Daby Zainab Faidhi

About

About

 

Zainab “Daby” Faidhi is an Iraqi visual artist, and architect whose work spans animation, visual development, and storytelling. With a background in architecture and a passion for expressive world-building, her work explores the emotional weight of space, memory, and design through rich detail and stylized visual language.

Based in Los Angeles, she most recently served as Assistant Art Director on Bat Family and the Emmy-nominated Merry Little Batman at Warner Bros. Animation. Her past credits include the Oscar-nominated feature The Breadwinner, where she was nominated for Best Production Design at the Annie Awards, as well as TV projects like Harley Quinn, Looney Tunes Cartoons, and Mike Tyson Mysteries. After earning her BA in Architecture from the University of Jordan, she went on to complete her MA in Character Animation at Central Saint Martins in London in 2015. Daby then transitioned into animation and quickly gained recognition for her ability to merge visual storytelling with thoughtful spatial design. Her earlier work at Cartoon Saloon in Ireland helped shape her distinctive voice as a visual artist.

She is currently developing her upcoming exhibition, which explores the layered architecture and cultural landscape of Los Angeles through mixed media and sculptural compositions. In parallel, she is also working on an original children’s book inspired by her real-life experiences and childhood memories.

 

Daby is currently based in Los Angeles, available for full-time and freelance jobs!

 

Awards and Certificates

  • Annie Awards Nominee/ Best Production Design The Breadwinner 2018

  • MA-Character Animation Design/ University of Arts London/Central Saint Martins 2015 (Distinction)

  • BA-Architecture Engineering/ University of Jordan 2009

  • Baghdad International Film Festival 2016-First Price

  • Oscar-Student Academy Award 2016 ( Collaboration for Concept Design with Director Ahmad Saleh) Ayny/ My Second Eye, Foreign Animation Gold Medal

  • Nova Award Nomination 2015-Nominated for best student's work

  • AnimArte! Animation Festival, Brazil 2015 -First Price-Cultures category.

  • Adobe Design Achievement Awards 2015 -SemiFinalist-Best film

Animation Festivals Participation: 

Solo Exhibitions: