Persistence, Getting Back Into Art, and Marketing Yourself - Draftsmen S3E30

Introduction

In this section, the hosts introduce themselves and discuss a Netflix special about Bob Ross.

Hosts Introduce Themselves

• Stan greets his co-host.

• They discuss whether the episode will be cool or not.

• Marshall's presence makes it a cool episode.

Watching Movies on iPhone

• Charlie mentions David Lynch's admonishment to people about watching movies on their iPhone.

• They briefly discuss Lynch's opinion that watching movies on an iPhone cheats viewers of the true experience.

Netflix Special About Bob Ross

• Charlie tells Stan about a Netflix special he watched about Bob Ross.

• The Kowalski family currently controls Bob Ross Inc., which manages the intellectual property of Bob Ross' work.

• When Bob Ross was alive, he shared ownership with his wife and the Kowalski family. After his wife died, he lost control and voting power.

• Before he died, Bob Ross left a document stating that he wanted his son to get 49% of the IP and his brother to get 51%. However, the Kowalskis took control of everything after his death and took away his son's share.

• The special tells the story from the perspective of Bob Ross' son who feels cheated by the Kowalskis.

Bob Ross Documentary and Voicemail Questions

In this section, the speakers discuss a recent Bob Ross documentary and voicemail questions from listeners.

Bob Ross Documentary

• The speakers mention that a public statement was released denying some of the claims made in the documentary.

• They joke about how the company didn't know that releasing the documentary would cause them a PR problem.

• The speakers discuss how people may use the content of the documentary to create satire or comedy as a form of revenge against those involved.

Voicemail Questions

• The speakers decide to move on to voicemail questions from listeners.

• A listener asks for advice on how to turn their amateur animation skills into a career.

• The speakers suggest building a portfolio tailored towards specific companies or studios and marketing oneself effectively.

The transcript is relatively short, so there are only two sections. I have tried my best to associate each bullet point with its corresponding timestamp.

Finding Opportunities Through Networking

In this section, the speakers discuss how networking can help you find opportunities in your field. They share a personal story about how one person's network helped them secure an internship.

Building Your Network

• Building your network is key to finding opportunities.

• Attend conventions and put your work on the internet to get noticed by people who can hire you.

Making Connections

• Pixar hosted a day-long event where they shared what it's like to work at their company.

• Start building your network before you have a portfolio so that once you do, it's easy to get it seen by the right people.

Finding Your Strengths

In this section, the speakers respond to a voicemail about finding your strengths. The caller suggests that taking personality tests is unnecessary and instead recommends smoking weed and looking at your artwork critically.

Simplifying the Process

• The caller suggests that finding your strengths is as simple as drawing something, smoking weed, and looking at it critically.

• The speakers agree that overcomplicating the process of finding your strengths can be counterproductive.

Focusing on Artwork

• Instead of focusing on personality tests or other methods, simply look at your artwork with a critical eye to determine what you're good at.

Understanding Personality Tests

In this section, the speakers discuss their opinions on personality tests and whether they are necessary to understand oneself.

Personal Experience with Personality Tests

• One speaker shares that they have not taken a personality test in a while and do not plan to take one in the future.

• The other speaker mentions taking a personality test when they were younger but cannot remember which one it was.

• They eventually recall that it was the Myers Briggs test and share their result.

Importance of Knowing Oneself

• Both speakers agree that it is important to know oneself, including strengths, weaknesses, and potential pitfalls.

• However, one speaker clarifies that knowing oneself does not necessarily require taking a personality test.

Emotional Attachment to Personality Tests

• One speaker notes that the other seems emotionally invested in the topic of personality tests.

• The other speaker suggests that this emotional attachment may be indicative of their own personality type.

Deliberate Practice for Drawing and Painting

In this section, the speakers respond to a listener's question about how to engage in deliberate practice for drawing and painting without immediate feedback.

Specific Exercises for Drawing and Painting

• One speaker notes that specific exercises will depend on what the individual is working on.

• They suggest drafting exercises such as aiming lines at vanishing points or solving perspective problems. Additionally, they recommend anatomy courses like Proko's where overlays can be used to place muscles on figures.

Deliberate Practice

In this section, the speakers discuss the importance of deliberate practice in improving one's skills. They emphasize that it is not enough to simply go through the motions of practicing, but rather one must focus on specific aspects and consciously work to improve them.

The Importance of Deliberate Practice

• Deliberate practice involves analyzing master compositions and consciously noticing how your eye moves through them.

• It is important to apply deliberate practice when working on your own compositions.

• Good assignments and projects can serve as deliberate practice, but it is up to the individual to make them harder or easier.

• Deliberate practice does not necessarily require feedback from an instructor.

Deep Focus and Slowing Down

• Deep focus is necessary for effective deliberate practice.

• Slowing down and speeding up can be useful techniques for improving skills.

Meaningful Anecdotes About Students

In this section, a listener asks if the speakers have any meaningful anecdotes about students. While they do not have any specific stories to share, they discuss a particular type of student who stands out in their memory.

Notable Types of Students

• The speakers mention a type of student who is particularly memorable: those who are passionate about learning and willing to put in the effort required to improve their skills.

Flunked out of school. So, not good academically but they're creative?

In this section, the speakers discuss how students who flunk out of school can still be successful in their careers if they are creative and able to create their own path.

Flunking Out of School

• Students who flunk out of school may not be concerned with academic success but rather with finding a career path that suits them.

• Creativity and the ability to create one's own path can lead to success even if academic success is lacking.

• However, it is important to note that flunking out of school does not guarantee career success.

Navigating Systems

• Students who do well in school often have an advantage in navigating systems because they know how to work within them.

• This highlights the importance of learning how to navigate systems and institutions in order to succeed.

Talent vs Hard Work

In this section, the speakers discuss the relationship between talent and hard work when it comes to career success.

Natural Talent

• Having natural talent can sometimes hinder career success because individuals may not develop the discipline or habits necessary for overcoming challenges.

• Those who have had to work hard for their skills may be more successful because they have developed a strong work ethic.

Fun Stories from Teaching

In this section, the speaker shares a fun story about a student who made an unexpected connection during class.

Unexpected Connections

• A student made an unexpected connection between editing shots and embryos during class.

• Although it seemed crazy at first, his connection was actually brilliant and led to enlightening discussions.

• The student's unique perspective added value to the class and made it more enjoyable.

Creating Backgrounds as a Comic Book Artist

In this section, a listener asks for advice on creating backgrounds as a comic book artist.

Creating Backgrounds

• The listener struggles with creating environments and backgrounds in their comic book art.

• The speakers suggest studying real-life environments and using reference images to improve.

• They also recommend practicing drawing backgrounds regularly to develop the necessary skills.

Composition, Perspective and World Building

In this section, the speaker discusses the importance of composition, perspective and world building in creating an environment.

Basics of Environment Design

• The basics of environment design include mastering perspective, which takes a year or more of really applying oneself to it. If it's too hard for you, you can learn how to develop environments in a 3D program.

• There are technical aspects to consider such as foreground, middle ground and background when things go back into the environment. It has everything to do with where the camera is placed.

• Composition is also important in designing a picture that has a certain feeling. Study cinematographers and animation for that.

• Designing an environment for a story requires thinking through the world of this story.

World Building

• When designing a fantasy world, think about the power hierarchy and how creatures eat, protect themselves from predators and prey on others.

• Politics plays an important role in designing an environment for a story. Knowing your world is key.

• Think through every decision you make and figure out how it could create trouble for your character's goals or rescue them.

Elements of Environment

• Water can be something that could be trouble or help for your character depending on its use in the story.

• Walls or moats can become something that traps characters or they need to cross over them creating trouble.

• Earth can hide something under the ground but also make it difficult to find later when all foliage is different.

The speaker emphasizes the importance of thinking through every decision made in designing an environment for a story and how it could create trouble or rescue characters.

Career Advice for Illustrators

In this section, Elsa asks for advice on how to get her career going as an illustrator and graphic novel creator. She wants to know whether she should focus on developing her social media or laying it aside to focus on skills.

Building Your Network

• Building your network beyond just your social media profile is important.

• Having a social media presence is not necessary to have a career.

• Networking is more important than building your social media profile.

Social Media Presence

• Set up your infrastructure and make sure that all of the bugs are worked out before focusing on social media.

• Take notes from podcasts or other resources about social media tips and tricks, but don't prioritize it over networking and skill development.

Conclusion

• Having work and skills is more important than having a public presence.

Persistence and Storytelling

In this section, the speakers discuss the importance of persistence in achieving success and how it relates to storytelling.

Persistence Pays Off

• The speakers share a story about Cutter Hays, who showed his portfolio to comic artist Mobius at Comic Con for seven years in a row until he eventually got a job recommendation from him.

• They emphasize that persistence is not about making a good first impression but rather creating a long-term impression by consistently improving over time.

Importance of Storytelling

• The speakers discuss the challenges of making a living as a graphic novelist due to the smaller market size compared to big-budget films with compelling stories.

• They suggest that anyone interested in storytelling should focus on mastering basic skills through practice and studying their favorite stories to understand what makes them engaging.

• The speakers highlight the importance of storytelling in all aspects of life, not just in books or movies.

Conclusion

In this section, the speakers conclude their discussion on persistence and storytelling.

• No new information is presented.

[t=0:41:32] Goodby and Silverstein Masterclass

In this section, the speakers discuss how to create a compelling resume that tells a story about oneself.

Creating a Compelling Resume

• Goodby got his job at the big agency because of his resume.

• He put together a resume that was factual up until the point where he was hired by the company he was applying to. Then, he developed a fanciful future history of how many awards he won and how much he did for this.

• The agency knew that it wasn't entirely true but thought it was creative and drew them in.

• The key is to make it a story that draws people in.

[t=0:43:05] Weaving Our Story

In this section, the speakers discuss our inclination towards weaving our story and why it's ill-advised. They also talk about taking time to pull back from it and self-criticism.

Telling Our Story

• No matter what we're doing, we're telling a story about ourselves.

• It's important to pay attention to what story we're presenting to others.

• Our inclination towards weaving our story is ill-advised. We need to take time to pull back from it and do self-criticism.

Adjusting Our Narrative

• To adjust our narrative, we need to figure out what our narrative is first. That takes work, self-criticism, and readjusting to get more creative with it.

• The hard work of adjusting our narrative is often our inclination towards weaving our story.

[t=0:44:16] Advice for Older Artists

In this section, the speakers discuss advice for older artists trying to get their careers back on track.

Reinventing Yourself

• Get out on paper what you have already developed, what you already have that is in your cash of experience, knowledge, wisdom, grit - what you already bring to it and that is an advantage.

• Figure out what has changed in the world since you started your first wave. You might not be able to do everything the same way the second time. You might have to adjust to this new world.

• Figure out what is different, what do you need to learn and how do you change yourself to fit into this and stand out now.

The Importance of Reinvention in Artistic Careers

In this section, the speaker discusses how reinvention is crucial for artistic careers and how it can lead to success. He uses examples from the country music industry to illustrate his point.

Reinventing Oneself

• People who reinvent themselves have a better chance of succeeding in their artistic careers.

• Many successful country musicians were not originally from the country and had to reinvent themselves to fit into the industry.

• To succeed, one must figure out what needs to change about oneself to fit into the new system and not just look like an old person trying to fit in.

Excitement of Reinvention

• When done well, reinvention can be thrilling.

• There is a benefit to being part of a different thing as you can bring certain things back but you have to know how to fit it into the new thing.

Willie Nelson's Career

• Willie Nelson had a career as a musician partly in Nashville but he would have never caught attention during his early years.

• Waylon Jennings moved from Nashville because he didn't like the polished sound and put up a studio in Texas where they made really country music.

• Both Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson negotiated contracts with record companies that allowed them control over their own albums despite executives' doubts about their success.

Actors and Typecasting

In this section, the speakers discuss typecasting in the acting industry and how it can affect an actor's career. They also talk about how some actors were able to break free from their typecast roles.

Boris Carloff's Career

• Boris Carloff played the monster in Universal films but was later typecast and couldn't get roles.

• When he got older, a producer cast him because he looked good on film, and he did his best work.

• He was no longer typecast as the previous character because he became someone new.

Excitement of Breaking Free from Typecasting

The speakers continue discussing breaking free from typecasting and how it can be exciting for actors. They also mention a book called "Hitmakers" by Derek Thompson.

Breaking Free from Typecasting

• There is excitement when an actor breaks free from being typecast.

• It can happen with anyone if they give it some thought.

• The book "Hitmakers" talks about what one has to offer that they wouldn't have had before.

Fresh Blood in Politics

In this section, the speakers talk about a politician who made it in politics because of his fresh take on things.

Fresh Take in Politics

• A young politician made it in politics because of his fresh take on things.

• As he got older, he lost that advantage but gained experience instead.

Navigating a Career in Concept Art and Games

In this section, the speakers respond to a listener's question about navigating a career in concept art and games.

Listener's Question

• The listener is an eight-year veteran in concept art and games.

• They went to the Art Institute in Seattle, which had problems with fraudulent statistics.

• The school did not focus on community or teaching the right skills but rather making money.

• The listener finds themselves trying to break into a competitive industry without many opportunities.

• They have learned a lot and committed deeply to furthering their practice but cannot break in.

Advice for Navigating a Career

In this section, the speakers discuss how they often receive questions about how to navigate careers. They mention that it's difficult to give advice without seeing someone's portfolio or spending time with them.

Giving Advice

• The speakers often receive questions about how to navigate careers.

• It's difficult to give advice without seeing someone's portfolio or spending time with them.

• Some people hit the ground running while others struggle.

Maria Piscopo and Marketing Your Art

In this section, the speaker talks about Maria Piscopo and how she helped him get his career started. He also discusses the importance of finding a resource to guide you through marketing your art.

Maria Piscopo's Contribution

• Maria Piscopo contributed a lot to getting the speaker's career started.

• The speaker contacted her for guidance.

Finding a Resource for Marketing Your Art

• It is important to find someone who can guide you through marketing your art.

• This person should be a resource that takes you through a year of lessons on how to market your art.

• The speaker admits that he is not the best person to give advice on this topic.

Changing Your Narrative and Apologizing for Mistakes

In this section, the speaker talks about changing your narrative and apologizing for mistakes.

Changing Your Narrative

• You need to figure out what narrative you're telling about yourself and change it if necessary.

Apologizing for Mistakes

• The speaker apologizes for something related to "the AI thing."

• There was confusion between "AI" meaning "Art Institute" versus "artificial intelligence."

• The other AI (Art Institute) left a lot of shrapnel and damage to many people.

Getting Skills from Somewhere Else

In this section, the speakers discuss getting skills from somewhere else if they were not obtained from school or previous experiences.

Obtaining Skills

• If skills were not obtained from school or previous experiences, then they will need to be obtained from somewhere else.

• The speaker is confident in his skills, but it remains to be seen if he can back up that confidence.

Helping People with Careers and Dealing with Compliments

In this section, the speakers talk about helping people with careers and dealing with compliments.

Helping People with Careers

• If you are an expert in marketing artists, there are many people interested in what you have to offer.

• There should be someone like an art agent who can get people jobs.

• This person should be public enough, charismatic enough, and committed enough to help people get their career started.

Dealing with Compliments

• The speaker admits that he is uncomfortable with compliments.

• He gets them all the time but doesn't know how to respond.

• He suggests that it's okay to feel uncomfortable and not know what to say.

How to Respond to Compliments

In this section, the speakers discuss how to respond to compliments and why it can be awkward.

Acknowledge the Compliment

• The speakers suggest acknowledging the compliment by saying "thank you" and moving on.

• They acknowledge that it can still be awkward, but there's not much else you can do.

Awkwardness of Compliments

• The speakers discuss how they feel awkward when receiving compliments.

• They share stories about times when they tried to express their gratitude for a compliment but ended up feeling even more awkward.

• They talk about not wanting to hurt someone's feelings by rejecting their compliment or making them feel uncomfortable.

Should Artists Record Their Sources of Inspiration?

In this section, a listener asks whether artists should record their sources of inspiration and if doing so is necessary for protecting themselves from claims of theft.

Recording Sources of Inspiration

• The listener asks whether artists should record their sources of inspiration.

• The speakers clarify that the question is about recording something that inspired an artist's work, rather than acknowledging another artist directly.

• They discuss how artists get ideas from various sources and agree that it's important to remember where those ideas came from.

Recording Ideas

In this section, the speakers discuss the benefits and drawbacks of recording ideas.

Benefits of Recording Ideas

• Recording ideas can help you keep a record of your thoughts and inspirations.

• Writing down your thought process can help you develop your ideas further.

• Second-hand inspiration can be used to create different pieces.

Drawbacks of Recording Ideas

• There is a concern about someone stealing or suing over recorded ideas.

• Putting too much energy into posterity may distract from creating something awesome.

• Focusing on what people will think about you versus what you think of your work may be self-defeating.

Graphite vs Charcoal

In this section, the speakers discuss the differences between graphite and charcoal when it comes to drawing.

Using Graphite and Charcoal Together

• Graphite and charcoal do not mix well together in the speaker's experience.

• The speakers disagree on whether graphite and charcoal are beautiful together.

• To use both materials together, put down charcoal first then add graphite over it.

Applying Charcoal

• The speaker never has a thick layer of charcoal.

Graphite and Charcoal Drawing Techniques

In this section, the speakers discuss the differences between graphite and charcoal drawing techniques. They also talk about how to use them together in a single drawing.

Graphite vs Charcoal

• Charcoal is softer and better for smudging, while graphite is better for details.

• Graphite and charcoal don't mix well, but they can be used together in the same drawing.

• Many graphite drawings have a layer of charcoal underneath for added depth.

Reflectivity and Reproduction

• Graphite has a reflective sheen, while charcoal is truly black.

• When framing a graphite drawing with glass, it can become even more reflective.

• Graphite cannot be made truly black, but this isn't an issue for reproduction as it can be adjusted digitally.

Powdered Graphite

• Powdered graphite works like an airbrush and can create smooth gradations.

• Powdered charcoal cannot get truly black when mixed with water.

• Experimentation is key when using these mediums together.

Example Drawing

• The speaker shows an example of a drawing that uses both powdered charcoal and graphite to create soft gradations with added detail on top.

Knowing the Tools

In this section, the speakers discuss the importance of knowing the tools and how it can help you avoid getting into trouble.

Controlling Tools

• The speakers agree that if you know the tools, you can control them right up to the point before you get in trouble.

• They emphasize that understanding where you can get in trouble with a tool is crucial to controlling it effectively.

Wrapping Up Season

In this section, the speakers wrap up their season and reflect on their experience answering questions.

Last Voicemail

• The last voicemail of the season is played.

• The speakers express surprise that there are no more voicemails to answer.

Reflection on Experience

• The speakers reflect on their experience answering many of the same questions repeatedly throughout the season.

• One speaker expresses happiness that they have answered most of the questions they received during this season.

Closing Remarks

• The speakers thank their listeners and sign off for the season.