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 […] The post How To Fail Like A Professional Artist (…and Find Inspiration In The Process) :: ArtCast #109 appeared first on ChrisOatley.com.

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 […] The post Visual Development Mythbusting :: ArtCast #108 appeared first on ChrisOatley.com.

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… Listen To The Episode: [ download […] The post How Distractions Help You Become A More Focused Artist (With Life Drawing Expert Stan Prokopenko) :: ArtCast #107 appeared first on ChrisOatley.com.

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 […] The post Books That Will Change Your Creative Process (Best Of 2017) :: ArtCast #106 appeared first on ChrisOatley.com.

Three years ago, Darren Yeow, a successful, self-taught Concept Artist created The Nomad Art Satchel: a product we didn’t know we wanted, yet it changed the lives of artists around the globe. The bag’s unique tool storage system and thoughtful design made it possible to sketch anywhere. It’s simply the best art bag in the […] The post Quick, Draw! The Making Of The Best Art Bag In The World (Part 3) :: ArtCast #105 appeared first on ChrisOatley.com.

Three years ago, Darren Yeow, a successful, self-taught Concept Artist created The Nomad Art Satchel: a product we didn’t know we wanted, yet it changed the lives of artists around the globe. Now, the Kickstarter for The Nomad’s successor, The Etchr Art Satchel, made over $200,000 within the first 24 hours of launch… …and we’ve been recording […] The post Quick, Draw! The Making Of The Best Art Bag In The World (Part 2) :: ArtCast #104 appeared first on ChrisOatley.com.

Three years ago, Darren Yeow, a successful, self-taught Concept Artist created The Nomad Art Satchel: a product we didn’t know we wanted, yet it changed the lives of artists around the globe. The bag’s unique tool storage system and thoughtful design made it possible to sketch anywhere. It’s simply the best art bag in the […] The post Quick, Draw! The Making Of The Best Art Bag In The World (Part 1) :: ArtCast #103 appeared first on ChrisOatley.com.

In today’s conversation with Jake Parker (Author/ Illustrator of Little Bot and Sparrow, Creator of Inktober) we discuss different ideas for promoting your picture book: When should you start growing an audience? (Sooner than you think!) Why trust is essential for growing an audience. Should your project have its own website? The importance of school visits. …and […] The post How To Promote Your Picture Book with Jake Parker :: Stories Unbound #20 appeared first on ChrisOatley.com.

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 […] The post Creative Bravery: Why Animation Pros Sarah Marino and Jenn Ely Thrive In A Challenging Industry :: ArtCast #102 appeared first on ChrisOatley.com.

I have an urgent (but awesome) announcement! Our new Visual Development Workshop is finally open for enrollment! To learn more, listen to the audio announcement via the media player below… Listen To The ‘First Flight’ Announcement: http://traffic.libsyn.com/oatley/FirstFlight-OatleyAcademyArtCast-Announcement.mp3 [ download the mp3 ] [ subscribe in iTunes ] *Banner Image Credit: Detail from a Character VisDev painting […] The post [Announcement] New Visual Development Workshop Now Available! appeared first on The Oatley Academy of Visual Storytelling.