The Artist’s Journey with Iain McCaig & Karla Ortiz: Do I Have What It Takes?
Time
Fri, Apr 8, 2022
11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Location/Platform
Live stream (Twitch, YouTube, Facebook)
Join us on Friday, April 8th for the next installment of “The Artist’s Journey!” This livestream series focuses on some of the commonly asked questions from aspiring artists. From how to stay inspired to the types of skills studios are looking for, the topics in this series aim to challenge the everyday barriers artists face and provide valuable insight from industry professionals working in the field.
We are thrilled to welcome Iain McCaig and Karla Ortiz to the series as we discuss constructive ways artists can approach the question “Do I have what it takes to be an industry artist?” Iain and Karla are prolific designers, illustrators, and storytellers who have worked on some of the most iconic projects including Star Wars concept art for Queen Amidala and Darth Maul (Iain McCaig) and Marvel’s Doctor Strange (Karla Ortiz)!
During the interview, our host, Adam Hartel, will be speaking with Iain and Karla about their unique artistic journeys and how beginning artists can tackle questions of self-doubt: Am I too old to begin a career in digital art? How do I deal with imposter syndrome? Can every art skill truly be taught? Plus, viewers will be able to ask our guest artists questions directly in the chat!
Be sure to subscribe to our Twitch and YouTube channels to get a notification when we go live on Friday, April 8th at 11 am PDT.
Events with closed captioning are available via Gnomon's Facebook Page.
Gnomon's full-time programs and 10-week individual courses are designed to develop well-rounded artists that are skilled in the diverse disciplines within 3D production. For those that reside outside of the US, virtual classroom-style online courses are also available.
Guest Speakers
Iain McCaig
Artist, Writer, Filmmaker
Iain McCaig divides his energies between a lifelong love of storytelling and a passionate belief that everyone in the world can learn to draw.
As of 2021, McCaig has worked for 41 years in the entertainment industry. Many of his creations have become pop-culture icons, like his cover for Jethro Tull’s ‘Broadsword and the Beast’ or his Star Wars designs for Queen Amidala and Darth Maul. He has created art for games, from LucasArts ’The Secret of Monkey Island’ to Respawn’s ’Titanfall’, and for many films, among them ’Terminator 2’, ‘Interview With The Vampire’, ‘Bram Stoker’s Dracula’, ‘Hook’, ‘Peter Pan’, ‘Charlotte’s Web’, ‘Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire’, ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’, ’The Avengers’, ‘Avengers: Infinity War’, ‘Avengers: Endgame’, Disney’s live-action ’The Jungle Book’, and the ongoing 'Star Wars' movies, as well as designs for the 'Star Wars: The High Republic’ graphic novels, and ’Star War: Galaxy’s Edge’ theme parks.
In his spare time, McCaig writes, produces and directs, and wanders the land encouraging people to draw and tell stories. In 2008, Palace Press published ’Shadowline: The Art of Iain McCaig’, a combination of 28 years of McCaig’s commercial and private artwork, a mini-course in how-to-draw, and a fictionalized expose of his creative process.
In May 2008, Spectrum Fantastic Art gave McCaig their GRAND MASTER Award, and in September 2021, the Concept Art Association honored him with a LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT award.
Karla Ortiz
Artist
Karla Ortiz is a Puerto Rican, internationally recognized, award-winning artist. With her exceptional design sense, realistic renders, and character-driven narratives, Karla has contributed to many big-budget projects, including Jurassic World, World of Warcraft, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Marvel's Thor Ragnarok, Black Panther, Infinity Wars, Loki, Eternals, and most notably her design of Doctor Strange for Marvel's Doctor Strange. Karla's work is also recognized in the fine art world, showcasing her figurative and mysterious art in notable galleries, such as Spoke Art and Hashimoto Contemporary in San Francisco, Nucleus Gallery, Thinkspace, Maxwell Alexander Gallery in LA, and Galerie Arludik in Paris. She currently lives in San Francisco with her cat, Bady.