The Oatley Academy of Visual Storytelling

Extended Interview: Creature Designer & Fantasy Illustrator Brynn Metheney

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Brynn Metheney puts the “dragons” in Dungeons & Dragons.

While many of her animals come from imaginary worlds, they look like they could exist in this one…

In part one of the podcast version of this interview, we talked about Brynn’s childhood in the desert, how her father’s job as an engineer helped her understand creature design, and how she makes her animals feel so real…

In part two, Brynn shared some nitty gritty drawing tips and practical ways to improve when your artistic growth seems slow.

This Extended Interview Includes Over 40 Minutes Of Extra Audio:

  • Drawing the human skull.
  • Horses!
  • Stylized animal anatomy in 101 Dalmatians.
  • Perfectionism & Introversion.
  • Being bullied as a kid.
  • Coping with social anxiety.
  • Why artists shouldn’t sacrifice sleep and food.
  • Creating an ideal home studio.
  • When artists take themselves too seriously.

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Is Social Media Ruining Your Art?

ChrisOatley_OctopusSocialMedia Is social media empowering your best work? …or is it just a distraction? Are likes and shares actually toxic to your creativity?

In this panel discussion we help you maintain a healthy relationship to social media.

Panelists: Ejiwa (Edge) Ebenebe (Technology Director for The Oatley Academy), Adam Westbrook (creator of the ‘Delve Video Essays’), Amanda Duarte (co-founder and artist at Limetown Studios,) and Magic Box coach Melissa Dow.

Questions Answered:

  • When is giving up social media the best decision?
  • How do you break out of the addictive endless scroll trap?
  • What ways do you use to reduce the presence of social media in your life?
  • How do you deal with the feeling of discouragement?
  • How  do you incorporate social media into your artistic life, without sacrificing productivity?

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[ LIVE On 05/25 ] “Personal Brand” Case Study With Dan Kelby

In our previous Escape From Art Jail series, we learned how three successful artists developed their personal brand.

In our next live session, our hosts Chris Oatley and Ejiwa (Edge) Ebenebe help Escape From Art Jail student Dan Kelby develop his own personal brand and present himself as a competitive professional in the Visual Development Industry.

Thursday, May 25th at 11am PT.

Below, you’ll find the link to join the live session…

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Planning A Career As A Creature Designer: Personal Brand Development Case Study (Part 2) :: EAJ #25

SarahDahlinger_SeenAndUnseenCover_EAJMarch In our previous Escape From Art Jail series, we learned how three successful artists developed their personal brand.

Now, Chris and Edge help Escape From Art Jail student Sarah Dahlinger develop her own personal brand and present herself as a competitive professional in the creature design industry.

Questions Answered:

  • How do you handle organizing a diverse portfolio?
  • Should I use international networking to expand my client pool?
  • What happens when funding dries up from potential clients?

 

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Wait… You Mean There’s No Money In Comics?! Personal Brand Development Case Study (Part 1) :: EAJ #24

JoieFoster-Clucked In our previous Escape From Art Jail series, we learned how three successful artists developed their personal brand.

Now, Chris and Edge help Escape From Art Jail student Joie Foster develop her own personal brand and present herself as a competitive professional in the comics industry.

Questions Answered:

  • Should I branch out to diversify my income streams?
  • Are agents useful for comic creators?
  • Can I rely on crowdfunding to make a living?
  • How effective is networking when I don’t live near my clients?
  • Should I represent myself with an alias or pseudonym?

[Read more…]

Lessons From 2016 With Team OA

TeamOAUnicorns

For The Oatley Academy Team, 2016 was our most intense, productive and collaborative year yet.

In this New Year Celebration we share insights gained from the hard lessons and new discoveries we experienced in the past year.

PANELISTS: Ânia Marcos (Community Director), Ejiwa Ebenebe (Technology Director), Érika Casab (Support Ninja), Jessica Doll and Lauren Morse (Hosts of DIY Animation), Maike Venhofen (Storytellers’ Summit Instructor), Shawna JC Tenney (Host of Stories Unbound) and Chris Oatley (Director for The Oatley Academy).
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Connect With Us:

Whether you’re pursuing concept art, illustration, character design, storyboarding, comics, animation or children’s books, The Oatley Academy will help you become a professional Visual Storyteller. Please reach out! We would love to connect with you.