The Visual Storytelling Podcast:

Disney Visual Development Artist/ Illustrator Chris Oatley helps Artists and Writers find healthy, fulfilling careers in Animation, Games, Comics, Film and Illustration.

Interview with Animation Art Director Ryan Carlson (Part 1) :: ArtCast #100

By Chris Oatley

In many ways, I owe my career to Ryan Carlson.

He played a key role in giving me my first break at Disney, taught me more about painting than any other individual and he, more than anyone for whom I’ve worked, has intentionally helped to advance my career.

…and considering that The ArtCast probably wouldn’t exist without my time at Disney, and The Oatley Academy only exists because of The ArtCast, The Oatley Academy might not exist without Ryan…

In this episode we discuss:

Why failure is a necessary part of the creative process.
What makes a good Art Director?
Ryan’s process for creating a Color Script for an animated feature film…

Interview with Animation Layout & Visual Development Artist, John Nevarez (Part 2) :: ArtCast #99

By Chris Oatley

In part one of our interview, John Nevarez (Sony, Illumination, Pixar, Disney) gave us a masterclass in gesture drawing technique.

Now, in part two, John talks about:

What that first day at Pixar is really like,
Sneaky ways to get your work noticed,
And the secret to staying sane in this crazy business…

Interview with Animation Layout & Visual Development Artist, John Nevarez (Part 1) :: ArtCast #98

By Chris Oatley

John Nevarez approaches his art and his relationships the same way. Whether he encounters a new, blank page or a new person, John sees the opportunity to freely explore new and inspiring ideas.

The whimsical energy in his sketches combined with his delightful personality has made him one of the most reputable professionals in the animation industry.

His stellar career spans from storyboard revisionist to visual development artist, with stops along the way at every major animation studio, including Disney, Sony, Illumination, and Pixar.

Today we discuss:

John’s iconic, visceral drawing style…
Just saying no to your eraser…
And what two dozen rejection letters gets you.

Interview with Scholastic Editor Orli Zuravicky :: Stories Unbound #19

By Chris Oatley

Orli Zuravicky is a Senior Editor at Scholastic and the author of the forthcoming Happily Ever Afterlife middle grade novel series.

In this interview we talk about:

How an Editor chooses an Illustrator.
How to approach an Editor at a conference.
How being an Editor helped Orli become a better writer.
Why manuscript submissions get rejected.
Why there are more opportunities in Kidlit now than ever before.

Interview with Creature Designer & Fantasy Illustrator Brynn Metheney (Part 2) :: ArtCast #97

By Chris Oatley

In part one of our interview with Brynn Metheney, we talked about her childhood in the desert, how her father’s job as an engineer helped her understand creature design, and how she makes her animals feel so real…

In part two, Brynn shares some nitty gritty drawing tips and practical ways to improve when your artistic growth seems slow.

She traces her path from obsessive animal doodler, to official creature teacher and talks about the benefits of specialization.

Ejiwa Ebenebe – now a producer on The ArtCast – joins me as co-host.

The Visual Storytelling Podcast:

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