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

Visual Development

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

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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…

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The Lost HERstory Of Disney Animation :: ArtCast #113

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When author Mindy Johnson set out to write a book about of the history (or as Mindy says, the “HERstory”) of Walt Disney‘s definitively female “Ink & Paint” Department, she began her research in the most obvious place: The Disney Archives.

I’ve been to the Disney Archives several times. It’s the epicenter of animation history – an enormous, state-of-the-art research library and storage facility filled, wall-to-wall with art from the past century of Disney animated productions.

Mindy visited, requested everything they had on Ink & Paint, and they brought her a folder holding five pieces of paper.

That’s all they had.

Composing the comprehensive history of any Disney division would be difficult even with the help of the Disney Archives.

Mindy had to start from scratch.

Today, she’ll share stories from the creation of her epic work Ink & Paint: The Women Of Walt Disney’s Animation and introduce us to inspiring artists from Animation HERstory…

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

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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…

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Disney Toy Designer Zach Gracia On Why You Probably Haven’t Failed Enough (Part 2) :: ArtCast #111

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Disney Toy Designer Zach Gracia continues his story today on The Oatley Academy ArtCast!

In part one of this series, Zach told the story of how he challenged his family’s expectations to pursue an artistic career, struggled through art school and avoided debt by working multiple jobs (including some uncomfortable internships).

…and when he finally got a chance at an interview with Disney Animation, he completely blew it.

Now, in Part 2, Zach tells us:

  • How he finally broke in at Disney.
  • Why all the struggle was all worth it.
  • Why Mentorship is so crucial for success in the entertainment industry…

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Disney Toy Designer Zach Gracia On Why You Probably Haven’t Failed Enough :: ArtCast #110

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What would you do if you struggled for seven years to finally get an interview for your dream job at Disney…

…and then completely blew it?

Would you give up?

…create a “Plan B”?

What if you had already tried “Plan B”?

…or would you hold onto hope for a second chance, humble yourself and double your efforts?

Disney Toy Designer Zach Gracia shares the first part of his story today on The Oatley Academy ArtCast!

Episode Highlights:

  • Redefining hard work.
  • Challenging your family’s expectations by pursuing an artistic career.
  • The struggle of getting through art school without going into debt.
  • The unglamorous life of a Disney Theme Park intern.

…and what happens when you go into an interview at Disney Animation unprepared…

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