The Oatley Academy of Visual Storytelling

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…]

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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Extended Interview: Jason Brubaker :: Dreamworks Visual Development Artist & Creator Of “reMIND” (Part 3)

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In the first two parts, Jason Brubaker told us the story of his unexpected success at DreamWorks Animation and provided fresh perspective on the power of persistence.

Now, in part three, we discuss his career-defining graphic novel reMIND, his record-breaking Kickstarter campaigns and the broad appeal of deeply personal work…

This Extended Interview Contains Almost Half An Hour Of Extra Audio:

  • Jason explains the origins of his comic ReMind.
  • His list of “things comics should do,” but he didn’t see happening.
  • Jason’s transition from B&W to color.
  • He discusses his strengths and weaknesses in art vs. writing.
  • Jason explores his experience with Kickstarter, Patreon, and WebToons.
  • The financial pressures of doing an independent comic and how he navigated that.
  • How Jason’s faith drives him forward in making comics.
  • The soul search and evolution of his reasons for creating art.

[Read more…]

Extended Interview: Jimmy Gownley :: From Self-Publishing to Scholastic

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Since he was 15 years old, Jimmy Gownley has never stopped breaking the rules of self-publishing.

He went from selling self-published comics in the hallways of his high school to huge publishing deals with both Simon & Schuster AND Scholastic.

This Extended Interview Contains 40 Minutes Of Extra Audio:

  • It all started with Peanuts.
  • The Dumbest Idea Ever.
  • The rise of independent comics in the 80’s.
  • Jimmy shares about getting Amelia Rules published.
  • Understanding how story works.
  • Challenges of being a writer who draws.

[Read more…]

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.