ChrisOatley.com

Disney Character Designer answers your questions about Concept Art, Character Design for Animation, Digital Painting & Illustration.

Mindset

How To Fail Like A Professional Artist (…and Find Inspiration In The Process) :: ArtCast #109

By

So you trashed your last project and started over… …and then again. …and then again.

…is that because you just aren’t meant to be an artist?

…or is it simply because you’re ambitious?

So you spent your weekend sleeping instead of drawing… Is that lazy? …or healthy?

Are you blocked? …or just solving the wrong problem?

Is failure useful for you? …or destructive?

Today on The Oatley Academy ArtCast, we share five “Failure Flip Tips” to help you turn failure into a tool that’s just as useful as your favorite pencil…

[Read more…] about How To Fail Like A Professional Artist (…and Find Inspiration In The Process) :: ArtCast #109

Visual Development Mythbusting :: ArtCast #108

By

What is the difference between drawing and design?

When working for a studio, does your personal aesthetic matter?

Are you thoroughly exploring your story ideas or are you stopping too soon?

What do Pixar’s Coco and The Shining have in common?

And how can you get out of your own head and bring more freedom to your creative process?

Today, Mentees from First Flight, our most recent Master Class at The Oatley Academy, join me for some Visual Development MYTHBUSTING…

[Read more…] about Visual Development Mythbusting :: ArtCast #108

How Distractions Help You Become A More Focused Artist (With Life Drawing Expert Stan Prokopenko) :: ArtCast #107

By

Can distractions help you become a more focused artist?

Why does speed seem like such a waste of time?

Do you draw in “The Beginner Style?”

…and how can you avoid the most common drawing mistakes?

Life Drawing Expert Stan Prokopenko joins me today on The Oatley Academy ArtCast…

[Read more…] about How Distractions Help You Become A More Focused Artist (With Life Drawing Expert Stan Prokopenko) :: ArtCast #107

Books That Will Change Your Creative Process (Best Of 2017) :: ArtCast #106

By

The term “Concept Art,” brings to mind a specific kind of imagery. …but isn’t that a problem…?

What if the struggle of learning Perspective Drawing simply isn’t worth it…?

How can an animated TV show be deeply autobiographical for it’s creator and still have huge, mainstream appeal?

Maybe what other people think of your art matters less than you think…

Today, in celebration of a New Year, The Oatley Academy Team shares their favorite books of 2017. …books that will almost certainly change your creative process.

Click through to listen…

[Read more…] about Books That Will Change Your Creative Process (Best Of 2017) :: ArtCast #106

Creative Bravery: Why Animation Pros Sarah Marino and Jenn Ely Thrive In A Challenging Industry :: ArtCast #102

By

ArtCast102-PostArt

This month, Sarah Marino (Color Supervisor at Nickelodeon), Jenn Ely (Production Designer for House Special, Visual Development Artist for Dreamworks) and I are teaching a new online workshop called First Flight: How To Create Your New Career In Visual Development.

I invited them both to join me here on The ArtCast to promote First Flight and talk about how they achieved such significant success in their animation careers…

Episode Highlights include:

  • Turning fear into faith.
  • Becoming more professional by de-emotionalizing your creative process.
  • Why we stopped caring about job titles.
  • How fear cost Jenn a a big opportunity (and why she’ll never make that mistake again).
  • Why Sarah had to climb through a human hamster wheel. (That’s not a metaphor.)
  • Inspiring gumball machines and the healing power of ice cream.
  • Is a successful animation career worth the cost?

[Read more…] about Creative Bravery: Why Animation Pros Sarah Marino and Jenn Ely Thrive In A Challenging Industry :: ArtCast #102