[Music]
Stephen Silver: [laughter] It's your boy Steven
Silver. And here I am that San Diego Comic-Con. And you guys can find me at silvertoons.com
Stan: Can you give some general advice for new artists?
Stephen Silver: New artists the most important thing that you guys can keep doing is know
again the industry that you are moving into. And it's that constant practice. There is
a lot of people that don't know what they want to do necessarily. But if you are building
up on your foundation, you are building up on your fundamentals, eventually when your
called to action, you are going to be prepared. It's like just going into battle. I got all
my gadgets. I know what I need to pull out because you have done enough of it. So, if
you are lost and you don't know what you want to be or do, just learn that stuff.
Stan: Nice.
Sean Andrew Murray: General advice; whether
or not you decide to work in a studio setting or not or work for clients, always have a
personal project that you are working on for yourself. I worked in the video game industry.
And there was a period where I spent about three years working on a project that I poured
myself 100%, maybe more than 100% creatively into. After that three years the project was
dropped. And so, I looked back on those three years thinking, 'Wow! I just gave my all to
this project, designing someone else's world, creating all this artwork and then, other
people who were not as emotionally invested in it as I was just decided to cancel the
project.' I learned at that point, I needed to have my own projects that I was working
on for myself. That other people couldn't just drop like a hot potato.
Moderator: What animated universe would you want to live in?
Sean Andrew Murray: The Dark Crystal World. World of Dark Crystal. It's one of my favorite
movies from childhood and I'm really looking forward to the new series that's coming out
so. And it comes out on my birthday. Which I think, you know, I feel like there is some
karma in there, so. Stan: It's a sign. [chuckle]
Pascal Campion: General advice for new artists. I would say, try to figure out what you like
to do and do it. And I'm saying this because very often people see stuff that they like
and they think they want to do it and realize that like, what they would like to see is
not the same as what they like to do. And it's very important for you to find what you
want to do because once you do it you are going do a lot, a lot and a lot of it and
you don't want to be sick of it, so yeah.
Stan: Let's see. So, general advice for
new artists? Sean Galloway: Okay. Yes. So when I want to
break in the comics, they told me you had to draw a page a day. And that's a very daunting
type of thought, right? But how I trained myself was that, I didn't just go straight
up and try draw a page a day, I did it in strides. And I did it where I made sure that
can draw a full illustration of a character and within 24 hours. And yeah, may not seem
like a big feat but as a thriving artist, to build up to that it's a huge feat, you
know. So what you do is, you do that and you turn off your monitor when you are done or
you walk up from the computer. If you can look at it the next day, you are on the right
track. If you are flinching, then you need to keep working at your craft. And that's
how I would gauge it. Chrissie Zullo: General advise for new artists.
Uh, I would say, draw everyday, draw as much as you can, always have fun with your art,
draw what you love to draw, you know, put yourself out there. Sometimes people, you
know, will be nasty and just ignore those people. They are just haters and they are
just jealous. But for the most part I feel like there is a great community of art lovers
out there and you'll get positive feedback. And it will motivate you to continue drawing.
T. J. Geisen: General advice for new artists. Yeah. I mean, if you are really really starting
up, just start making things you like. So, even if it's not going to look how you want
it to, to be excited about what you're creating, I think that's most important when starting
out. If you jump right into drawing a thousand cubes you are going to have good looking cubes.
But you are going to get through like 200 and be like, "I hate drawing.", like, "Drawing
sucks." So, do those like wonky anime drawings, do those wonky car and graffiti and portraits
of people, do your studies, but do something you really like doing.
[Music]
Erik Gist: General advice for new artists
is, don't be in a rush. I know there is kind of that motivation to get working right away
as quickly as possible. But if it's just a pride thing, incubate as long as you can,
develop your skills, and hit the market as good as you possibly can. Don't squeak in.
Be ready and kick the door down and be ready to compete with anyone who is out there because
you are going to be. Peter Han: General advice, I mean, there is
so much to talk about as what you can do as a new artist. I think for in general, its
maintain that excitement enthusiasm to want to keep generating work. Jealousy can form
an envy where you see others like, 'I want that right now', is very much a part of a
natural reaction of a young artist. But, um, I think as a general advice to that, maintain
that fun factor. It's like you just really enjoy it. And I have been talking about this
recently. More about that side of an artist has to be completely committed and invested
into it where you are obsessed. So obsessed that when you are getting up and you are going
to sleep that is all you are thinking about. Literally, last night I fell asleep to doing
a commission drawing. I woke up this morning thinking about doing it. I showed up - we
showed up here at 8:30 a.m. to Comic-Con and the first thing I did was brought my book
out and started drawing. So it's literally the waking moment to the moment I'm falling
asleep, I am doing this. But it's not because, 'oh, it's a job to make money' or 'it's just
a thing that I have to do is for someone else', I'm doing it for me. So if you are not up
to that point, there are people out there like me that are doing that. And there are
even people 100 times better than I am. So, if you're unwilling to commit to that degree
then I'm sorry. You are not going to make it.
Stan: Boom!
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Brian Haberlin: Hey. I'm Brian Haberlin here at San Diego Comic-Con. And we do all these
cool books for Image Comics and we have our own artificial reality or augmented reality
books that do all kinds of cool stuff and sculptures. experienceanomaly.com has all
our links for all our different social. Stan: General advice for new artists.
Brian Haberlin: On your portfolio, keep it small, short. Five images not 35 images. If
someone sees your stuff and likes it and wants to see more they will ask to see more. Plus,
if you are not that confident with all the pieces really cherry-pick your best. So if
you've got 30 pieces you like, pick the five that are just the best. And then, be ready
to like take the criticism from people. Don't use the excuse to often. You get people to
show me your portfolios, "Oh, yeah, my printer was bad that day or whatever, that's why it
looks that way." Don't even show that portfolio until you're ready to show that portfolio
to people. Okay? Pros know that it's an excuse. You don't - never once start a portfolio review
with any excuses. Stan: Do you have some general advice
for new artists? Karl Kopinski: Something which wasn't available
to me as a student was the online content. I think that's really invaluable. A good resource
that you can really tap into. And yeah, it's some of the courses you have to pay for but
relatively speaking for going to a school it's a minimal kind of amount of money. So,
they are really useful because you are learning from guys who are super top-end. And then
seek out advice from the people you admire. And don't be afraid to contact them because
really they are quite approachable in my experience. A lot of these people, they want to give advice
and most of them are are approachable and willing to give you advice. So, I would say
that, get down to live classes, try and surround yourself with people who are better than you
as well. It's like anything. You hang around with people who are better and you'll get
dragged along and improve I think. Stan: Who is your cartoon crush?
Karl Kopinski: I really liked the chick of Gatchaman when I was a kid. You know I think
I maybe got some stirrings. Stan: General advice for new artists?
Marshall Vandruff: Yeah watch the Draftsmen Podcast.
Stan: Or listen. Marshall Vandruff: Or listen, yeah.
Stan: Say that all over again. Marshall Vandruff: Yeah.
Stan: Do you have any general advice for new artists?
Marshall Vandruff: Learn your craft. Get really good at your craft.
Stan: Oh, that was a different answer. [chuckle]
[Music]
Any general advice for new artists?
William Stout: I'm guided by something I read in Norman Rockwell's autobiography. At the
top of his easel he had carved out of wood it said, '100%' and it was plated in gold.
And that was to remind him that no matter how little or how much he was getting for
the job once the negotiations were over he was going to do 100% of his best work. Now,
that does a couple of things. For one, it really amazes your client. They end up getting
more than they expected. It also makes you a better artist because you are pushing yourself
to be better and better and you should never stop that. You should always constantly be
trying to learn to get to that next plateau of artistic excellence.
Cutter Hays: Draw all the time. Really, really love it. Get into it. Obsess on it. It's okay
to obsess on art. It beats that kind of alcohol or anything else. Join a good school. Take
any job you can get and do your very best work. Any job for almost any amount of money
when you're break-in. It's okay. Not free. Don't work for free. But well, that's not
true. If it's going to be published by someone really cool then work for free. [chuckle]
But get your work out there. Talk to everybody. It's not enough these days to have a website.
It's not enough to just talk to a lot of people or take your portfolio around. Have your portfolio
on your phone always, all the time. Try to deal with friends who are also very serious.
They will pull you up rather than people who drag you down.
Stan: And be cool. Cutter Hays: And be cool, yeah. Because you
can be good, fast or cool. And if you have any two of those things you are hired. And
if you have all three things you are set. But if you only have one, you know, if you
are just fast, you are not really good, you're not really cool, it's not going to cut the butter.
Stan: Nice.
Sanford Greene: General advice for new artists; draw every day at least an hour. At least
an hour. If you go past that incredible. If you can do two, three hours absolutely. But
definitely, every day, make it a point to draw. I tell a lot of students to have a little
small sketchbook. Carry the thing around like it's like a cell phone. They can relate to
that. [chuckle] You know you love social media so much.
Stan: That is a good one. Sanford Greene: So, the same way you love
your cell phone love that mini sketchbook. Stan: Yeah, cool. That is good.
Sanford Greene: Man, I got Proko to say, "Oh, wait a minute."
Stan: It's good. Sanford Greene: Credit me for using that on
your stream, alright? Stan: Love it like your cell phone. I
like that. Sanford Greene: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Stan: Do you have any general advice for new artists?
Eliza Ivanova: A lot of times I get the question of like, "How do I get a style? How do I stand
out?" If that is your goal, it can be very strenuous on your own productivity and on
your art because, you know, a lot of times you end up trying to imitate people and then
you feel like a hack a little bit. It's just baby steps. It's just like small goal. Instead
of like, "Okay, how do I become James Jean?" Well, James Jean obviously did his work and
paved his way. So I think that's the best advice to do is just be consistent, produce
a lot of work and all, do that stylistic nuances naturally, rise to the top and then you end
up creating a body of work that's recognizable. Stan: Who is your cartoon crush?
Eliza Ivanova: [chuckle] One Punch Man. Stan: One Punch Man.
Lucio Parrillo: So what I say to my students, usually, is studying the masters for real
into the museums because right now everybody is too used to watch stuff online. So, I see
many of my students going like this, this, this like swipe, right? And you can't see
a real painting from like from William Bouguereau or Caravaggio on internet. You have to be
there. Like you have to to be very close to the painting and see the brush strokes, the
canvas, smell the museum. Go to the museum, stay there hours, go back drawing, copy the
masters and absorb everything from them. And then add with the modern and mixing it together.
So, this is what I try to do. Stan: What superpower would be good for
an artist? Lucio Parrillo: For an artist?
Stan: Yeah. Lucio Parrillo: For me, I think would be great
like traveling back into the time. And going to the atelier Bouguereau and look at him
and steal his brush and pick up the colors, steal an original art and bring here.
Stan: Right. Perfect.
[Music]
Stan: General advice from new artists. Brand new are just trying to get started.
Philip Tan: If you're just talking about comic books, instead of just trying to knock on
the big publishers door and try to break in, and you should not stop doing that, but you
have to do your own thing, you know. Do create your own products. Maybe you don't have the
the big outlet like you know the big publishers to print your book out there but, like I said,
social media. You can put it online for free. And, you know, it doesn't cost people I think
so. Now it comes down to you on how hard you are going to work and how hard you are going
to - how often you are going to put it out there.
Vanessa Lemen: Stay true to your own vision. Continue to do it even when you have the other
work that you are doing. Just don't lose sight of that. Don't lose sight of that vision.
Never compromise what you stand for. Colin Lawler: If people aren't expecting you
to produce something of a specific style, keep experimenting. And even then, every project
you get is the opportunity to experiment even further. And that's the best way to grow as
an artist. It's like constantly experiment. There is a lot of people that I'll talk to
that have been doing the same like pencil and ink on paper and then like sending it
off to a colorist. But then there's some people like Bill Sienkiewicz is a great example of
somebody that just keeps getting weird. He just buys random pens from the store and is
like, "I don't know. I think I'm going to use this today." But then he'll jump on the
computer and start coloring stuff that way you know. Yeah, it's all about the experimentation.
Bobby Chiu: General advice for new artists is, really keep that love of art close because
that is really like the gasoline that will get you or hybrid electricity kind of car
that will get you to your destination. That's the fuel. That's the fuel is the love of art.
If you are on a bad project and you don't like it anymore, it can drag on and on and
on. And then great projects the days just go by super quick and you get better at the
same time. Stan: What animated world would you want
to live in? Bobby Chiu: First one that came to mind is
Gummy Bears. [chuckle] I don't know why but like I definitely - that would be kind of
cool. You drink some gummiberry juice and then you just like jump off a cliff and then
bounce around and. Stan: That's cool.
Bobby Chiu: Yeah. Stan: Nice. Thank you very much.
Bobby Chiu: You are welcome.
Stan: Alright guys, thanks for watching.
I hope all you new artists out there found this advice useful. We are only halfway through
Season 2 of asking pros. So, you still got four more videos to look forward to. See you guys next time.