How To Make A Living With Your Imagination:
I’m a professional Character Designer/ Visual Development Artist who teaches, inspires and equips professional and “pre-professional” artists.
After five years of communicating to tens of thousands of artists all over the world, and interacting with many of them, I think I’ve finally started to figure us out.
- Most artists don’t care about being famous. They just want witnesses to their work and unique perspectives.
- Most artists don’t mind that mastery of their craft is an unrelenting challenge. They just want to see progress.
- Most artists don’t care about being rich. They just want to make a living doing what they’re passionate about.
And you know what’s weird?
Your Dreams ARE Attainable.
Every artist whom I’ve encountered through my work on ChrisOatley.com has completely sensible, realistic AND attainable goals! Seriously.
Sure, some of them need to work a lot harder or get way more focused, but I’ve never met anyone through this site who’s just thinking crazy stuff.
In fact, amidst this current, unpredictable economy and the shifting sandscape of the “connected” world it is no crazier to pursue a career as a professional artist than it is to pursue a traditional “bank job.”
In FACT, I could make an argument that professional artists are actually MORE equipped to thrive in this brave new world. (But we don’t have time for that right now… Plus I’ll get all flustered and right now, I’m trying to make a point…)
I Make My Living From My Imagination.
I make a living doing, in essence, the same thing I’ve been doing since I was performing puppet shows for my kindergarten class.
It’s just that now I’ve found a way to craft and commoditize the things I imagine.
I don’t want to over-simplify it. It’s a lot of hard work, but it isn’t complicated. I followed my dream and didn’t give up.
(Bonus tip: I also read a lot and constantly invite mentors into my life to tell me truths to which I am blind or would prefer to ignore…)
At Disney, I get to do the “professional artist” thing on an epic scale, along with hundreds of ridiculously talented people. Hundreds of talented people who did the EXACT same thing.
They each have found a way to craft and commoditize the things they imagine.
When I Finally Broke Into The Animation Industry…
I Noticed Something…
I observed a pattern.
Two simple, secret truths that every truly successful artist shared.
“Do great work and be great to work with.”
The animation industry is WAY different than I had guessed. And over the first few years of my career in animation, I observed many things that nobody ever teaches or explains. And all of those things can be related back to the 2 secret truths about succeeding in animation.
It was then that ChrisOatley.com revealed it’s purpose.
…and that purpose is much bigger and far more important than Chris Oatley.
I realized that through ChrisOatley.com I could inspire and equip those who are brave enough to follow their dreams of being professional artists… …professional dreamers.
The great thing about the connected world is that showcasing your work, finding clients, customers and a broad fan base is easier than ever.
But the hard stuff is still hard.
- If you want witnesses to your work and unique perspectives, you have to make art that is worth witnessing.
- If you want to perfect your craft, you have to focus.
- If you want to make a living doing what you’re passionate about, you need to do great work and be great to work with.
I’m Here For You.
One of the top priorities in my professional life is to answer your questions. I want to inspire you. I want to help you through the relentless, confusing, frustrating, deeply-personal challenge of crafting and commoditizing the things you imagine.
Most importantly, I will help you find your ‘visual voice, discover your creative calling & design your dream job!
- So whether you’re a seasoned industry professional who just needs help reinventing yourself for the 21st century…
- Or you’re in that weird, transitional phase at the beginning of your career where you haven’t yet found a groove, your niche or enough connections…
- Or you’re still struggling to break in…
This site is FOR YOU.
What Other People Say About Chris Oatley:
“Whether it is something as small as passing along advice when I show him a character in progress or something as large as recommending me for a job, Chris has always been there for me. He is a great artist, a great mentor, and a great friend.”
Character Designer at Bento Box Entertainment
SteveUmbleby.com
“Chris helped me to recognize and apply my artistic strengths to create a competitive industry-tailored portfolio. His professional insight gave me direction I needed to land my first industry job as a movie poster designer.”
Designer at BLT Communications
MegHardyArt.com
“Chris’ encouragement and teaching have given me more confidence in my work and in myself as an entrepreneur and an artist than I’ve ever had. A big result of that confidence is a 1-month artist residency in the fall where I will be working on my, as yet unannounced, comics project full-time.”
Comics Creator, Illustrator
MichelleKondrich.com
“Chris improved my understanding of the craft of painting to a point where I am improving by leaps and bounds. I’ve always had a strong desire to share what I’ve learned, but I wasn’t always able to connect with an audience. Thanks to my apprenticeship with Chris, I’m now teaching a matte painting class to foreign students.”
Matte Painter, Fantasy Illustrator
MordecaiDesign.com
“Chris’ newsletter is a great benefit and an inspiration to professionals or to anyone who dreams to break into the animation/ illustration industry one day. His insights cover a lot of very important subjects (like advice on painting and illustration and how to establish good working habits just to name a few) all of which have helped me grow in my career as a freelance illustrator.”
Freelance Character Designer, Illustrator
Jez-Tuya.Blogspot.com
“Since I met Chris Oatley, every artistic breakthrough I’ve had has involved him in some way. His teaching spirit, refreshing attitude, and breadth of knowledge are just three reasons I hope to continue working with Chris for the rest of my career.”
Character Animator, Rhythm & Hues
ScottWiser.blogspot.com
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- “The Key To Great Paintings” email series. (Everyone loves it! …just sayin’…)
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PLUS! You can respond to any of the emails and it will go right to me. I read every email and try to respond to as many as possible. (It’s one of my favorite things to do EVER!)
So ask me anything and I’ll do everything I can to help you find answers. …through my blog, podcast or in direct response to your email.
About Chris Oatley:
Chris currently works as a Character Designer and Visual Development Artist on the Planes franchise at DisneyToon Studios.
In addition to his conceptual design role, he helps to improve the efficiency of the animation production pipeline by creating specialized Photoshop workflows for the art and story departments.
He also serves as a creative consultant to the technology department where he is part of two separate creative-technology task forces.
On one team, he is collaborating on the UI design for the in-house production management software and on the other he is helping to design a metadata-based tagging system which will optimize the Disney artists’ access to and management of reference images.
Since 2005, Chris has contributed artistically to various animated films, television shows, video games and music videos for companies such as Disney, Universal, The Weinstein Company, Activision and Geffen Records.
Along with IDW published creator Lora Innes, he co-hosts The Paper Wings Podcast to help visual storytellers make, market and monetize their creator-owned comics.
In 2010, Chris established the Paper Wings Apprenticeship Program to provide a personalized, in-depth art and story education to students without the financial debt and schedule restrictions of traditional art school models.
On his personal blog and podcast, Chris answers questions about Digital Painting and Character Design for Animation.
His site features an in-depth creative career guide: Concept Artist Jobs: How To Break In & Stay In, industry interviews, free Photoshop resources and Photoshop Tutorials.
Chris is also the creator of Greg The Megabeaver’s Prehistoric Sideshow a webcomic with animated and interactive elements. (The comic is currently on hiatus until 2013.)
His greatest professional achievement, however, is being considered a favorite teacher by many of his students since he began teaching at The Ohio State University in 2003 (until 2005) and online since 2008.
He currently lives in Burbank, California with his wife Angie and their dachshund Sydney.
Chris Oatley’s Clients and Collaborators :
