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Paper Wings + Oatley Academy at Denver Comic Con!

by Chris Oatley

Goliath from Disney's Gargoyles Denver Comic Con is just a week away and I couldn’t be more excited!

This year, I’ll be joined by my Painting Drama students Allyson Kelley, AJ Nazzaro and Shawna JC Tenney at The Oatley Academy Booth I-10 in Artists’ Alley!

You’ll also be able to meet your fellow Wingerz AJ Young (a.k.a. “Stewped”) and Robin Dempsey of Leylines (who also happen to be Painting Drama students). They have tables right next to mine!

It’s gonna be one huge, Paper Wings/ Oatley Academy love fest and I can’t fracking wait.

But it gets even better.

Read on to hear about the interview panel I’ll be hosting and my LIVE Digital Painting Demo!

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FREE Story Class With ‘Invisible Ink’ Author Brian McDonald!

by Chris Oatley

Story-mentor-to-the-Wingerz, Brian McDonald is teaching a FREE story class at The Writer’s Store in Burbank!

The class is THIS SATURDAY, April 27th from 2-4pm.

Justin Copeland and I will both be there. …WITH our wings on.

If you see us, be sure to say ‘hi.’

You have to register for Brian’s story class in advance.

Seating is limited so HURRY.

Click here to get your FREE tickets on The Writer’s Store website.

*Although I can’t promise anything but I will *definitely* try to record Brian’s lecture. …and I’ll post it here in whole or in part if it’s okay with Brian and the good folks at The Writer’s Store.

If you’d like to hear about what Brian’s been up to this past year, check out this recent interview he did with Adelaide Screenwriter.

Interview With Ryan Woodward, Creator Of ‘Bottom Of The Ninth’ (Part 2) :: PWP #25

by Chris Oatley

This is part two of our interview with Ryan Woodward, animator, story artist and creator of the groundbreaking iPad comic, ‘Bottom Of The Ninth.’

Click here for part one.

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Interview With Ryan Woodward, Creator Of ‘Bottom Of The Ninth’ (Part 1) :: PWP #24

by Chris Oatley

“I’ve always been kind of an opportunist. You have to be when you’re an artist.”
-Ryan Woodward

Ryan Woodward makes his living working as a story board artist on some of the coolest movies of our time (including Whedon’s Avengers and a couple of Spider-man films) while producing personal projects like his tear-jerking animated short Thought Of You which express and indulge his creative passions and inspire people all over the world.

Most recently, his visionary effort Bottom Of The Ninth gave the field of digital comics a big kick in the pants. Furthermore, Ryan loves his wife and kids and he is highly respected among his peers and fans.

In many ways, Ryan is an ideal Winger.

Click here to read on and listen to the interview…

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‘Ink Spots’ by Brian McDonald Now Available!

You don’t have to listen to The Paper Wings Podcast for very long before you realize that storytelling guru Brian McDonald is one of our greatest heroes. He just released a new book called Ink Spots - a compilation of essays from his ‘Invisible Ink’ Blog. It is just as inspiring and challenging as his first two books on storytelling: Invisible Ink and The Golden [...]

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Comic Tragedies, Part 1: The Exposure Myth

If you’re anything like me, you take work with you to bed and it leads to restless nights. “I need to add that link to my sidebar,” “I never wrote that client back,” “I’ll never finish this page in time for my flight,” and, “If I just worked harder, accomplished more like so-and-so, my comic [...]

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Top 5 Comics Portfolio Pitfalls

Chris and I just got back from CNTx and that means we looked at a lot of portfolios. So it seemed like the perfect time to review our Top 5 Comic Portfolio Pitfalls! PITFALL #1: Asking “Am I Ready?” People regularly come up to me at conventions, ask me to look at their work and [...]

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Interview With Marvel Studios Storyboard Artist Justin Copeland: PWP #23

“You’re not a professional because somebody pays you to draw. You have to turn your mind toward professionalism.” In this episode, we interview one of Chris’ best buddies in the industry – Justin Copeland – storyboard artist for Marvel Studios. Justin is working on the new Avengers cartoon for Disney XD. He tells us the [...]

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Is Fan Art Illegal?

If you’ve ever been to an Artist’s Alley at a comic convention, the thought, “Can this be legal?” has surely jumped into your head. Easily half the artists exhibiting at any mainstream Comic Con or Anime Show make and sell fan art. And by “fan art” I mean merchandise featuring characters the artist does not [...]

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How to Attract a Mentor (Part 2)

The further along we get in our careers, the more lost we can feel. Getting started was easy—everyone talks about secrets for breaking in. But staying on top, staying in the forefront of employers’ and readers’ minds can be more and more difficult once the shiny newness wears off. At these pivotal crossroads we need [...]

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How to Attract a Mentor (Part 1)

When you’re at a convention, every minute behind your table counts. People want to meet the creator. They prefer to buy from them, and love to have the creators sign their books. So if you aren’t there, a potential customer will often leave without buying. Despite knowing this, why did I leave my booth for [...]

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What Are YOU Up To, Wingerz?

During our time off, several of you asked that we keep the community active by giving you a place to share what you’ve been working on, thinking about, struggling with, excited about… So here we go! Leave a comment and share any of the above. Links to your work and blogs are welcome!

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