Imagine you’re walking along a street in a big, busy city. Despite all the noise and movement, something shiny catches your eye. It’s a key. You pick it up and realize it’s the most unusual and ornate key you’ve ever seen. You take it home, toss it in a drawer and forget about it. …or […] The post The Best New Concept Art Books (2019 Edition) :: VSP #4 appeared first on ChrisOatley.com.

In this short audio announcement, Chris Oatley shares updates on the return of his Composition & Color Theory course called Painting Drama and his appearances at CTN-X 2019! Click through to hear the announcement… http://traffic.libsyn.com/oatley/VSP03b-Announcement-PD2020-CTNX2019.mp3 [ download the mp3 ] [ subscribe ] *The gorgeous illustration at the top of this post is by Alex […] The post [Announcement] The Return Of ‘Painting Drama’ & CTNX 2019! appeared first on ChrisOatley.com.

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 […] The post 4 Ways Animation Artists Can Mentally Prepare For The Move To Los Angeles: With Natalie Nourigat :: VSP #3 appeared first on ChrisOatley.com.

Is there more to you than what other people see? Character Design is a fundamental aspect of Visual Storytelling. …but there’s much more to Character Design than the visual aspects. Disney Visual Development Artist James Woods – best known for his Animation Character Design work on Mary Poppins Returns – joins me for today’s lesson: […] The post Character Design and The Illusion Of Life: With James Woods :: VSP #2 appeared first on ChrisOatley.com.

“Show, don’t tell.” It’s every Visual Storyteller’s mantra. …but it’s easier said than done. In today’s lesson, you’ll learn four ways to write – with pictures! …a practice that will help you solve existing Story problems, make a Story more powerful or get started on a new project! Brian McDonald – Visual Storytelling consultant for […] The post The Power Of Pictures: 4 Ways To Make Your Stories More Emotional :: VSP #1 appeared first on ChrisOatley.com.

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! Listen To The Announcement: […] The post [Announcement] The Future Of The ArtCast, Artistacon & Dream Machine! appeared first on ChrisOatley.com.

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 […] The post 11 Social Media Habits That Hurt Your Art Career (And How To Break Them) :: ArtCast #115 appeared first on ChrisOatley.com.

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 […] The post 4 Keys To A Long and Healthy Illustration Career :: ArtCast #114 appeared first on ChrisOatley.com.

What makes Toy Story a timeless classic? In this short video tutorial, I share three lessons to help you create stories that resonate – to infinity and beyond. [ download the video ] [ download the transcript ] Lesson 1: The Premise Is Universal Almost every child wonders, at some point, if their toys come to […] The post 3 Lessons For Writing Timeless Stories :: “Toy Story” Edition appeared first on ChrisOatley.com.

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 […] The post The Lost HERstory Of Disney Animation :: ArtCast #113 appeared first on ChrisOatley.com.