My name is Chris and I am a Career Advisor for Artists and Designers.

Follow my Instagram for more great content!

https://www.instagram.com/perspectivepathways/

If you would like to work with me on your own Creative Career goals and
would like more information feel free to email me at
perspectivepathway@gmail.com​. Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn
as well at: ​https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-hurley-6655762b/

9/11/20 - Lightbox Expo

9:00AM Going Independent: Making a Living off of Personal Art

Presenter(s): Djamila Knopf in collaboration with Chantal Horeis, Kim Myatt and Lorena Lammer
● You have to manage the content creation and it is a massive part of your job.
● Your passion projects become your income. The relationship you have with your
personal work can change. Keep the thing that really drives you in there. Keep the fun
too.
● Paying attention to your health and wellbeing.
● I dedicate one day a week to complete admin work
● Understand when you work best.
● It’s important not to disappear for ages.
● There has to be a balance between input and output.
● I enjoy watching other people paint. It really gets me going.
● When I doubt myself, I get off social media immediately and then I sit with it. Most of the
time I avoid art for a couple of days. Or start something completely new. I get in tune
with my emotions and understand how and why I feel the way I do.
● Only go with trends if it is something you like.
● Rather than responding to trolls, respond to people who have given you compliments.
● Try to be authentic on social media.
● Being Boss Podcast - ​https://beingboss.club/
● Consider all of the hidden costs of a project before getting it started. Price after the fact.

11:00AM Our Journey into Feature Storyboarding

Presenter(s): Esteban Bravo, Steph (Stephanie) Waldo , (Lukas Kontillis + Mindy Beradini -
Recruiter)
● There are so many subsections of animation that people dedicate their entire careers to.
● I liked the concept of assignments more than the assignment itself.
 ● http://radhowtoschool.com/
● It’s about being at the right place at the right time when you are ready.
● I went to CalArts without the intention of graduating since I already had a degree.
● Going to industry lectures is really important.
● I felt like there were no egos in the studio.
● Everyone was so welcoming and so kind but I still felt very stressed when I started.
● I don’t think you truly get rid of imposter syndrome.
● Let other studios decide you are not ready.
● People underestimate the power of showing growth. That ability to grow can speak
volumes of your character and who you are.
● What was it like working on your first feature film?
○ I didn’t draw my senior year. So it felt like I was getting back into it.
○ Drawing shorthands was counterintuitive to my brain.
● I usually think of the visuals more than the dialogue.
● It was hard to understand what the director is trying to do. It is good to understand
someone’s vision and bring that to light. A lot of ideas I have pitched have grown into
their own life.
● Understanding what the character is going through A to B. Everything is about the
character and how it changes.
● Turn sheets are fundamentals. Focus on your fundamentals.
● Make sure you have a story to tell if you are going to be a storyboard artist. Live your life
to create stories.
● You need to put the work in and show you are invested in the director. You will slowly
build a trust back and forth.
● Just approach people who you like for mentorship.
● You have to make yourself ready for a mentor as well.
● Let other people make the decision for you

12:00PM Shop Talk I: Surviving and Thriving as a Creative

Presenter(s): Kristine and Colin Poole, Allen Williams, Howard Lyon, Stephanie Law, Mark
Newman, Audrey Benjaminsen
● Because arts are devalued in society which has lead me to imposter syndrome

1:00PM INCREASING DIVERSITY IN CREATIVE SPACES

PRESENTERS: ESTHER WU, LAUREN BROWN, MIA ARAUJO, BRIE HENDERSON, ERIC
WILKERSON
● The more I work, the more specific my work becomes.
● Beyond independent teams, no one is asking for you to put people of color in your art.
This can really mess with someone if you are not willing to tailor or bend your work into
the professional work you can do.
● Publishers are not looking for people of color.
● People have to see you doing it in your personal work and they will approach you.
 ● I am bothered that I keep seeing people have diverse talks who are not diverse. Include
more diverse people even if they have not done a lot.
● One of the challenges is standing up for myself and finding my own voice to ensure I
was respected and heard.
● Being burned by people who I thought had my back. Especially someone from my own
community.
● This industry has an issue with picking and choosing when it wants to hear and see
black folks.
● I had to make a decision if this was a genre I wanted to pursue because I don’t know if I
will get work based on what I want to make “What should I not be painting?”. That is
what I had thought about when making work.
● I was aiming my portfolio at the wrong art directors. Younger age groups I found more
success.
● Things are changing now. People want more diversity now. We have a long way to go.
There is definitely a white bias.
● I appreciate all the support that has come from this but our lives are not a trend.
● You can’t just be good enough as a black artist. You have to be amazing all the time.
● Don’t add diversity into your work because you think it is something that people want to
see. Make it authentic.
● Make space for the people who can’t get their voices heard.
● Things take time. We are in an industry that is slow. Use the time wisely when people
are looking at your portfolio wisely.
● Stop looking in the exact same places for talent. Stop asking your friends the same exact
questions.
● If you are passionate about it, do it. Have a backup plan if needed. Build a community.
● If you do not have balance and stability in your life in order to create.
● You need to investigate where the funding is coming from.
● Be good at more than one thing. Diversify your skillset.
● Be open to change and be open to being a better person.

2:00PM CREATING THE ILLUSTRATED NOVEL

PRESENTERS: ARMAND BALTAZAR, IAIN MCCAIG, GREG MANCHESS, VICTORIA YING,
MIA ARAUJO, JOHN PICACIO
● The creative process is a living growing thing that changes and evolves with you.
● Creating project deadlines and processes.
● Different parts of the process require different environments and investments. For
example when I am writing, I cannot listen to music.
● If you do not like doing specific things like self publishing and marketing than you have to
hand it over to someone else. If you want 100% of the profit, you must do 100% of the
work.
● Never get tired of your story and be ready to pitch it all the time.
● The very first pitch didn’t work.
8 YEARS OF FREELANCE Q&A
Presenter(s): Nicholas Kole
● I got to really stretch my legs and try a lot of different things in my first gig.
● Take the leap and ask someone to take a look at your work.
● 2020 has been really bad but it gave me the opportunity to re-evaluate what I was doing
and pivot to something else.
● If you embrace the chaos in this whole thing it will help. Moving from controlled chaos to
one another.
● I never want to put my eggs in one basket again. Hope it holds together.
● You are going to feel burnt out and exhausted. The way I coped with it was I minimized
everything around me.
● You want to get those meaty contracts that pay a lot more. But you will also fill your time
with smaller items.
● Finding smaller gigs is not as direct or 1:1 as you would hope. I approach it as a shotgun
approach.
● Find ways to put work out quickly and easily. Having an easy way to get back to you is
really key.
● LinkedIn is a really great tool specifically for connecting with recruiters.
● Announcing your search. There can be no cringe for you if you intend to be a freelancer.
● Your ego has to die. You have to be really open. You have to be open to the possibility
of failure.
● When you are determining a freelance rate you are not just determining an annual
salary. You have to consider hidden costs like taxes. Freelancers should plan to set
aside 30% of everything you own. I set up a second savings account that is just for taxes
that automatically goes in.
● Deduct your art books, equipment, and materials.
● You are paying for your own healthcare if you live in the United States.
● Feast and famine. What do you do when you do not have consistent work?
● Stability comes from your ability to control things and that helps a lot.
● Participate in #s and see if you are willing to work remotely.
● I have been exclusively doing this work on Pro-Create on my Ipad.
● Creating a schedule for yourself is really important.
● It is possible to achieve freelance without going to school? Yes but there are real
benefits in going to school.
● With freelance you get to decide when you get a raise. It is a bit of haggling with the
world. The only thing stopping you is you and what the market can bare or value you as.
You gain experience job after job. Up your price a little bit. When the demand is
exceeding the amount you can take on that is when you can raise your prices.
● Talk like it and run yourself like a business. Move a little to the side on social media.
● Be good at three things. Be great at one thing.
● Be kind and consistent.
 ● Fan art is a great way to cultivate an audience.
● I don’t really time manage any more. It is really about milestones. Am I hitting my
milestones. 12 hour days are rare and I decide if I need them.
● As you work and go you will develop a radar for red flags. I really watch out how people
present themselves in email and in person. Are they professional. Do they gush too
much. Unfortunately a lot of that is learning through experience. That is also what the
community is for to run things by people with more experience with me.
● I do not sign contracts with non-compete. I also do not sign that they will own my
intellectual property if I make something while working there.
● I walked from the White House under Obama for freelance because it wasn’t paid.
● Highest daily rate is $600/day
● Be cautious of revision creep.

9/12/20 - Lightbox Expo

PITCH JAM!
PRESENTERS: ROB HOEGEE, ADAM JEFFCOAT, JIM BRYSON
● It’s important to know your audience
● You want the character to be young enough to be relatable, but they also need to have
some agency and fit in the scenario they are in.
● Relatability doesn’t need to be the same age as your audience.
● Relatability as well as aspirational. The struggle is balancing the two.
● How do you know it’s a good idea?
○ Are you passionate about it? If yes, explore it.
○ How do you know if you can sell it is the next question to explore.
■ Explore what is on the air right now.
■ If there is something on the air that is similar right now either existing or in
development it will be harder to sell.
● Get plugged into the industry. Read ​https://www.animationmagazine.net/​ and
https://kidscreen.com/
● Get access to a general meeting and what they are looking for.
● Track all the things that excite you about your bitch, but remember that it is not what is
always going to get the buyer excited.
● If all you talk about is the back story, you have put the nail in the coffin. Wait for the “tell
me more” to explore the backstory.
● Best stories have conflict. Conflict isn’t fighting necessarily. Moreso having the
characters play off one another.
● You have to have enough to get people excited but you also need to be flexible enough
to make adjustments to your pitch by the people who are selling it. This can be
frustrating and it feels like it is not your show. Once it has been bought it no longer
 becomes your show. You have to get used to the idea that some things are going to
change because you will have other creatives working on the show.
● The more fleshed out the pitch is, the more unique it will be.
● I treat a pitch not to go in to sell a show but to have a conversation. Breaking the ice is
part of it.
● Executives buying shows, especially in animation are really good at putting you at ease.
They are really good at driving the conversation.
● Demonstrate why I am excited about it. Putting context with the show.
● Bring people on a journey.
● Think back on when you come up with the idea and what makes you love that idea so
much. That is your way into the pitch.
● Increasingly there is less of a consumer angle because kids are buying less toys.
● The new thing is quality of content. This is awesome!
● Setting out to come up with something specifically unique is not a good way to start.
Starting with a clique and keep pushing it until it becomes unique.
● Animation is a business and businesses operate on a budget. What drains a budget the
most is locations. Limit the amount of sets you have in your show. Having a location or
locations where a majority of the action takes place can help with that. Need to be able
to balance this if your story is exploring the globe.
● Every show needs to have conflict. Conflict can come from situations and the villian.
● When you have your characters all fleshed you find that story just comes to you.
● If you put together a really great presentation but not good at pitching it can maybe be a
better strategy to allow them to review it themselves.
● When you are pitching a show, you are pitching yourself. That is really hard to convey
when you are not doing it yourself.
● Every show I have sold has been a pitch document with words on a page. No art existed
at the time of the pitch. Art does help though.
● When I am doing a written pitch it is 2 pages of text maximum. If there is art it is maybe 4
pages maximum. Key art in the front.
● Remember you are selling an animated series so your sketches need to have life and
movement to them.
● Discuss your characters, world, and sample stories. Any more than that and I think you
have over-thought it. You need to have room for development. Development is the word
you will learn to hate.
● The sad reality is you will be lucky to be part of the show you have created unless you
are a bonafide showrunner.
● Animation is such a hughley collaborative job but it does help to have one person’s
vision.
● There is a benefit to having some distance from the show.
● Eventually you sell a show and it becomes a hit and more and more people will get
interested in you and it will snowball into other opportunities.
● What happens when someone picks up your show: They will provide an option which is
a small amount of money and they hold the rights to develop the show. It will wait for the
 ● Things you typically get - a royalty for each episode, credit, producer credit if you are
lucky.
● Recommend finding a lawyer who is willing to consult your contract. If you do not have
an agent or manager it is essential to get a lawyer to negotiate the sales contract.
● If you are an in house board artist you have a better chance to get your show pitched.
● How do you get an opportunity to pitch? Having an agent or a manager can really help.
● More shows are based on pre-existing materials compared to original content.
● Never go into a pitch with just one idea. You are going to be asked, what else do you
got? Even if it is only one sentence.
● When a pitch fails, try to turn it into a general meeting. Ask what are you looking for and
what are some of the holes in your slate.
● Remember you are not just selling your show, you are selling you. Prove to them that
they want to work with you even if this pitch doesn’t work. That first pitch has the goal to
be invited back to pitch again. Or even give you a job on something else.
● https://www.mipcom.com/
● Don’t write a pilot script.

ENTERING THE GAME INDUSTRY, FROM EB GAMES, TESTER, TO FULL TIME

CONCEPT ARTIST
PRESENTERS: TRUDI CASTLE
● Q&A was my first experience with crunch. It was a huge learning experience in
teamwork.
● I learned a lot on how to create presentations.
● Degrees almost seem irrelevant but when you are moving countries it is so helpful. It
makes you more of a skilled worker for having it. It speeds up the imigration process.
● LinkedIn was my big thing. Requesting local developers especially. Simply going out for
coffee. Everyone was so friendly. This was great while I was building up my portfolio.
● Vancouver was extremely inspirational.
● https://www.eastsidegames.com/​ - Started my career in mobile games.
● Just getting to know people is extremely important. Now it is mostly done through social
media.
● You don’t necessarily start in your dream job. You are going to be asked to draw a lot of
random stuff.
● It feels good to tell your employer that you want to continue doing freelance. If they are
ok with that, great! If they are not you have to make a decision if you want to leave or
not.
● I started doing freelance work for indie games - ​https://www.thelongdark.com/
● I shared the artwork of games within the artist community.
● Meeting someone face to face really builds a connection.
● It’s ok to do a common trend but put your own spin onto it.
● You don’t follow people because it is a name.
 ● All I post on my social media is artwork and keep away from politics and drama. Future
employers will check to see how you are online.
● Teamwork and getting along with others has been extremely important. They start as
teamwork and now they are close friends.
● It’s more how you are treating people online. It reflects how it will be working with them in
the future.

SIMPLY FINANCES
Presenter(s): Tuna Bora, Claudia Yi Leon 
● There are basics you can learn on taxes but it can take a long time to know deep things. 
● Law is a constantly evolving thing. 
● Let’s talk about our rates because the more information we all have the better rates we will 
get. 
● If you are not a US citizen and you are living abroad you are not subject to US Tax. 
● If you are here for more than six months you are a “US Resident” for tax purposes only. 
● What is taxable? 
○ Income 
○ Royalties 
○ Assets (Selling stocks, rental income) 
● Gifts are not taxable but if I give more than $15,000/year the giver of the gift get’s taxed. 
● Taxe Types: Payroll, Income, FICA, Self Employment, Federal and State taxes.  
● When you are self employed you pay the whole Payroll tax 
● Federal and State Taxes are progressive taxes meaning they take  
● There is no minimum of what you have to report. Taxable income is from all sources 
received. It is asking if you want to  
● Contractor, Freelancer, Small Business owner all mean Freelance. W-2 you get taxes taken 
out. Without a W-2 you need to pay the taxes after the fact. 
● Even if you have not received a 1099 document from a company. However you are still 
expected to report it. The onus is on you to report it. 
● Tips are taxed. 
● You are entitled to legal rights as employees. However you cannot take any deductions. 
Contractors and Freelancers can but you do not have any employee rights. Freelancers are 
making a business to business service.  
● Negotiate your rate and overages before you start your gig in the contract phase. 
● Use language that some transaction has occurred “You have bought my time.” 
● Graphic’s guild to ethical guidelines - 
https://www.amazon.com/Graphic-Artists-Handbook-Pricing-Guidelines/dp/0932102166 
● Keep track of how much money you have made. There are too many people who have lost 
track of invoices that they have never gotten paid. 
● The consequences of not paying enough tax is a penalty and it is on an interest rate basis. 
● They are expecting you to make the same amount of money as last year. They have a pay as 
you go system. 
● That has always been your money when you are writing things off. You are entitled to it. You 
probably just have not finished the forms right. 
 ● Finding the deductions you are only taxed on your profit after your expenses. 
● You need to have an itemized list to actually write it off. The IRS loves administrative burden. 
Credit card statements do not count. You need to know who, what, where, when, and why. 
● Some of the stuff we write off will be fun stuff e.g. Netflix subscription and that is because 
they are reference and research materials. 
● Auto you have to track your business miles and your total miles. You divide the two to get the 
%. 
● Have the client take the deduction themselves. You should really try to have the client give 
you a reimbursement. 
● Don’t be afraid to have some administrative work to do. 
● If you are selling a physical object there is a sales tax which varies state to state. 
● Resource on sales tax: h ​ ttps://www.taxjar.com/ 
● Everything is negotiable and you are not the only person who has ever been late on a 
payment or defaulted on a loan. Even your medical bills. 
● GoFund Me’s are considered gifts which are not taxed. Do not exchange something for that 
gift because then it becomes income. GoFund Me will haec to send you a 1099K if your 
receive $20,000 or 200 gifts. 
● Patreon is income. 
● I suggest everyone take a business community law class. 
● Freelancers are the last people to get paid. You would get a threat of legal action. 
● If your friends are telling you that the company has real problems with getting paid. Listen to 
them. The only thing to do in this case is to take legal action. 
● All a tax shelter is to reduce your taxable income by a loss. 
● How do you keep track of invoices and stuff? 
○ I love Wave Apps - h ​ ttps://www.waveapps.com/ 

BREAKING INTO ANIMATION – INTERNSHIPS (Got to this one late from the last
session)
PRESENTERS: MARIA AZELLEA, JOCELYN NAVES, FLORA REES-ARREDONDO, ZAMIR
RAMIREZ
● Read and re-read your proofed materials.
● Cover letter and resume should be an example of you being hard working.
● Tailor your resume for the studio you are applying to. Fit in with their core values.
● Keep a resume to one page. People are spending a short amount of time looking at it.
● Use good typography skills to give their eyes to rest.
● Start applying before you think you are ready. Recruiters track people.
● Persistence can be a good thing. They like to see growth and progress.
● Go to events. They are a lot of work to organize and a great way to network. Especially if
they are events connected to your internship.
● Nickelodeon internship gave me a full breath of the entire pipeline.
● Face that rejection head on and keep on going.
● When someone gives you the greenlight to email you then go ahead and email them.
BREAKING INTO ANIMATION
PRESENTERS: CRAIG HARTIN, JASON SHWARTZ, AARON HAWKINS, ASHLEY LONG,
SIMON CHONG, BROOKE KEESLING, JOEL KUWAHARA
● I didn’t really know Flash at the time but I really faked it until I made it.
● I made short films which got picked up.
● Animation is just here to stay but when I graduated there was no work.
● I love connecting people and I became a recruiter.
● The internet is a wealth of information so keep teaching yourself new skills.
● What we can do better as an industry is recognizing and mentoring talented women.
● Be assertive and proactive especially if you are a woman because we have been
educated to not be those things by the culture.
● Having your email on your social media.
● As recruiters we really want to know what you want to do. If you do everything it makes it
a little overwhelming for us.
● It might be easier to get your foot in the door with props in comparison to Character.
● I have an open door policy so come in and say high.
● Make yourself findable.
● LinkedIn is a great place to list what you do.
● If you are in a program that makes you finish a film, make sure you finish that film so we
can see your personal vision.
● I look for talent who might want to pitch for us.
● Find out who makes the content you love and introduce yourself. Cold call people.
● Ask good questions (informational interviews). It is about cultivating the relationships.
● Social media you have to be careful with what you are doing and announce what you are
doing.
● These Zoom calls are one too many on the production side. What normally is a quick
question down the hall now it is now a scheduled event.
● Animation is pretty much holding up Hollywood right now. We didn’t miss a beat on how
quickly we have transitioned to remote work.
● Animation is a long game. A lot of students I meet have anxiety of getting their dream job
out of the gate. Give yourself time and keep working at it.
● I thought I would need to know everything in school but you learn a lot on the job.
● Don’t undervalue networking. It’s a small community. Keep those connections open and
keep building those bridges.
● Don’t be afraid to take chances. Just because it is big doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it.
● Surround yourself with smart people.
● Do personal projects. They are the one time you can make what you want. Once you get
into the industry you will then get direction.
● Everything is online now so you can network anywhere in the world.
FROM YOUR SKETCHBOOK TO A PUBLISHED PICTURE BOOK! (I was a little late to
this lecture from the last lecture)
Presenter(s): Michael Relth 
● An agent is a superhero in publishing.  
● I was lucky that they offered to represent me. 
● Agents offer to pitch your book to publishers. It is really hands off as the artist at that point. 
● Agents also help navigate the contract and share the process of the industry. From contract 
to print was 1.5 years. 
● Find a good editor.  
● Writing is rewriting. 
● You have to respect valid criticism especially when it comes from a good source but you 
can’t get lost in it. You have to hold onto your own vision. 
● Don’t violate any contracts in sharing your work ahead of time before the book is published. 
● Don’t get so caught up in the outcomes with expectations. Stay curious and enjoy the 
process. 
● Publishers do the marketing for the book and work on getting the book in libraries and 
schools.  
● Start following artists you like and be good humans to them. 
● Just continue having fun because that will encourage you to continue making art. 

NETFLIX ANIMATION’S ASK US ANYTHING: CG

Presenter(s): Jane Lee, Grazia Como, Michelle Duffie, Robin Linn, Sneha Shukla, Paulli Weeks
● I scour the internet everywhere for talent. It doesn’t sound like there is one platform or
another.
● Tiktok has been an interesting new platform for new talent. Following specific hashtags.
● Please have your contact information on your LinkedIn profile. It makes it so much easier
if you have your email address on your profile.
● Everywhere you can find artists on every platform. Keep your websites updated with
your recent work.
● Have a friend how long it takes to find you on google. If it takes more than three clicks
than you need to work on that.
● Have an updated resume
● Have your contact in your reel
● Be yourself. Don’t turn into a different person when you get a call.
● What are the things I am going to remember about this person. Don’t try to be someone
you think we are looking for. There is a level of professionalism required. You can’t
sustain the energy if you are not the person you are being with us as recruiters.
● Hone in on your personality with your work and your reel.
● Find out where a recruiter hangs out professionally. Do not be shy and reach out.
● Ask for advice not a job. Can we talk about where I am at and how I can move forward.
● I like it when people reach out to me when they are transparent with me. I can then find
where they
● Don’t be afraid to get creative because we are in a creative space. We will put in the
same effort in our reply as you put it in our application.
● Take away the template and outreachletters.
● Feel comfortable to continue to continue the relationship.
● Set expectations with a recruiter ahead of time as a candidate.
● When you have something new to show us then you can reach out to a recruiter. That is
the time to reach out.
● Don’t show us embargoed work. It tells us that you might do that to us.
● Find a good mentor that can help you along the way.
● Don’t be afraid to ask other artists to help you out.
● Making it really clear what is your work and what you did on a project.
● Take those notes and implement them and re-present the work to me so that it shows
you care. Do this early on in your career so it shows the mindset that you are willing to
make changes which is key to production.
● Join communities like groups in LinkedIn with your specific area.
● You do not have to necessarily propose a formal mentorship with your mentor. Having a
natural conversation with someone. There might be parts of your relationship that you
are mentoring them in.
● There are a lot of online resources and lean on your peer group for support. Specifically
with students. Build your network while you are in school. Your classmates will go on to
do amazing things.
● Someone is going to be the first person to land the job in the industry. When they do
that, do not be jealous. Be their best friend. Recruiters ask new talent for their own
network.
● Understanding the full production pipeline and how your work is handed off to a different
department is important. Good generalist knowledge but really hone your skills in your
area.
● Timeline is the biggest difference between features and series.
● I will try and reach out and build a report with someone if I see talent. We have a large
volume of applicants. Rarely does the door fully close. Don’t be a pessimist.
● We rarely say “no”, but we often say “not now.”
● When you have more work or when something is applicable.
● One of my pet-peeves is “shotgunning the jobs page” applying for so many jobs that
there is not connected.
● Do not wait until you have 100% of the skills to apply, especially women tend to sell
themselves short compared to men.
● Everyone needs to be patient. Do not take it to heart. There are just so many emails.
● Everyone put your content information on everything and credit every piece of work.
● This industry is about patience, timing, and not giving up.
● Don’t short change yourself. Put your best work on your reel. Understanding which each
different area is and curating your reel for those skill areas.
9/13/20 - Lightbox Expo

IDENTITY CRISIS: ART VS ARTIST

PRESENTERS: CARMEN SINEK
● If you just work, work, work, you will burn yourself out.
● Eventually it becomes a job.
● We have a deification of struggling. Missing sleep is a point of pride among students but
if you are exhausted you are not doing your best work. The science is there.
● Do not sacrifice your sleep. They are not going to be that productive. It is a trade off and
sleep should always win.
● Get out of your chair. Sitting all day causes issues with your physical body and mental
health.
● We have created an idea that doing nothing but drawing all day is not acceptable. This
needs to change.
● Getting outside is important.
● When your identity is wrapped up into an artist and you have a failure as an artist you
will feel like a failure. It is important to detach yourself from your work.
● You are the source of your work. The more you take care of yourself, the better work you
will do. Doing something is better than doing nothing.
● Use your passion as an artist to take care of yourself.
● Self doubt is something that plagues artists. Conferences are great but once you are
back in your house you start to reflect and the self doubt creeps in.
● My self doubt turned into negative emotions that were not productive to my art. It is
important to seek help like Therapy and Self Help. If you need medication there is
nothing to be ashamed of. You are using the resources that are available to you.
● No one can get you out of this space but you. (With support)
● Book recommendations:
○ https://www.amazon.com/Art-Spirit-Robert-Henri/dp/0465002633
○ https://www.amazon.com/Art-Fear-Observations-Rewards-Artmaking/dp/0961454
733
● Your love and passion for art has to be maintained and nourished just like your body
does.
● We consider minor things to be failures.
● It is ok to be anxious or nervous if you are cultivating an online presence. There is a
difference about caring about it and obsessing over it.
● Persistence and resilience are the keys to success.
● There are three forms of health, Physical, Mental, and Artist health.
● Don’t start out with self deprecation. “I know it’s not very good, but...“ A portfolio review is
there to tell you where you are at with your work. Let them do their job. Do not color any
opinion on what they think. You do not need to defend yourself. They are not attacking
you.
 ● Find hobbies that are outside of art. You can still stay in a creative field but have it be
very different.
● Take social media breaks. They are designed in a way to make it addictive.
● I have a sketchbook that is a no-social media sketchbook. Nothing I draw on there will
end up on social media. It eliminates the pressure of if this will get liked online.
● Sketchbooks are really meant for you. The end goal is not to have a fantastic drawing.
The primary point is to learn.
● We are told all that matters is our portfolio but that is not true. Your personality matters
too. You are interviewing to be part of a team. Cultivating yourself is extremely important.
● Create incremental changes to your schedule, habits, etc. Not drastic changes. You are
more likely to stick with those incremental changes and grow from there.
● Ask questions. They will most likely stop thinking about that at all.
● Let’s change the narrative of submitting your work for review. Let’s determine a strength
that they have the resilience to take the feedback and make the changes.

FINDING FAERY
Presenter(s): Iris Compiet
● I try to not fight my pieces. If something is not working. I will put it down and pick it up
later.
● In the end I want more than a beautiful picture. I want the piece to have a saol. When
that happens everything is working together.
● Creating makes me feel alive and helps me cope with everything that is going around us
particularly what we are doing to nature.
● I admire every artist no matter the tool (traditional or digital). You are the master of your
own tools.
● For highlights I try to keep the wite of the paper.
● Reference does not mean copying. Reference means learning from the piece. Taking
notes on composition and color. If you post your piece always credit the reference.
● Mentioned for references: ​https://www.deviantart.com/senshistock
● I love it when my pieces are open to interpretation. It allows the piece to have a life on
it’s own.
● I don’t take on every single job that is offered to me. I want to be ok with what the
company does. I have come to the point where I take the jobs that I know I am a good fit
for. If I do not want it I pass it along to a colleague.
● When I do my own stuff no one tells me what to do.
● Always credit the artist you are re-drawing. Let people know where it comes from. Mostly
I try to encourage everyone to do their own thing.
● https://www.schoolism.com/online-art-classes-workouts/faery-workout-with-iris-compiet
online class.
● The only thing I have to be is better than myself. My goal is to become a better artist with
every painting I paint. There will always be someone better.
 ● I am not afraid to show you my raw sketches or the things that don’t work. You shouldn’t
either. There is no reason to put out only the perfect version of your art.
● I am in my forties and I plan to be one hundred and twelve so I am in no rush to become
a great artist. I have the time. I am slowly climbing my mountain.
● The work found me. I was working a day job in 2016. On the side I was an artist. I didn’t
really find my voice. I was always trying to sound like what I saw. It just wasn’t me. I was
burnt out by the day job. I wasn’t having fun at the day job. I had fallen out of love with
art. I hated that feeling and it was my lowest. I wanted to go back to the feeling as a child
where I didn’t care what people thought of my art. I started doing daily sketches. The
only requirement was it had to be one sketch, start posting it, making up stories, and
people started enjoying the work. It is like training at a gym. After a month it becomes
easier the more you do it.
● I made it my priority to tell people my story of failing a lot and staying true to who I am as
an artist.
● You know the piece is finished by a feeling. I need to stay focused while I am painting. It
is a conversation between me as the artist and the piece. Sometimes there are
limitations like the paper not taking on any more paint.
● Sometimes I have to put the piece aside for a couple of days and revisit it.
● I got my art out through Instagram. I am not an algorithm wizard. I post when I want to
and when I have something cool to share.
● Every medium takes some time. The worst that can happen is you waste some paper
and paint.
● Try everything and have fun with it. The tools you are using are all done with personal
preferences so experiment with everything.

AVOIDING CAREER DEATH FOR OVER 50 YEARS

Presenter(s): Dean Yeagle
● When I was in the Navy in Vietnam I would draw my shipmates cards to their girlfriend in
exchange for them to do my work.
● Dimes saving bank of new york teaching compound interest.
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1669904376587394
● Designing characters for corporate clients is simple, cheap, and lucrative.
● They have to buy the copyright from you which again can be very lucrative.
● Gag cartoons are tough because they have to be interesting enough to stop the reader
on the image and the caption has to convey a story/joke all in one screen.
● It’s a good idea to work at a smaller industry first because you really get to do a lot of
different things and gain a lot of different experiences. Larger companies you will start
more as an apprentice. Not going to art school didn’t hurt me.
● The more you know about life in general the better off you are. It’s a good thing to go to
art school and learn to draw.
● When I started at Playboy I knew I needed to go back to learning figure drawing.
● Eventually you have to develop your own style.
 ● People in general do not know your name especially outside of the industry. When I go
to conventions now people recognize me.
● “When you fall asleep at your desk, don’t fall asleep on the peg bar because you have
holes on your forehead.”
● Vary your talents if you want to keep working. It is good to know.
● You have to learn what animates.
● There is a lot of world out there. Go out and explore it and find new things to draw.

THE ART OF BALANCE: KIDS & CAREER WITH WIA (WOMEN IN ANIMATION) |
PRESENTED BY CONCEPT ART ASSOCIATION
Presenters: Gina DeDomenico Flanagan (The Boys, Stargirl), Charlene LeScanff (Blizzard
Entertainment), Jisoo Kim (Cartoon Network Studios), Griselda Sastrawinata (Walt Disney
Animation / ArtCenter Alumn) and Carolina Tello Zeleski (Oculus)
● I took ten years off because it wouldn’t let me mother the way I wanted to.
● The chaos of the industry hours made it really hard for me to be a good parent and
employee.
● When I went back it was all digital. When I left I was on paper.
● Once I saw other people starting to have children that made me comfortable to have my
own.
● I wanted kids in my 20’s but I was so afraid of what my employer was going to think.
There was a real fear there.
● I actually demoted myself because it became clear that I wasn’t going to be the mom I
wanted to be. I was lucky I had an amazing company to hire me as a concept artist. It
was a break in a way. I am not back to an Art Director. You can always get back.
● Women are resourceful because we always make it work.
● I am lucky to have found a studio that supports family live and work life balance.
● Things for self care:
○ I have been going for runs with a podcast after my child goes to sleep. This helps
me feel better.
○ I go for drives. I also started training sessions over zoom. I used to go for a
manicure. It is important to carve out at least thirty minutes that are just for you
and not service to another human being.
○ Exercise is the best self care. Spa days help too.
○ It is self care but it is also care for your whole family too. Because if you get sick
you are not helping your family.
● You unfortunately sacrifice your sleep.
● Having children in school has been really challenging. Every week gets a little easier.
● We need to stop it is “only one”. It is all hard no matter the number. Motherhood is not a
competition. Everyone is trying to survive pre, during, and after COVID. Chill out and
stop judging every other mom out there.
● Having the one child is the hardest thing I have ever done. The level of sleep deprivation
I have endured as a parent is tougher than Art School.
 ● Once you have kids you have better management of your time. You are craving that
productivity because you want to get back to drawing. Studios should want to hire Moms
because they are so productive.
● Communicate what you need.
● Motherhood is actually not mostly about happiness. It is high highs and low lows. I use
drawing to take out my frustrations and process. So my work can display the sadness.
You do everything and give everything but it never feels enough.
● There is no shame asking for a break. If you have family close by, lean on them.
● COVID has limited our ability to reach out to ask for help.
● What can partners do to be supportive?
○ There are times when I just need you to take over. There were times I was
incapable of verbalizing what I need right now. Over communicate because my
head is not all there.
○ You need a break so you can be a better parent.
○ Having walks in the afternoon.
○ When he just grabs the baby and walks away that is the best.
● Final Advice
○ There was a ton of time to work. My ego wanted me to keep my foot in the game.
Someone told me to stop, there is a ton of time for you to work in your life. Your
child will only be young for so long.
○ If you are a mother in the industry be visible. I was looking for a community to
connect with. Get rid of the “Don’t speak about that.” Don’t be afraid to talk about
your motherhood. It is helpful to connect and find a community. This goes for any
underrepresented groups.
○ Speak up for yourself and do not be afraid to make demands. Men ask for stuff
all the time. Women tend to hold back.
● Will be uploaded on the concept art association youtube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFwORC8yGzaVXZ7vCROmb-Q

DISCOVER YOURSELF, DEVELOP YOUR STYLE

PRESENTERS: DANIELLE PIOLI - ​https://www.daniellepioli.com/
● “Style is not something you find but something you develop”
● You start to develop your style by finding yourself. We do not always consciously know
what we like and why we like it. We need more conscious time spent on ourselves.
● You find out your art style is in fact you.
● Developing your style:
○ 1. Study your references and influences. Observe the images and answer these
questions: Why do you like it? What is the thing that stands out the most? What
is one thing this artist does differently? How can I apply those things to my work?
○ 2. Study your favorite artists' references and influences. You can see their
similarities and how you could tell them apart. The goal is not to look exactly like
the reference and it can get you in trouble. When you are getting close to the
 reference it is good to add another element. It’s ok to copy if it is for study
purposes only. You are forced to use their lines, their shapes. It helps unlock a
new possibility because I am forced to use the lines my reference does. Answer
these questions: What is Similar? What is different? How is my favorite artist's
work unique compared to their influences? How can I apply that to my work?
“Influence Mapping”.
○ 3. Experiment. Experimenting is a big part of developing your style. Test new
mediums, materials, etc. There are no rules. Every experimental sketch you do is
a building block towards developing your style. Experiment with categories e.g.
Writing, Poetry, Collage, Music, Dance, Sculpture, etc. Not just how you like to
express yourself but what you like to express. Answer these questions: What
mediums would I like to try that I never [have]? What kinds of styles [have] I
never studied? What styles and mediums am I going to try next? After
experimenting with them, what did I like and how can I apply [lessons learned in
my experiments] to my own work?
○ 4. Draw what you know. Does not mean draw what you are comfortable with
drawing. What it means is drawing your own experiences that you are having.
Your experiences are unique to you. Be you, celebrate you in every piece. That is
what makes you stand out, not being another artist. Discovering you takes time
and reflection: Which experiences [have] I had that are unique? What stands
out? What message do I have to spread? My five favorite things in the world
are...
○ 5. Don’t be afraid of change. Your style will grow and evolve with you. If you feel
like you are getting bored, try something new. You are not a fixed thing. You are
a flexible, malleable, expanding thing. Don’t change just for trends and likes.
Change if it represents growth and if it adds what you had before. Keep
experimenting.
○ All of these elements make you a unique human being. Use that uniqueness to
tell your stories.