Visual Development

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

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…

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

By Chris Oatley

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…

Visual Development Mythbusting :: ArtCast #108

By Chris Oatley

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…

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

By Chris Oatley

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…

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

By Chris Oatley

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?

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