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 maybe you display it, so you can share it with others. After all, the key is a beautiful work of art in and of itself. Now imagine, one day, a good friend comes over for coffee. They notice this beautiful key you have displayed and they say to you: “I think I know where to find the lock. It’s on a door just down ..read more

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 Burke a.k.a. “WhiteTreeFox” and was created for one of the homework assignments in ‘Painting Drama.’ Hey, everyone! Chris Oatley here with two quick announcements: FIRST: The long-awaited return of my course Pai ..read more

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 Ways Animation Artists Can Mentally Prepare For The Move To Los Angeles! Click through to start the lesson… Watch The Lesson: [download the mp3] [download the bonus segment] Lesson Transcript: The following is a transcript of the full ..read more

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: Character Design And The Illusion Of Life. Click through to start the lesson… Watch The Lesson: [ download the mp3 ] [ download the pdf guide ] Lesson Transcript: The following is a transcript of the full lesson (with links to each resource mentioned). Introduct ..read more

“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 Pixar, Disney, Sony and ILM – one of my closest friends and my most trusted mentor – joins me for: The Power Of Pictures: 4 Ways To Make Your Stories More Emotional. Click through to start the lesson… Watch The Lesson: [ download the mp3 ] [ download the pdf guid ..read more