Call it a tale of life imitates art. That’s kind of how it worked out for Jamy Wheless, an animator who’s brought big screen characters to life — from Yoda to the Hulk to Davy Jones and his beard of tentacles in "Pirates of the Caribbean."

But beyond all his iconic characters, it seems it was an animated puppy named Andy — turned real-life Andy — that hit Wheless right in the chest.

“People always ask what’s your favorite character you animated? And originally I’d say Yoda,” Wheless said, plunked down in a chair in the Petaluma office that’s home to his company Ignite Animation Studios. “Now I have to say Andy.”

Andy — the digital version — first entered Wheless’ life a few years ago when Jean Schulz, widow of cartoonist Charles Schulz, asked Wheless to create an animation for the nonpr

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