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DELETED SCENES:

Enjoy hour-after-hour of extended interviews and deleted scenes featuring some of our favorite podcast guests. You'll also get early access to every new podcast episode we release.

DELETED SCENE: Why You Shouldn’t Wait For Creative Fulfillment :: With Prescott Harvey

In this Deleted Scene from ArtCast #94, writer Prescott Harvey provides an intense reality check for creative people with less-than-creative day jobs.

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DELETED SCENE: Show, Then Tell!

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Once I really started writing in pictures first, it changed the way I wrote.

– Mark Pett

Mark Pett is a former syndicated comics creator and self-proclaimed “Authorstrator” of 5 charming picture books.

In this deleted scene from Stories Unbound #7, Mark tells us how he used to create “talking heads” comics. But after taking a challenge from a friend to make “silent comics,” his writing process changed forever…

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DELETED SCENE: Just Design What’s Right For The Story

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Don’t waste your time worrying about what people think of your work, just do the best you can.

– Ovi Nedelcu

Ovi Nedelcu is an animation visual development artist and character designer (Warner Bros., Laika) and a picture book creator.

In this deleted scene from Stories Unbound #5, Ovi and Shawna discuss the importance of sketching and behind the scenes development of an illustration.

We discuss the very planned and calculated process of Norman Rockwell versus Mo Willems’ simpler style, and why there is a need for both types of storytelling.
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DELETED SCENE: How The Pixar Art Department Works

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I call the work at Pixar “aggressively collaborative…”

– Noah Klocek

Noah Klocek is an Art Director at Pixar Animation Studios by day, and a picture book creator by night.

In this deleted scene from Stories Unbound #4, Noah talks about his role at Pixar and provides some unique perspective on their collaborative process.

Inspiring Highlights:

  • The differences between concept artists and Art Directors.
  • How the Pixar Art Department works.
  • Collaboration vs. personal projects.
  • Why Pixar isn’t everything.

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DELETED SCENE: The Power Of A Focused Concept Art Portfolio :: With Paul Scott Canavan

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Being a concept artist is like being a five-year-old kid. You need to constantly be asking ‘Why?’

– Paul Scott Canavan

Paul Scott Canavan, Lead Concept Artist for Blazing Griffin, talks about how to know when you’re “good enough” to get hired as a concept artist.

Inspiring Highlights:

  • A common (but often invisible) barrier to becoming a “hirable” concept artist.
  • A surprisingly effective way to track your artistic growth.
  • How to check your art for clarity.
  • The value of a focused portfolio.
  • The cost of pursuing too many goals at once.

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DELETED SCENE: When A Character’s Emotions Get In The Way :: With Justin Copeland

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As you are building your portfolio, I believe that there is a nucleus that everything is derived from … and that nucleus, to me, is the story….

– Justin Copeland

Justin Copeland (Storyboard Artist for Marvel and Warner Bros.) talks about the challenge of finding truth in a character’s performance in this deleted Q&A segment from Chris Oatley’s ArtCast.

Inspiring Highlights:

  • The problem of phony emotions.
  • Understanding the true source of a character’s emotions.
  • Why “pencil mileage” matters.
  • Do I need to draw digitally?

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Deleted Scene: Who Can Steal Your Confidence?

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I heard from yet another art student who received yet another harsh-but-unhelpful critique from an industry butthead and I just had to drop everything I was doing to talk to my Magic Box students about it…

I cover three main points in this 20-minute rant.

The first two points are related:

  1. How to deal with a harsh critique from an industry butthead.
  2. How to respond when negative feedback wipes you out.

I wrap it up with a challenge to deliver stronger concepts, stronger ideas in your work and how to “invent the future” of games, animation, comics etc…

[Read more…]

OA Student Exclusive!

Backstage Pass Categories:

  • Escape From Art Jail
  • Extended Interviews
  • Deleted Scenes
  • Portfolio Reviews
  • Art School Talks
  • Inspiration

Recent Backstage Pass Content:

My Biggest Failures Of 2017 (And What They Taught Me)

How To Ask For Donations Without Sounding Pathetic (Part 2) :: EAJ #29

Tips For Maintaining A Steady InkTober Spirit

Preparing For The Emotional Reality Of CTN-X And Other Conventions

How To Ask For Donations Without Sounding Pathetic (Part 1) :: EAJ #28

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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.

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