About PopTop Studio

PopTop Studio is the home office of John Trauscht — an experienced, award-winning designer, skilled and familiar with a full range of media, product, food and entertainment-based creative services.

Experience that Makes a Difference

John joined Big Idea Productions in 1998 and worked there for 10 years in both Chicago and Nashville. Since then, he has designed and/or art directed over 70 different home-video and audio releases and campaigns for properties such as: Big Idea’s VeggieTales® and 3-2-1 Penguins!®, DaySpring’s Really Woolly Kids®, Phil Vischer’s What’s In the Bible? series and Galaxy Buck. Prior to that (during the mid 90s), he designed and produced packaging and marketing items for food & beverage clients in the Chicago area. Through it all, he has provided packaging and point-of-purchase items for retailers such as Wal-Mart, Costco, Target, Lifeway, and a variety of other grocery, retail and book stores.

Other clients John has provided design services for include EMI Music, Pixar Animation Studios, Disney Publishing Worldwide, Sony Pictures’ Soul Surfer, Sony Provident Music Group, Random House, Zondervan, The Worship Network, Thomas Nelson, Gorton’s, Dean’s Foods, Young Life, The Salvation Army, GE, Jim Beam Brands, local restaurants and other businesses; as well as artists such as Keith Urban, Jason Crabb, Colbie Caillat, Carbon Leaf, Steven Curtis Chapman, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, and Brandon Heath.

John has won numerous awards for achievements in marketing design, including POPAI OMA (5), “Design of the Times” POP Show (2), and CBA Impact Awards (3).

Fiddle When I Can and Work When I Should

Music has been a life-long passion for John, and he plays guitar and mandolin whenever he can. During his VeggieTales days, under long-time Big Idea Music Director Kurt Heinecke, he performed parts for both show scores and the beloved Silly Songs with Larry segments. Post Big Idea, he wrote or co-wrote and performed a variety of songs for DaySpring’s Really Woolly Kids, including its theme song. Most recently, John recorded guitar parts for VeggieTales’ Sleep Singing (to be released 2021) along side his son Riley on tenor and alto saxophone.