Episode Recap Freelancing character designer Chris Ayers joins me to share his amazing story of cancer recovery that led to his illustrated series, The Daily Zoo – An Animal A Day to Keep the Doctor at Bay. Plus, he shares important tips for illustrators and designers about networking, sharing your portfolio, and exhibiting. Throughout the show we frequently mention the CTN animation expo that you can learn more about here.

Chris’ Amazing Story After five successful year of living in California pursuing a career in the entertainment industry, Chris was diagnosed with AML – cancer. Upon recovery Chris was ready to get back to normal life. That’s when he started the Daily Zoo – an animal a day to keep the doctor at bay. Since then he has been going strong for 11 years!

Publishing The Daily Zoo Chris went on to publish The Daily Zoo drawings with Design Studio Press in Los Angeles where he was able to reach an even wider audience and inspire many who have gone through cancer as well.

Choosing “Art of” vs “Design” I ask Chris to explain what he believes are the nuances between calling yourself a designer versus an artist. Although he agrees there is a lot of overlap between the two, he wanted people to perceive his work as being intentional and thoughtful; adjectives usually associated with design.

How do you keep a consistent style across mediums? Chris like many artists and designers doesn’t see the cohesiveness of his style as much as others on the outside. He believes even though he has many inspirations, all the drawings are coming from the same mind and that itself brings a level of cohesiveness.

Important tips from Chris: * The main thing Chris says character designers should keep in mind is creating appeal that is appropriate to the type of character you are designing. * “There are no shortcuts… draw, draw, draw… paint, paint, paint… sculpt, sculpt, sculpt”

Keeping work Fresh Chris likes to keep his ideas fresh by working on several projects at a time. That was a relief for me to hear because I also love to work on several projects at a time and I thought perhaps I was distracting myself from main goals too much.

Ultimately, Chris shares that when working for a client, designers are meant to serve them and keep their ideas in mind, even when the project is getting dry or going in a direction they don’t like.

“Have you ever hated your work?” I received this question from Jeanne Bowman.

Chris says he has hated his work at times but through persistence and perseverance, and possibly just taking time to take a break, he can usually overcome that feeling.

How important is a website for an artist? Websites are billboards to most artists and designers. To some, it is the only way they market themselves. I ask Chris if he has seen any increase in traffic to his website since his latest redesign – thinking this may have been the reason for the redesign in the first place.

Chris explains he was transitioning from a website he had previously built with Dreamweaver to using WIX.com. This makes updating the website easier, probably a 1000x easier in my personal experience due to their use of template builders.

Networking For Introverts Networking is a big deal when you are looking for new opportunities in any field. Chris says it’s important for natural introverts to take workshops they provide in school seriously so you can slowly break down your fears.

Once in his first job, Chris did most of his networking internally.

When displaying your portfolio at a networking event, make sure your portfolio matches the company you are applying for. It’s best to research the company you would like to apply for before meeting them so you can present them with just cause why you might be a good fit for them artistically as well as relationally.

Chris’ Character Design Portfolio Tips * Show your best work * Include a variety of work but not for the sake of variety * Follow your heart – don’t include work you know for a fact you wouldn’t like to do

What should potential or first-time exhibitors know? 1. Be an attendee first to see what types of art and goods are being sold 2. Scout for the best exhibit for you 3. Be ok with frustration, it takes time to find a method to exhibiting 4. You will learn what needs to be tweaked with each exhibit 5. It’s good to share a booth with a friend or have a family member help you out so that you aren’t tied to the booth the entire show

What if my artwork doesn’t fit the exhibit? It depends on show-to-show. It could flop, it could succeed. CTNx specifically focuses on animation but the animation world offers a variety of ways you could show off your skills. It’s always good to stand out a little bit in any case.

If I don’t live near LA should I relocate for work? I received this question from Manny Tamarez.

The east coast has options for work at studios like Blue Sky, advertising agencies and other entertainment companies. If you specifically want to work in character design that can be trickier, because it is a very niche field. In that case, you might want to start out in LA.

Episode by Creative Market – the best place for design resources online