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Mindset

4 Ways Animation Artists Can Mentally Prepare For The Move To Los Angeles: With Natalie Nourigat :: VSP #3

By Chris Oatley

A cartoony illustration in purple and pink hues shows a young woman wearing sunglasses and shorts while reclining on a daybed with champagne and grapes close at hand. She casually lifts one hand to draw on an adjacent WACOM Cintiq workstation. The caption reads: "**ACTUAL RESULTS MAY VARY." Image from Disney Storyboard Artist Natalie Nourigat's graphic novel: "I Moved to Los Angeles To Work In Animation."

Disney Storyboard Artist and Director Natalie Nourigat describes her book I Moved To Los Angeles To Work In Animation as “part Autobio Comic and part ‘How-To’ guide.’”

It’s hilarious, emotional, beautifully illustrated and I now consider it required reading for every aspiring Animation professional.

Today, Natalie joins me for a lesson inspired by her book: 4 Ways Animation Artists Can Mentally Prepare For The Move To Los Angeles!

Click through to start the lesson…

[Read more…] about 4 Ways Animation Artists Can Mentally Prepare For The Move To Los Angeles: With Natalie Nourigat :: VSP #3

[Announcement] The Future Of The ArtCast, Artistacon & Dream Machine!

By Chris Oatley

The Album Art for 'The Visual Storytelling Podcast.' An elegantly designed, abstraction of an orange tree. Art by Maike Venhofen.

Hello, my friends!

Chris Oatley here with a few time-sensitive ArtCast Announcements!

In this recording, I’ll provide updates on:

  • Dream Machine my new Social Media course for Artists.
  • My upcoming presentation at Artistacon 2019 (plus a discount code).
  • …and what to expect as we begin re-branding The ArtCast!

Here we go!

[Read more…] about [Announcement] The Future Of The ArtCast, Artistacon & Dream Machine!

11 Social Media Habits That Hurt Your Art Career (And How To Break Them) :: ArtCast #115

By Chris Oatley

An anthropomorphic orange wears a blank name tag. Unsure, he hands a pen to two anthropomorphic lemons in suit and tie. Art by Chris Oatley.These days, whenever I ask my industry colleagues where they’re finding work, the answer is almost always one of two things:

Industry connections or Social Media.

…but, despite the proliferation of Social Media success stories within the Entertainment Industries, many of us are still afraid of Social Media.

…and if we’re not afraid, we’re often too familiar for our own good.

…but Social Media is just like drawing and painting.

It has a set of learnable skills and a professional approach.

I learned how to power my business with Social Media strategies that progress both the business and my personal art career. I also helped a number of my students and my Animation industry colleagues develop their own Social Media strategies.

We’re all Artists here.

If I can figure it out, you can too.

…and today’s lesson – 11 (BAD) Social Media Habits That Hurt Your Art Career (And How To Break Them) – is a great place to start!

Click through to watch the lesson and download the free resources…

[Read more…] about 11 Social Media Habits That Hurt Your Art Career (And How To Break Them) :: ArtCast #115

4 Keys To A Long and Healthy Illustration Career :: ArtCast #114

By Chris Oatley

Cartoony illustration of an eccentric butterfly with floral print wings, wearing a pink speedo and sunglasses, relaxing while drinking a pina colada. Two regular butterflies admire from across the swimming pool. Artist: Chris Oatley

How long did it take you to learn the “Happy Birthday” song?

…and how long would it take you to learn to sing a pitch-perfect, note-for-note, Broadway power ballad?

Years, right?

Because style takes time.

…and how many wrong notes would you produce in private before you gained the confidence to perform live?

Millions.

Process and performance are different things.

Let’s pretend you have some real potential. Would you start chain smoking and take a day job in a coal mine to pay the bills?

Of course not.

You gotta take care of your moneymaker.

And when you’re a big hit on Broadway with crossover success in movies and pop music…

…did you make it without a mentor?

Probably not.

A good mentor is essential.

We can easily see the absurdity in the image of an aspiring Broadway star who expects instant results, performs without practice, neglects their throat and lungs and thinks they’ll somehow succeed without expert perspectives.

But it’s a lot harder to see – in ourselves – the illustrator who expects instant results, publishes without practice, neglects their body and brain and thinks they’ll somehow succeed without expert perspectives.

Today, Lauren Panepinto (Creative Director for the Sci-Fi/ Fantasy publisher Orbit Books) and Marc Scheff (Games-Illustrator-turned-Fine-Artist) join me to share 4 Keys To A Long And Healthy Illustration Career…

[Read more…] about 4 Keys To A Long and Healthy Illustration Career :: ArtCast #114

Theme Parks Concept Artist Chris Bradley On Building A Dream Career :: ArtCast #112

By Chris Oatley

How would you prepare for a career in a mysterious industry like Theme Park Design where information about job requirements and current projects are almost impossible to find?

…and what would you do if you were stuck in a desert (literal and creative) with little more than a stack of comics, a Disney Imagineering book and a school trip to Disneyland to guide you?

Concept Artist Chris Bradley is here to share how he went from working construction to designing Theme Park attractions for Disney Imagineering, 20th Century Fox and Hasbro!

You’ll also get to hear how Chris thinks when he visits a Theme Park and learn about his favorite attractions.

…and at the end of the interview, he shares some challenging advice for aspiring Theme Park Concept Artists…

[Read more…] about Theme Parks Concept Artist Chris Bradley On Building A Dream Career :: ArtCast #112

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