling, texturing.
SHOT BREAKDOWN
All work performed by me unless otherwise noted.
Dialogue
Pencil test compiled with MonkeyJam.
Lip Sync
Designed character, props, and the set.
Textures painted in Adobe Photoshop CS3; shaders created in Autodesk Maya.
All modeling, animation and lighting done in Autodesk Maya. Rendered with RenderMan plugin in Maya.
Senior Thesis - Fairy Cake
Designed all characters, props, and the set.
Textures painted in Adobe Photoshop CS4; shaders created in Autodesk Maya.
All modeling, animation and lighting done in Autodesk Maya. Rendered with RenderMan plugin in Maya.
Shots composited in Nuke.
Flour Sack Jump
Pencil test compiled with MonkeyJam.
Push Pull - Natural
Designed character, props, and the set.
Textures painted in Adobe Photoshop CS3; shaders created in Autodesk Maya.
All modeling, animation and lighting done in Autodesk Maya. Rendered with RenderMan plugin in Maya.
Push Pull - Exaggerated
Designed character, props, and the set.
Textures painted in Adobe Photoshop CS3; shaders created in Autodesk Maya.
All modeling, animation and lighting done in Autodesk Maya. Rendered with RenderMan plugin in Maya.
Illustrations
We Don't Go There at Night
For Halloween 2013, I participated in a comic anthology called We Don’t Go There at Night. The story I contributed is below. You can view the full anthology online.
MFK
These are a few sample pages from my webcomic, M.F.K. It’s a teen fantasy adventure about growing up, friendship, and learning what to do with the abilities you’re given. It updates on Mondays at mfkcomic.com.
Avengers
Well it shouldn’t be a spoiler anymore, but y’know just in case.
Like many fans, Agent Coulson was my favorite character from the Avengers series. Clark Gregg is amazing. I imagine this is what happens after the movie and it makes me feel a little better. A little.
Part two is Stark asking Rogers why he didn’t just ask Nick Fury for the original set. I LIKE THIS BETTER OKAY.
I also have no clue where S.H.I.E.L.D. agents get buried?? I lived next to the Los Angeles National Cemetery a coupla years ago, so I went with a similar look to that.
Gem Hunters
A treasure hunter and her flying companion brave a dark cavern and the danger it hides in the quest for rare gems.
Two girls set out to make a bit of money and come to blows over artistic differences. Anne and Bertie designed by Gabriela Zapata and used with permission.
Equipped with a camera and determination, a little girl sets out to track down an elusive red fox. But foxes are sneaky, and it proves more difficult than she thought.
Nilah Magruder's debut picture book charmingly tells the story of what it means to not give up and how sometimes what you're looking for is closer than you think.
