Don’t Just Make Comics. Elevate Comics.
Learn to make & monetize your creator-owned comics & graphic novels!
How do I make a living from my own ideas?
For most visual storytellers, and creative people of all kinds, this is the question of the century.
Led by by Disney character designer Chris Oatley and IDW comics creator Lora Innes, the Paper Wings Team is pursuing answers to this question by covering relevant topics such as:
- How to craft beautiful and engaging visual stories.
- How to get attention from big studios & publishers with an independent project.
- How to grow an audience through technology and social media.
- How to run a small, creative business legally and profitably.
- How to make the most of your limited time and energy.
Visual storytellers have unprecedented opportunities to connect directly to audience, to circumvent traditional distribution methods and to create high quality images on a budget.
The Paper Wings Community is here to help you reach new creative heights and experience unprecedented success with your own ideas!
PaperWingsPodcast.com updates at 12:01 am pacific time, EVERY Monday.
Subscribe To Our ‘Storytelling Tips’ Newsletter!
Meet The Hosts:
Chris Oatley:
Chris currently works as a Character Designer on the Planes franchise at Disney.
Along with IDW published creator Lora Innes, he co-hosts The Paper Wings Podcast to help visual storytellers make, market and monetize their creator-owned comics.
In 2010, Chris established the Paper Wings Apprenticeship Program to provide a personalized, in-depth art and story education to students without the financial debt and schedule restrictions of traditional art school models.
On his personal blog and podcast, Chris answers questions about Digital Painting and Character Design for Animation.
His site features an in-depth creative career guide: Concept Artist Jobs: How To Break In & Stay In.
ChrisOatley.com also features industry interviews, free Photoshop resources and Photoshop Tutorials.
Chris has contributed artistically to various animated films, television shows, video games and music videos for companies such as Disney, Universal, The Weinstein Company, Activision and Geffen Records.
Chris is also the creator of Greg The Megabeaver’s Prehistoric Sideshow a webcomic with animated and interactive elements. (The comic is currently on hiatus until 2013.)
He currently lives in Burbank, California with his wife Angie and their dachshund Sydney.
Follow Chris on Twitter: @ChrisOatley
Lora Innes:
Lora Innes has been a webcomic creator since 2007.
Her first solo publication, The Dreamer (IDW Publishing), is a graphic novel collection of her critically acclaimed historical webcomic. It has been nominated for three Harvey Awards and the Graphic Novel for Young Adults category in the Cybils Awards. The Dreamer won the 2009 S.P.A.C.E. Prize.
As a commercial illustrator, Lora worked at a studio for clients such as Mattel, Fisher Price, McGraw Hill, Scholastic and Simon & Schuster. There she discovered that working in an environment with other vibrant artists is the equivalent of taking artistic steroids. Through constant critique, instruction and encouragement, she saw more growth and refinement in that period than the entirety of her art school experience.
Lora is excited to watch Paper Wings grow into exactly that kind of community.
The Dreamer Volume 2 will be released in November 2011 from IDW Publishing. Lora is currently working on a graphic novel tie-in for TO APPOMATTOX, an 8-part television event slated for 2013.
Follow Lora on Twitter: @LoraInnes
Meet The Team:
Mike Innes:
Mike Innes has worked for design agencies in a variety of disciplines from print work to interactive design. He is currently a Senior Interactive Designer at Blue Diesel. While there, he’s lead creative on award winning projects, mentored younger designers, and been active in the community by giving talks at the Adobe Users Group and reviewing portfolios of local college students.
Mike Innes graduated from the Columbus College of Art and Design in 2001.
Follow Mike on Twitter: @Sojourn_78
Meet The Paper Wings Apprentices:
Zach Bosteel:
Zach is a lifelong writer, performer and comic aficionado. Three years ago he decided that his love of story-telling needed a visual outlet and he began to pursue comics. He is co-creator of the ongoing comic series Steel City Serenade, creator of the comic Thoroughbred, and creator of the upcoming graphic novel, Kingdom Out of Time.
You can find his comics, his artwork and his ideas on his site.
Follow Zach on Twitter: @ZachBosteel
Matthew Scheuerman:
Matthew Scheuerman is a matte painter and concept artist with a focus on environments.
After working in the web industry for over 8 years, Matthew decided to make drastic changes in his life and follow his dreams of becoming an artist working in films and video games. Matthew received his start when he provided his matte painting skills on The Hunting of the Snark.
Matthew shares his ideas, concepts, and thoughts on matte painting and concept art on his blog, and you can see his portfolio at http://www.mordecaidesign.com
Follow Matthew on Twitter: @Mordecaidesign
Sarah Winifred Searle:
With a background in fine arts and new media, Sarah’s passion is exploring storytelling and blending mediums to create a truly immersive experience. She’s currently working on her first full-length graphic novel (posted as a webcomic) as Writer-in-Residence at the Boston Public Library and developing concepts for a transmedia project.
Sarah’s portfolio and blog can be found at her website.
Follow Sarah on Twitter: @Swinsea
Meg Syverud:
Meg is a Graphic Design graduate from James Madison University in Virginia with a passion for comic books and drawing.
She currently resides in Columbus, Ohio. At the moment she’s working on her portfolio and online comic project One Question, which was first printed in June.
More of Meg’s work can be found at her portfolio site.
Follow Meg on Twitter: @CheekoMAS
Margaret Hardy:
Margaret Hardy is freelance illustrator and recent art school graduate.
After moving to Los Angeles with some classmates and friends, she is preparing to break into the entertainment industry as a painter and visual development artist.
You can access her portfolio and blog at www.meghardyart.com.
Follow Margaret on Twitter: @Megadubitably
Michelle Kondrich (current):
In her three years as a freelance illustrator, her editorial work has appeared in a variety of national magazines and advertising campaigns. She has illustrated a children’s book (Fly Danny, Fly) as well as created two comics for anthologies published through the Illopond collective.
You can see Michelle’s unique illustration and follow her blog at www.michellekondrich.com
Follow Michelle on Twitter: @MissIllustrator
Paul Cox:
Paul resides in Wiscionsin, and is currently working as a freelance illustrator. His freelance work consists of comic strips, comic books, business mascots, Posters, and game artwork. When not working on freelance jobs, he can be found brainstorming ideas for future comics, webcomics, and graphic novels.
You can find his work at www.studio30seven.com
Follow Paul on Twitter: @_paulcox_
Alan Evan (current):
Alan Evans is the creator/artist of the #1 wrestling webcomic, Rival Angels. In addition, he’s done flatting work for Hi-Fi Color Design, Digital Webbing and The Dreamer. He LOVES drawing backgrounds, likes riding his bike and is also a fan of characters with the name, “Alan.”
Follow Alan on Twitter: @albonia
