Concept Art: How To Break In and Stay In

Legendary Disney artist Armand Serrano told me: "They hire you for your art, but they keep you because of your ideas."

There are a million concept art portfolios out there...

...and very few compelling concepts.

A professional concept artist designs the future. They don't simply copy current trends.

They envision environments, props, characters, costumes, color palettes and compositions that audiences have never seen before.

A professional concept artist is collaborative and infinitely curious.

A professional concept artist has an inexhaustible visual library.

A professional concept artist is a master of the fundamentals and knows numerous efficient, focused techniques.

Here's a collection of my best interviews and articles to help you stay focused on what really matters to concept artists who are serious about breaking-in, staying-in or getting a better gig...

Breaking In At Riot Games & How To Get A Concept Artist Internship: Interview With Chris Campbell :: ArtCast #69

By Chris Oatley

“If there’s truth behind the art, it will resonate.”

-Chris Campbell

Most professional artists have been drawing since they first picked up a crayon.

As a kid, Chris Campbell drew the occasional doodle but he never took his art seriously.

…not until his late twenties, anyway.

Abandoning his career as a journalist, Chris enrolled in his local art college and landed a concept artist internship at Riot Games just three years later.

Once his internship wrapped, Chris had to inform his teachers back home that he would not be returning for his senior year.

…because the team at Riot hired him.

Chris Campbell went from total beginner to one of the most coveted concept art gigs in just three years!

Who IS this guy?

Chris shares his passion, his paradigm and the story of his rapid career change in this inspiring interview…

Good Character Design Goes Deep

By Chris Oatley

Think about your best friend.

How long did it take for you to really get to know each other?

Hopes and fears, experiences and expectations, strengths and weaknesses, victories, failures, pet peeves and passions…

Whether he or she is your spouse, partner, close family member, colleague or high school BFF, the friendship has taught you that people are unique and endlessly complex.

The job of the professional character designer is to design characters.

…unique, complex people who seem no less unique or complex than your BFF.

In more than a decade of reviewing character design portfolios at art school Q&A sessions, comic cons and online, I have met many skilled artists.

…but I almost never meet an aspiring or pre-professional character designer who actually understands the job.

Typically, these artists rush into the design without getting to know the character.

So if you feel like your characters are flat or your designs are unoriginal, here are three ways you can add depth to your character design portfolio…

The Rising Stars Of Animation: Betsy Bauer, Elsa Chang, Jessie Greenberg, Natalie Hall, Sarah Marino & Isaac Orloff: ArtCast #59

By Chris Oatley

I always say that the two secrets to success in animation are “Do great work and be great to work with.”

Sometimes, artists just get mad when I say that.

But more often, they ask thoughtful follow-up questions. …questions like “How, if I’m not already working in the industry, do I prove that I’m great to work with?”

Although I have a few responses to that question which I will talk about in an upcoming episode, I thought it would be clearer to just show you how it’s done.

So I brought together six of my favorite “Rising Stars” of the animation industry and interviewed them…

5 Common Pitfalls Of Concept Art & Illustration Portfolios

By Chris Oatley

I’ve said it before: The only way to truly succeed in a creative career is to do great work and be great to work with.

If you craft a strong concept art/ illustration portfolio it will demonstrate both of these values at the same time. And that strong portfolio will dazzle any recruiter or art director you encounter.

But a strong portfolio consists of much more than just the art inside.

Creating Animated TV Shows for Disney & Cartoon Network :: Live Q&A From Denver Comic Con 2012

By Chris Oatley

LIVE At Denver Comic Con 2012!

The good folks at DCC 2012 invited me to join this panel discussion and share my perspectives on the future of the animation pitch!

I was proud to represent the online community of visual storytellers but as you can see in the video, I was a bit intimidated to be sitting on a panel with these three Masters of TV Animation!

Concept Art: How To Break In and Stay In

LIVE At Denver Comic Con 2012!

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