Toggle menu
Toggle preferences menu
Toggle personal menu
Not logged in
Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits.

Editing Charles Ratteray

From Battlestar Wiki, the free, open content Battlestar Galactica encyclopedia and episode guide
Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.
The edit can be undone. Please check the comparison below to verify that this is what you want to do, and then publish the changes below to finish undoing the edit.
Latest revision Your text
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Cast Data|series=RDM|image=|character=|nationality=US|site=https://charlesratteray.artstation.com|imdb=2671872|sortkey=Ratteray, Charles}}
{{Cast Data|series=RDM|image=|character=|nationality=US|site=https://charlesratteray.artstation.com|imdb=2671872|sortkey=Ratteray, Charles}}


'''Charles Ratteray''' is an American concept artist, storyboard artist, and illustrator who served as a conceptual designer on the [[Battlestar Galactica (RDM)|Re-imagined Series]].<ref name="ratteray_gnomon_bio" group="external">{{cite web|url=https://www.gnomon.edu/academics/instructors/charles-ratteray/|title=Charles Ratteray - Gnomon|publisher=Gnomon School of Visual Effects|accessdate=August 28, 2025}}</ref> Based in Los Angeles, Ratteray has worked in the entertainment industry for over 25 years, contributing to numerous high-profile television series and films.
'''Charles Ratteray''' is an American concept artist, storyboard artist, and illustrator who worked as a conceptual designer on the [[Battlestar Galactica (RDM)|Re-imagined Series]].<ref name="ratteray_gnomon_bio" group="external">{{cite web|url=https://www.gnomon.edu/academics/instructors/charles-ratteray/|title=Charles Ratteray - Gnomon|publisher=Gnomon School of Visual Effects|accessdate=August 28, 2025}}</ref> Based in Los Angeles, he has worked in the entertainment industry for over 25 years, contributing his artistic vision to numerous high-profile television series and films.


== Career ==
== Career ==


=== Early career ===
=== Early Background ===
Ratteray studied art in Philadelphia before relocating to Los Angeles for an internship in special effects at the Academy Award-winning [[w:Stan Winston Studio|Stan Winston Studio]].<ref name="ratteray_artstation_resume" group="external">{{cite web|url=https://charlesratteray.artstation.com/resume|title=Charles Ratteray - Resume|publisher=ArtStation|accessdate=August 28, 2025}}</ref> His performance during the internship led to a permanent position at the practical effects studio, where he focused primarily on character design.<ref name="ratteray_storyboard_interview" group="external">{{cite web|url=https://storyboardartists.com/conversation-charles-ratteray-art-life-storytelling/|title=A Conversation with Charles Ratteray on Art, Life and Storytelling|author=|publisher=Storyboard Artists Guide|date=April 13, 2017|accessdate=August 28, 2025}}</ref>
Ratteray studied art in Philadelphia before coming to Los Angeles on an internship for special effects at the Academy Award-winning Stan Winston Studio.<ref name="ratteray_artstation_resume" group="external">{{cite web|url=https://charlesratteray.artstation.com/resume|title=Charles Ratteray - Resume|publisher=ArtStation|accessdate=August 28, 2025}}</ref> His strong work ethic led to a permanent position at the renowned practical effects studio. During his time at Stan Winston Studio, Ratteray was primarily interested in character design and entered the art realm professionally as an intern who was later hired based on his dedication.<ref name="ratteray_storyboard_interview" group="external">{{cite web|url=https://storyboardartists.com/conversation-charles-ratteray-art-life-storytelling/|title=A Conversation with Charles Ratteray on Art, Life and Storytelling|author=|publisher=Storyboard Artists Guide|date=April 13, 2017|accessdate=August 28, 2025}}</ref>


Ratteray subsequently expanded his skill set beyond character design to include storytelling and other aspects of design and filmmaking techniques. He became associated with [[w:Famous Frames|Famous Frames]], one of the largest storyboard agencies in the Los Angeles and New York metropolitan areas, and has collaborated with directors including [[w:Spike Lee|Spike Lee]], [[w:David Fincher|David Fincher]], [[w:David Twohy|David Twohy]], [[w:Ivan Reitman|Ivan Reitman]], [[w:Patrick Tatopoulos|Patrick Tatopoulos]], and [[w:F. Gary Gray|F. Gary Gray]].
=== Professional Style ===
Ratteray is known for his graphic novel approach characterized by dynamic lines and anime/realistic character designs. He quickly realized that to become a working freelance artist in television and film, he needed to develop additional abilities beyond character design, which encouraged his interest in storytelling and other layered aspects of design and filmmaking techniques.


=== Television and film work ===
=== Television and Film Work ===
Ratteray's television credits include ''[[w:Firefly (TV series)|Firefly]]'', ''[[Battlestar Galactica (RDM)|Battlestar Galactica]]'', ''[[w:Buffy the Vampire Slayer|Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'', and ''[[w:CSI: Crime Scene Investigation|CSI]]''. His film work includes serving as a storyboard artist on ''[[w:Captain America: The First Avenger|Captain America: The First Avenger]]'' (2011), ''[[w:Blue Eye Samurai|Blue Eye Samurai]]'' (2023), and ''[[w:Deadpool 3|Deadpool & Wolverine]]'' (2024).
After his time at Stan Winston Studio, Ratteray branched out into freelance work and became associated with Famous Frames, one of the largest storyboard agencies in the Los Angeles and New York area. He has had the opportunity to work closely with influential directors including Spike Lee, David Fincher, David Twohy, Ivan Reitman, Patrick Tatopoulos, and F. Gary Gray.


Ratteray's artistic style is characterized by dynamic lines and designs that blend anime and realistic influences. He continues to work as a storyboard artist, concept designer and illustrator for major entertainment companies including [[w:Marvel Comics|Marvel]], [[w:Netflix|Netflix]], [[w:Riot Games|Riot Games]], and [[w:The Walt Disney Company|Disney]].<ref name="ratteray_creative_bloq" group="external">{{cite web|url=https://www.creativebloq.com/features/artist-in-residence-charles-ratteray|title=Artist in Residence: inside the bustling studio of Marvel, Netflix and Disney artist Charles Ratteray|publisher=Creative Bloq|date=May 16, 2024|accessdate=August 28, 2025}}</ref>
His television credits include memorable shows such as ''[[w:Firefly (TV series)|Firefly]]'', Battlestar Galactica, ''[[w:Buffy the Vampire Slayer|Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'', and ''[[w:CSI: Crime Scene Investigation|CSI]]''. Recent work includes serving as a storyboard artist on major productions such as ''[[w:Deadpool 3|Deadpool & Wolverine]]'' (2024), ''[[w:Blue Eye Samurai|Blue Eye Samurai]]'' (2023), and ''[[w:Captain America: The First Avenger|Captain America: The First Avenger]]'' (2011).


== ''Battlestar Galactica'' contributions ==
== Battlestar Galactica Contributions ==
Ratteray served as a conceptual designer at [[Zoic Studios]] during the production of the [[Battlestar Galactica (RDM)|Re-imagined Series]], working under visual effects supervisor [[Gary Hutzel]]. His most significant contribution to the series was his work on the [[Cylon Raider]] design.
Ratteray served as a conceptual designer on the Battlestar Galactica television series, contributing his artistic vision to the [[Battlestar Galactica (RDM)|Re-imagined Series]] that aired from 2004-2009. His portfolio includes concept sketches for the series,<ref name="ratteray_artstation_portfolio" group="external">{{cite web|url=https://charlesratteray.artstation.com/|title=Charles Ratteray Portfolio|publisher=ArtStation|accessdate=August 28, 2025}}</ref> though specific details about his individual contributions to ship designs or character concepts have not been publicly detailed.


According to production illustrator [[Eric Chu]], who created the initial [[Raider (RDM)|Cylon Raider]] concepts, Ratteray's intervention proved crucial to the final design. Chu stated that while his early designs "had the same basic elements: a central fuselage — which was required by an earlier version of the miniseries' script — a face, and a general disc shape, which I kept from the [[Raider (TOS)|original Raider]]," the distinctive profile emerged later. "It wasn't until Charles Ratteray at Zoic took a crack at the design that the scimitar shape came into existence. I liked the basic shape of that and did a final pass to smooth the lines and give it a more organic feeling, which tied it in with the rest of the Cylon designs."<ref name="companion142">{{cite book|last=Bassom|first=David|title=[[Battlestar Galactica: The Official Companion]]|page=142|publisher=Titan Books}}</ref>
The Re-imagined Series was known for its realistic, gritty aesthetic that departed from the more colorful original 1978 series, and concept artists like Ratteray played crucial roles in establishing the visual language that defined the show's distinctive look.


The Cylon Raider's scimitar profile became a defining visual element of the Re-imagined Series, representing the bio-mechanical aesthetic that characterized the evolved [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylon]] technology. This design departed significantly from the original 1978 series while maintaining thematic consistency with the organic nature of Cylon evolution depicted throughout the show.
== Current Work ==
Ratteray continues to work as a storyboard artist, concept designer and illustrator with major companies including Marvel, Netflix, Riot Games, and Disney.<ref name="ratteray_creative_bloq" group="external">{{cite web|url=https://www.creativebloq.com/features/artist-in-residence-charles-ratteray|title=Artist in Residence: inside the bustling studio of Marvel, Netflix and Disney artist Charles Ratteray|publisher=Creative Bloq|date=May 16, 2024|accessdate=August 28, 2025}}</ref> He also serves as an instructor at the Gnomon School of Visual Effects, where he teaches aspiring artists.


== Teaching ==
== Personal Life ==
Ratteray serves as an instructor at the [[w:Gnomon School of Visual Effects|Gnomon School of Visual Effects]], where he teaches courses to aspiring visual effects artists and designers.
Ratteray maintains a studio in Los Angeles where he creates both commercial work and personal artistic projects. He enjoys working with traditional media and often creates what he calls "freestyle art" - artwork that flows freely from his subconscious without judgment, which he typically reserves as gifts or for personal use.


== References ==
== References ==
Line 29: Line 31:
=== External Sources ===
=== External Sources ===
{{reflist|group=external}}
{{reflist|group=external}}
=== Production Sources ===

To edit this page, please enter the words that appear below in the box (more info):

Refresh
Cancel Editing help (opens in new window)

  [] · [[]] · [[|]] · {{}} · · “” ‘’ «» ‹› „“ ‚‘ · ~ | ° &nbsp; · ± × ÷ ² ³ ½ · §
     [[Category:]] · [[:File:]] · [[Special:MyLanguage/]] · <code></code> · <nowiki></nowiki> <code><nowiki></nowiki></code> · <syntaxhighlight></syntaxhighlight> · <includeonly></includeonly> · <noinclude></noinclude> · #REDIRECT[[]] · <translate></translate> · <languages/> · {{#translation:}} · <tvar|></> · {{DEFAULTSORT:}} · <categorytree></categorytree> · <div style="clear:both;"></div> <s></s>


Your changes will be visible immediately.
  • For testing, please use the sandbox instead.
  • On talk pages, please sign your comment by typing four tildes (~~~~).