The Breakthrough Creative: Recent Episodes
John McDavitt
The Breakthrough Creative with host John McDavitt is for the Creative Entrepreneur as we look behind the scenes at the ‘business of art’ and the ‘art of business!’
It's been a little while since I've released an episode but I am back to reintroduce myself and this show and to give you some thoughts on:
- The Importance of Vacation
- The Perspective it Brings
- Some thoughts on artists and how to respond to the new world of Artificial Intelligence
Andy Pinder is an amazing muralist. After leaving Art College, Andy began working in London as a Visualiser, Designer and Art Director, before relocating to Kent. Having spent many years creating illustrations and storyboards for film and television, painting wall murals became a natural development through which Andy could channel his creative and artistic skills. Naturally, this working method was, far, far away from the world of computers. However, Andy does still generate most of his mural designs using modern technology, before painting a Kids Art Mural.
You can follow Andy online at: https://www.instagram.com/kids_art_murals/
https://www.facebook.com/kidsartmurals/
Please follow to The Breakthrough Creative and share with the artists in your life.
You can email John@thebreakthroughcreative.com with any comments, guest suggestions or questions.
Pete Marin is the owner of Airbrush Events, revolutionizing private event entertainment through airbrushed party favors, providing take-home gifts and party entertainment activity, all in one!
Pete’s story begins in Maine where he first encountered airbrushed T-shirts at his local mall. He pursued that aspect of airbrushing for much of his career and eventually ran his own retail venture.
Over the past 10 years, Pete has niched down to events and entertainment making “Airbrush Events the perfect entertainment solution for any occasion”.
Learn more about Pete and Airbrush Events at:
Website: http://www.airbrushevents.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/airbrushevents/?hl=en
Links: https://linktr.ee/AirbrushEvents
Links to the episodes Pete and I mentioned in his interview:
Ep 35. How I made $11k in One Month Airbrushing T Shirts
Podcast
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-breakthrough-creative/id1499200068?i=1000500802524
YouTube: https://youtu.be/B8Hr7E-07FI
Ep 33 The Airbrush T-Shirt Business with Pat Gaines Podcast:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-breakthrough-creative/id1499200068?i=1000499914308
YouTube: https://youtu.be/CfEnhS7RYSs
Please follow to The Breakthrough Creative and share with the artists in your life.
You can email John@thebreakthroughcreative.com with any comments, guest suggestions or questions.
Corrado Mallia is a Toronto area muralist celebrating 25 years in the industry. Since a young child, Corrado has been drawing and painting since childhood. At the age of 23, he began his career painting murals, where the larger scale gives more space and freedom to transform a wall or whole room. A blank wall is just a blank canvas begging for some paint!
Follow Corrado at: https://www.corradomurals.com
Please follow to The Breakthrough Creative and share with the artists in your life.
You can email John@thebreakthroughcreative.com with any comments, guest suggestions or questions.
Alec Gillis is the co-founder of the Studio ADI, one of the largest practical effects houses in the film industry.
Alec shares stories from his early career at Roger Corman's New World Pictures, his time at Stan Winston Studios (working on Aliens, Predator and more), how he and his partner, Tom Woodruff, Jr, formed ADI and his foray into writing and directing the 80's retro-monster movie, Harbinger Down.
Alec talks about his chance encounter with James Cameron, how luck and preparedness go hand-in-hand, lessons from Dick Smith and we share memories from the food truck!
You can follow Alec on Instagram or visit his YouTube Channel.
Please subscribe to this podcast and share it with the artists in your life!
Follow The Breakthrough Creative on Instagram.
You can contact The Breakthrough Creative by emailing: john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
I love when I get to catch up with old friends like Kim Witte.
Kim was one of my first guests on The Breakthrough Creative and I invited her back to catch us up on all she has been doing since we last spoke.
Witte Artistry, LLC is a media company that specializes in creating educational and entertaining content around special effects makeup & traditional art mediums. Established in 2016 with the goal of encouraging others to pursue their artistic endeavors through education, encouragement, and positive messages.
You can find Kim at witteartistry.com
Please follow to The Breakthrough Creative and share with the artists in your life.
You can email John@thebreakthroughcreative.com with any comments, guest suggestions or questions.
Mark Enright is a freelance artist, sculptor, house haunter & pumpkin carver who started Mortar Heads in 2004 with a series of bas relief, Star Wars characters sculpted in mortar. A former intern of Make up & effects labs and former employee of MEL products. In 2020, Mark took the skills and experience learned while working in the FX industry and decided to focus full time on his own company, Mortar Heads. Specializing in latex masks of vintage action figures, toys & Halloween decorations with a vintage sensibility paying tribute to classic mask studios such as Don Post, Be something studios, & Death studios. The first release being a collaboration with NECA colllectibles was a set of Monster masks based on the Remco Universal mini monsters from the 80’s and this partnership continues on in 2023 with a yet to be revealed project.
Mark's Links: https://www.etsy.com/shop/MortarHeads#reviews https://mortarheads.squarespace.com/ https://www.facebook.com/mortarheads/ Instagram: @mortarheads Please subscribe to The Breakthrough Creative show and share with your creative friends! Contact john@thebreakthroughcreative.com with questions, comments or guest suggestions.
Mark Enright is a freelance artist, sculptor, house haunter & pumpkin carver who started Mortar Heads in 2004 with a series of bas relief, Star Wars characters sculpted in mortar. A former intern of Make up & effects labs and former employee of MEL products. In 2020, Mark took the skills and experience learned while working in the FX industry and decided to focus full time on his own company, Mortar Heads. Specializing in latex masks of vintage action figures, toys & Halloween decorations with a vintage sensibility paying tribute to classic mask studios such as Don Post, Be something studios, & Death studios. The first release being a collaboration with NECA colllectibles was a set of Monster masks based on the Remco Universal mini monsters from the 80’s and this partnership continues on in 2023 with a yet to be revealed project.
Mark's Links: https://www.etsy.com/shop/MortarHeads#reviews https://mortarheads.squarespace.com/ https://www.facebook.com/mortarheads/ Instagram: @mortarheads Please subscribe to The Breakthrough Creative show and share with your creative friends! Contact john@thebreakthroughcreative.com with questions, comments or guest suggestions.
My guest today for our 100th episode is film & TV Composer, Greg Nicolett.
Greg shares about his career, finding mentors and growing his business.
Greg's television work includes the Disney animated series - T.O.T.S, Goldie and Bear and Pupstruction - as well as additional music for Smallville, The Vampire Diaries, Video Game High School and Puppy Dog Pals. His video game work includes Voracious Games’ “Potionomics,” additional music for Kinect Disney Adventures, and orchestrations for Star Wars: First Assault. Before scoring films full time, Greg had a successful career scoring commercials, working with brands such as Microsoft, Old Navy, and Best Buy.
Find Greg:
Twitter @GregNicolett
Insta @GPnicolett
Apple Music
Follow Greg on Spotify!
For more info about the show Contact john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
Anytime you decide to do something worthwhile it comes at a cost - energy, resources, pain. AND, if you stick with it, there are so many benefits - success, relationships, new skills and becoming a resource for clients to solve their problems.
I share about how I stuck it out and found success.
john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
https://www.instagram.com/artofjohnmcdavitt/
https://www.instagram.com/thebreakthroughcreative/
If you learn the Skill of Public Speaking you will be able to represent yourself to individual clients (super important), work in small groups (brainstorming) and persuade large groups (keynote speaking).
You need this skill!
I explain the benefits and break down how you can learn to speak to large groups with competence and confidence (and how you can get over embarrassment)
BONUS: if you email me or DM me on Instagram I will send you my notes from this episode.
john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
https://www.instagram.com/artofjohnmcdavitt/
https://www.instagram.com/thebreakthroughcreative/
Flexibility is an underrated and under appreciated resource. Why you should intentionally work to have flexibility in your professional life.
email John@thebreakthroughcreative.com
Follow at:
https://www.instagram.com/artofjohnmcdavitt/
It's been a little while... I wanted to check in on the episode to share my thoughts on licensing, social media, the benefits of working in a studio environment and flexibility in work/life.
john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
https://www.instagram.com/artofjohnmcdavitt/
https://www.instagram.com/thebreakthroughcreative/
I interviewed Cake and Sugar Artist, Kate Sartorious, about her career in March of 2020 and wanted to share it again in this
Kate is a the owner and operator of Kate's Cake Design where she makes unique cake toppers for her clients.
Kate also teaches an online Cake Topper course called 'Top Tier Cake Topper Masterclass.'
You can find Kate and her work on Instagram!
Contact us at John@theBreakthroughCreative.com
Dawn Murphy is a freelance artist currently residing in the Chicagoland area. She specializes in portraiture and costume illustration with a focus on pop culture. She has created numerous officially licensed artworks for Lucasfilm/Star Wars, Topps Trading Cards and RRParks Cards. Her work has been featured in the Star Wars Celebration Art Show, Star Wars Insider Magazine, the sci-fi anthology book Contact Light, and book four of the War of the Seasons series. When she isn't drawing she loves to play video games with her son and husband, reading, sewing costumes and trying not to burn dinner. Follow Dawn at: www.instagram.com/dawnmurphyart www.etsy.com/shop/DawnMurphyArt You can contact john@thebreakthroughcreative.com with comments and questions.
Follow on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/thebreakthroughcreative/
It’s cool if you want to be an artist. It’s cool if that’s your hobby. But you need to be honest with yourself if it’s something to make money or something that’s simply personal enjoyment. If it’s a hobby - great! Enjoy yourself. If it’s a business - get to work.
Please join 'THE BREAKTHROUGH CREATIVE' FACEBOOK GROUP. I'm looking forward to meeting you there.
Episode 92:
There are lots of good reasons to begin your career by working for a company BEFORE you start your own thing because there are so many things you don't know that you don't know.
Why not make it a bit easier on yourself and learn on the job while you plan and even start your own business.
My thoughts on the topic in this episode.
Mikey Wheeler is a professional tattooist who shares his journey from sandwich maker to apprentice to pro! Mikey also goes into the details of the business side of Tattooing. You can see Mikey's work and find him at: https://www.instagram.com/mikeywheelertattooer/
http://windhorserising.com
mikeywheelertattooer@gmail.com
You can contact John at john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
How does one find their creative style?
How does one achieve their first published book?
Kunal Kundu has done both!
An animator, illustrator and sculptor, Kunal took leave from his career to find his 'style' and shares his process in this episode. Kunal also reveals his gritty approach to publishing his first book.
For more on Kunal check out the links below:
https://www.kunalkundu.com
https://www.instagram.com/kunalkunducrumpledpaper/
https://www.westmarginpress.com/book-details/9781513264356/wildlife-on-paper/ https://www.westmarginpress.com/blog/discover-how-this-artist-transforms-trash-into-treasure/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kB7CyrQfq-c
You can reach John at john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
I share my thoughts on...
(1:22) The Benefits of Becoming an ARTIST & DESIGNER
(15:55) Managing SCOPE CREEP
(22:12) SOFT SKILLS: Showing Clients Grace & Generosity
Please share this episode with the pre-pro and professional creatives in your life.
Contact me at john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
This is The Breakthrough Creative's most dowloaded episode of 2021.
Worth another listen - Ep 44 (2021)
In my first Q&A Coaching episode, I answer questions from my guest, Jason de Knegt. We talk about Pricing, Managing your Workload and Finding your professional Niche. Jason de Knegt is a bartender & illustrator who balances his official ‘day job’ crafting cocktails with creating digital paintings for his clients. Like many hoping to make a full-time career shift into the art world, he hopes to blend his professional experience with his creative pursuits… in this case applying what he’s learned in the service and hospitality industry to providing unique portraits for those who enjoy his work and particular style. You can check out Jason's art (& even a few bonus cocktail recipes) and follow Jason on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/jaydeke/ or his website https://www.jdkillustration.com Please subscribe to The Breakthrough Creative and share with the artists in your life. You can reach us at john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
Hey Breakthrough Creative Friends! This episode is about how my experience with airbrushing led to so many different opportunities in my life AND HOW the PROCESS I WENT THROUGH can do the same for you... whether it is an airbrush, a piano, acting, writing or WHATEVER YOUR THING IS.
You can learn more about my AIRBRUSHING PAST by listening to... Ep 35: How I Made $11,000 in One Month Airbrushing T-Shirts https://youtu.be/B8Hr7E-07FI
Please share these episodes with the artists in your life!
For more info or questions contact john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
Carlos Huante, master creature concept designer, is back! You have seen his amazing creature designs in some of the biggest movies made.
In this episode, Carlos shares his experiences working directly with Rick Baker on MIB, Ridley Scott on Prometheus and Andy Muschietti on IT.
Listen to my first interview with Carlos: https://apple.co/3GCMiMr
You can follow Carlos at:
http://www.carlos-huante-monstruo.com
http://galleryanatom.squarespace.com
https://www.instagram.com/carlos_huante/
https://www.instagram.com/galleryanatom/
Please share this episode with the artists in your life.
You can reach me at john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
There are 3 MUST-DO practices you need to know and do with each new client to nurture your business relationship.
Don't miss these. They are the secret sauce of building client relationships, ongoing business and increased income!
john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
Hi dear listener... This episode is about how our ups and downs, our attitudes and our gratitude along the way can enrich or derail our creative, professional and, yes, even our personal lives.
I am grateful for my journey and I am grateful for you.
Cheers - John
Please subscribe to this podcast and share with the artists in your life.
john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
I explain my recent disappearance (Covid) and share my Haunted House Story (Art work and Income involved).
Missed you all.
Paul Katte is the co-founder of MEG, Make-Up Effects Group, in Sydney, Australia. Paul and his partner, Nick, have created make-up FX for The Matrix, I, Frankenstein, Childhood's End and many more films and commercials.
Paul shares the details of his creative and professional journey including stories of working with Marlon Brando and John Frankenheimer on The Island of Dr. Moreau, working with Tom Savini on REDD, INC., the importance of mentors and much more!
You can learn more about Paul at: http://megeffects.com.au https://www.instagram.com/makeupeffectsgroup/
Tom Savin FX direction clip of REDD, INC.: https://bit.ly/3AScbUS ____________________________________________________________________
You can now support the show on Patreon and receive some amazing benefits! https://www.patreon.com/Thebreakthroughcreative Business Coaching for Artists with John: https://bit.ly/3ykziHe
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/thebreakthroughcreative https://www.instagram.com/john_mcdavitt_art
Ray Villafane is a master sculptor and pumpkin carver. He shares his journey the mindset it takes to become a highly sought after sculptor. Ray has created toys and collectibles for DC and Marvel, appeared on the Food Network and created sand sculptures across the globe.
You can learn more about Ray and his work at: www.villafanestudios.com https://www.instagram.com/villafanestudios/
Michael Spooner is an Animation World Designer.
You can hear more about Michael's career in the previous episode (#79).
In this episode Michael shares about:
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working on the short film test footage for 'Popeye'
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working with an animation director and on the team for Hotel Transylvania 2
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and specific designs for the film.
Lots of amazing behind-the-scenes info in this episode. Enjoy!
You can learn more about Michael by visiting his website: https://www.michaelspoonerart.com
_____________________________________________________
https://direct.me/johnmcdavitt
You can now support the show on Patreon and receive some amazing benefits! https://www.patreon.com/Thebreakthroughcreative
Business Coaching for Artists with John: https://bit.ly/3ykziHe
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/thebreakthroughcreative
https://www.instagram.com/john_mcdavitt_art
This interview first aired in February of 2019.
Michael Spooner is an Animation Visual Development Designer for the film and entertainment industry (he is also one of my closest friends). His credits include projects for Disney (The Emperor's New Groove, Lilo & Stitch), Dreamworks (Shrek), and Sony (Hotel Transylvania 2, Smurfs: The Lost Village).
He has worked with Ralph Bakshi on 1978's animated version of Tolkien's 'The Lord of the Rings' and spent some time with He-Man in the 1980's.
You can learn more about Michael by visiting his website: https://www.michaelspoonerart.com
_____________________________________________________
https://direct.me/johnmcdavitt
You can now support the show on Patreon and receive some amazing benefits! https://www.patreon.com/Thebreakthroughcreative
Business Coaching for Artists with John: https://bit.ly/3ykziHe
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/thebreakthroughcreative
https://www.instagram.com/john_mcdavitt_art
Mike Brennan is a storyteller who uses spoken work and visual art to bring life to his audience and to fellow creatives.
In this episode Mike shares about his creative journey into advertising design, then into ministry and then back into art as an encourager of other creatives.
Mike is the host of the podcast, Creative Chats (Great show! Please find, subscribe and listen to it) and visual artist with a flair for popular culture.
IG: https://www.instagram.com/mikebone/
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/738312690304881
Mike Brennan
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https://direct.me/johnmcdavitt
You can now support the show on Patreon and receive some amazing benefits! https://www.patreon.com/Thebreakthrou...
Business Coaching for Artists with John: https://bit.ly/3ykziHe
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/thebreakthroughcreative
https://www.instagram.com/john_mcdavitt_art
What should you do about your art education? There are so many ways to get from here to there but which is the right one for you?
In this episode I share my thoughts on College, Degrees, Trade Schools, Learning online and Learning on-the-job.
You can now support the show on Patreon and receive some amazing benefits!
https://www.patreon.com/Thebreakthroughcreative
________________________________________
Business Coaching for Artists with John: https://bit.ly/3ykziHe
Follow The Breakthrough Creative on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/thebreakthroughcreative
For guest suggestions, comment or questions please contact john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
Follow John on instagram. https://www.instagram.com/john_mcdavitt_art
Catherine Borzym has been making and selling her art and craft since middle school (that's right... middle school).
Catherine's journey began by designing and selling jewelry to her friends to help them complete their look and then became a grass roots venture as she booked and sold at fairs and farmers markets in the midwest.
Catherine's strong organizational and administrative skills paired with her creative abilities enabled her to pivot to marketing and branding & graphic and website design through her company Kiwi Avenue. Catherine Borzym, CEO & Creative Director, has been an almost lifelong entrepreneur. From thirteen, when she started her first business, she’s been a leader, risk-taker, dreamer, and doer. Her favorite part of running Kiwi Avenue is transforming her client's plain documents and ideas into stunning brands, websites, and print materials that compel action and grow sales. Kiwi Avenue works with startups, award-winning speakers, and corporations to build attention-grabbing brands. A few of her projects include Apple, Sprint and Columbia University.
www.KiwiAvenue.com
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Business Coaching for Artists: https://bit.ly/3ykziHe
Follow John on instagram. https://www.instagram.com/john_mcdavitt_art
Follow The Breakthrough Creative on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/thebreakthroughcreative
For guest suggestions, comment or questions please contact john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
We all face rejection and - certainly - as artists running our own business we are going to face it more on a daily basis! But Rejection does not have to stop you in your tracks...
I break down the 4 Types of Rejection we face as creative professionals and break down what you can learn from each type and how to turn that knowledge into an advantage.
Learn more about John's Business Coaching for Artists: https://bit.ly/3ykziHe
Follow John on instagram. https://www.instagram.com/john_mcdavitt_art
Follow The Breakthrough Creative on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/thebreakthroughcreative
For guest suggestions, comment or questions please contact john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
Donald Walker is a master muralist. His journey has included airbrushing t-shirts, owning and operating a sign shop (from painting letters to printing and cutting vinyl) and painting murals full-time for the last 15 years.
Don is a wise and knowledgable creative entrepreneur and we have once of my favorite interview/conversations yet.
You can find Don at https://www.facebook.com/donald.walker.165
Follow Don on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/donaldwalker68/
Learn more about John's Business Coaching for Artists: https://bit.ly/3ykziHe
Follow John on instagram.
Follow The Breakthrough Creative on Instagram.
For guest suggestions, comment or questions please contact john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
I spoke with a potential guest for the show last week (an amazing artist) who questioned whether an artist could really make a living from their art. This was a real surprise to me... so much so I had to do an episode on how an artist can REALLY MAKE MONEY!
I offer 3 simple (but not easy) steps and support them with several interviews and personal experience to back them up!
Check out these interviews referenced in this episode!
Emilie Procsal, Ep 48 - https://youtu.be/j27UGplYLMg
Dino Crisanti, Ep 39 - https://youtu.be/OfE47W-tC1U
Learn more about John's Business Coaching for Artists: https://bit.ly/3ykziHe
Follow John on instagram. https://www.instagram.com/john_mcdavitt_art/
Follow The Breakthrough Creative on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/thebreakthroughcreative/
For guest suggestions, comment or questions please contact john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
A few months ago, Craig Burgess (ep 60), interviewed me for his show - The Get Doing Things Podcast. In this episode, we have an in depth conversation about art, design and my professional and creative journey.
Thanks for the interview, Craig!
You can learn more about Craig at https://getdoingthings.com/ Follow @craigburgess on Twitter.
Learn more about John's Business Coaching for Artists: https://bit.ly/3ykziHe
Follow John on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/john_mcdavitt_art/
Follow The Breakthrough Creative on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/thebreakthroughcreative/
For guest suggestions, comment or questions please contact john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
What is Marketing - Is it Branding? Storytelling? Selling?
Marketing expert, Andrew Deutsch of Fangledtech.com, is my guest on this episode that brings some clarity to the tool of Marketing, what it is and how to make it work for your business.
You can connect with Andrew on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3ykQxIq You can find Andrew’s show, ‘Fangledcast’, on YouTube.
Learn more about my Business Coaching for Artists: https://bit.ly/3ykziHe
Follow John on instagram. https://www.instagram.com/john_mcdavitt_art/
Follow The Breakthrough Creative on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/thebreakthroughcreative/
Contact john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
Efficiency in your creative business gives you an amazing opportunity to experience a really GOOD LIFE! It is a game changer.
In this episode, I touch on...
- Efficiency of SERVICES
- Efficiency of REGULAR CLIENTS
- Efficiency of INCOME
Learn more about my Creative and Business Coaching service. I can't wait to meet and work with you!
Follow John on instagram.
Follow The Breakthrough Creative on Instagram.
Contact john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
Last week I interviewed Dan Berry in Part I. Today we continue our conversation in Part II. In this episode, we discuss working on your craft, we learn about Dan's sketchbook (which he uses as a preproduction tool for planning his books), Dan shares about the joy and pain of 24 Hour Comics and we hear about all the things Dan makes. Dan is a cartoonist, podcaster and educator from Shrewsbury in the UK. He is the host of the podcast Make It Then Tell Everybody, which has been running since 2012 and has over 200 episodes featuring interviews with other comic artists and illustrators about how they do what they do. He has been making comics since the late 2000s and has a new book out soon called Rivers, a follow-up with writer David Gaffney to the book The Three Rooms In Valerie’s Head, both available from Top Shelf Comix. He is a comics educator, and for eleven years ran a degree in comics in North Wales, UK. He now gives workshops and short courses alongside his freelance work. Something REALLY COOL that Dan is currently offering is ONLINE MENTORING. You can learn more here. https://www.patreon.com/makethentell You can contact Dan and buy his books, pens and original art at https://www.thingsbydan.co.uk
I had a great time chatting with my guest, Dan Berry, in this episode. In Part I, we learn how Dan became a cartoonist and discuss how criticism is beneficial when used for good, the importance of storytelling (and its structure) and the need for a healthy work/life balance. I cannot wait to share Part II. Dan is a cartoonist, podcaster and educator from Shrewsbury in the UK. He is the host of the podcast Make It Then Tell Everybody, which has been running since 2012 and has over 200 episodes featuring interviews with other comic artists and illustrators about how they do what they do. He has been making comics since the late 2000s and has a new book out soon called Rivers, a follow-up with writer David Gaffney to the book The Three Rooms In Valerie’s Head, both available from Top Shelf Comix. He is a comics educator, and for eleven years ran a degree in comics in North Wales, UK. He now gives workshops and short courses alongside his freelance work. Something REALLY COOL that Dan is currently offering is ONLINE MENTORING. You can learn more here. https://www.patreon.com/makethentell You can contact Dan and buy his books, pens and original art at https://www.thingsbydan.co.uk
Andy Strote is a Copywriter who founded two creative agencies and has written a book, How to Start a Successful Creative Agency, that documents his expertise.
Andy shares his journey into copywriting as a creative employee, his transition to freelance and then the formation of not one but two agencies. He and his partners sold the first while Andy sold his shares back to his partners after a time at the second agency.
Andy also shares what you can find in his book that will help you start your own successful creative agency.
You can find Andy on twitter at https://twitter.com/StroteBook
You can learn more about his book and where to order at www.creativeagencybook.com
Please subscribe to The Breakthrough Creative and share with the artists in you life!
You can email john@thebreakthroughcreative.com with guest and topic suggestions, questions and encouragements.
In Episode 35 I shared 'How I Mad e$11,000 Airbrushing T-Shirts in One Month'. It was one of my most viewed episodes on Youtube.
I decided it needed a forensic look and came up with the '3 Reasons WHY' I was able to find financial and creative success...
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Pick a Target
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Take Action
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Build A Systematic Approach to Hitting Your Target (Much simpler than it sounds)
To listen to Episode 35 click the link
It is so important to find and work with good people. My friend and business associate, Chris Liechti, has been a part of my professional and personal life for the past 24 years!
Finding good people to work with who complement your skills and also care about you and your success are one of the most important discoveries you will make in your life. Chris Liechti is a faux finisher, muralist, illustrator and all-around amazing problem solver.
You can reach Chris at cliechti@comcast.net
Please subscribe to this channel and share with the artists in your life.
In this Q&A Coaching episode, I answer questions from my guest, illustrator, Joe Johnson.
We talk about getting noticed by clients, how to find illustration in during COVID and the effects COVID may have on the marketplace moving forward.
Joe Johnson is a recent college grad who is building his illustration career. He has a unique style rendering posters and images of jets and other aeronautic machines!
Check out Joe's work on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/joe_theillustrator/
Please subscribe to my channel and share episodes of The Breakthrough Creative with the artists in your life.
You can email me at john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
We all have those stories we love to watch, read or tell over and over again. There are 4 particular elements in many of my favorite stories that I see play out in the successful careers of creatives. I unpack them in this episode.
Ep 3 - Mentors: Your Secret Weapon!
Please subscribe and share with the artists in your life.
Email john@thebreakthroughcreative.com with any comments or questions.
Artists crossing into professional territory often struggle with seeing themselves as professionals. Maybe it is because of the stigmas attached to creative work.
We often hear statements such as:
“You can’t make a living from art.”
“If you do this work for me (for free) you will get exposure.”
“You’ll end up a starving artist...”
I think what artists need is permission to succeed - and - more accurately - permission to PURSUE success.
In this episode I give you 4 points you should be willing to embrace and 3 proactive actions to take to increase your chances for a successful career as an artist.
If you are interested in a PDF of the points I make in this episode please email john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
Please subscribe and share with the artists in your life!
If you are interested in learning more about SEA, please check out www.selfemploymentinthearts.com or listen to Amy Rogers in episode 20.
Craig Burgess is a graphic designer and visualizer who has spent his career developing the skills to become a FULL STACK CREATIVE, partnering in his own design agency, leveraging Twitter to build his following and becoming an author.
You can learn more about Craig at
https://getdoingthings.com/
Follow @craigburgess on Twitter.
Please subscribe to The Breakthrough Creative and share this episode with the artists in your life!
Send your questions, comments and guest suggestions to john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
Catherine and Jeffrey Ross are partners in Ross Creative Works. Catherine oversees the marketing and advertising. Jeffrey handles the commercial photography.
We discuss sales and learning how to sell, the importance of coaching and education in the growth of their company, navigating the pandemic and the benefits of partnering together in life and business.
You can learn more about Catherine and Jeffrey at www.rosscreativeworks.com
Please subscribe to this channel and share with the artists in your life! Have a great day!
Comments and questions to john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
I met Maggie Capettini several years ago after both of us were selected for a public art event. I was captivated by her work and am so glad to have her on the show to hear her story and learn more about her creative process and business practices.
Please subscribe to The Breakthrough Creative and share with the artists in your life!
If you had asked 5-year-old Capettini what she wanted to be when she grew up, her answer would have been a mashup: drive a school bus, work at a restaurant, be a ballerina, and be an artist. Only one of those four career goals has come true. Invested in the tradition of plein air painting, Capettini renders landscapes and architecture on location. Studio works, still lifes, and figure studies round out Capettini’s portfolio. She paints from life as often as possible. Using painting knives on panel, she applies and removes paint, creating a textured surface revealing layers of color. Her works embody an energy that draw the viewer in. Raised and currently residing in the Chicagoland area, Capettini holds a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art and a Master of Arts in Teaching. She has studied at Palette and Chisel in Chicago. Capettini has won awards for her paintings, and her works are held in museum collections in Warrenville and West Chicago, Illinois, as well as private collections in the United States, Japan, Germany, and Canada.
www.maggiecapettini.com
@maggiepaints on instagram and Facebook
I break down the 5 Pricing Structures I use in my business:
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Hourly
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Project Based
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Value Based
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Licensing
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Retainer
If you would like a copy of my list and the pros and cons for each Pricing Structure please email me at john@thebreakthroughcreative.com and I will send it to you directly.
Please subscribe to this channel and share with the artists in your life! Have a great day!
PART 2!
In part 2, Wayne shares about revenue streams, day rates, managing revisions, his approach to editing and the importance of relationships in the business.
Wayne Kumingo has edited many styles and genres of television, film, and video projects over his 25+ year career including 19 seasons of the long-running Chicago restaurant review show 'Check Please!' for which he earned an Emmy award, the national travel series 'Islands Without Cars' currently in production on its third season, and the feature film 'Rain Beau's End' guest starring Ed Asner and Sean Young which is set for release in early 2021.
Wayne has been a dear friend of mine for 30 years and I can’t say enough about his heart and commitment to his craft.
People can reach Wayne at:
www.kumingo.com
Insta: @wayne_jkl
Available for streaming:
https://www.rainbeausend.com/
You can message The Breakthrough Creative at john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
Please share this episode with the artists in your life!
Wayne Kumingo has edited many styles and genres of television, film, and video projects over his 25+ year career including 19 seasons of the long-running Chicago restaurant review show 'Check Please!' for which he earned an Emmy award, the national travel series 'Islands Without Cars' currently in production on its third season, and the feature film 'Rain Beau's End' guest starring Ed Asner and Sean Young which is set for release in early 2021.
Wayne has been a dear friend of mine for 30 years and I can’t say enough about his heart and commitment to his craft.
In part I, we have a great conversation about art, networking, the terrible allure of technology over storytelling and a few other surprises along the way.
People can reach Wayne at: www.kumingo.com Insta: @wayne_jkl Linkedin Available for streaming: https://www.rainbeausend.com/
You can message The Breakthrough Creative at john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
Please share this episode with the artists in your life!
David Tuber works in the animation film and television industry. His credits include Robot Chicken, Moral Orel, Mary Shelley's Frankenhole, The LEGO Movie, The LEGO Batman Movie and Angry Birds to name an impressive few.
David has worked as a puppet fabricator, character designer, graphic artist, writer, director, and storyboard artist.
We chat about his journey from Chicago to LA and into the entertainment industry and hear his thoughts on the creative and all-important business-side of things.
You can find David on instagram or his website https://www.toonmanland.com
Please subscribe and share this episode with the artists in your life!
You can email The Breakthrough Creative at john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
The MURAL Episode is a detailed breakdown of the creative and business process of a mural I was commissioned to design and paint for the Downers Grove Public Library in 2017.
It was a huge creative undertaking and I enjoyed the challenge.
WARNING - Due to the visuals I refer to this episode plays better on my YouTube Channel, so you won't hurt my feelings if you head over there now.
Vanessa E is a Singer, Songwriter and online Vocal Coach at 'You Can Sing 2'. (She is also like a sister to me)
Vanessa shares her early career as a 'big-hair' band, heavy-metal guitarist (she can really shred!), her step into the spotlight as a singer/songwriter for her own band and how she has found great satisfaction helping performers through her vocal coaching business.
You can find Vanessa at You Can Sing 2 on Instagram and Youtube (LINK).
Or go to her You Can Sing 2 website (LINK) and get your FREE High Note Cheatsheet!
Please subscribe to the show and share it with the artists in your life!
For questions or guest suggestions please email john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
Your expectations of your art and career need to be disciplined and realistic! Otherwise you can end up stuck, wasting time and making little to no progress. How hard are we supposed to be on ourselves? Too hard and we burn our or worse. Too easy and we get nowhere or worse. This episode tackles this OFTEN INVISIBLE issue and offers some thoughts on how to find the proper middle ground that makes for a path to success.
How I got responses from Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, Disney and Universal with my (and my partner's) Cartoon Property - Zombie Todd!
Years ago, my friend, Paul Van Dorn, and I created, wrote and illustrated an animated concept series for television. I share the journey from concept to sitting down with a producer/director at Universal Studios in L.A..
The biggest takeaway in this episode is our process of reaching out to the studios and GETTING NOTICED!!! Some art, feathers, hot peppers and a sprinkling of mystery did the job...
Keith Gordon is the co-founder and story architect at Duo Storytelling. After years of working as a fiction editor, his wake-up call came when he realized that there were thousands of aspiring authors looking to share their stories with the world, but for one reason or another, they lacked the confidence and the courage to make the leap. He formed www.duostorytelling.com with the intention to not only inspire authors to tell their kick-ass stories, but to unleash their storytelling potential through developmental editing, one-on-one coaching, ghostwriting, and educational online workshops. Keith and the Duo team have worked with USA Today Bestsellers, Amazon Bestsellers, and award-winning indie authors to hone their craft and tell their best stories.
Emilie Procsal found her way to photography through fine art, product development, graphic design and - finally - relationships! Emilie shares how ‘story’ and relationship are so important to her business. You can find Emilie at: https://scarletcardinalstudio.com/ https://www.instagram.com/scarletcardinalstudios/ A week ago I released a FREE WORKSHEET to help you to channel your creative skills into business opportunities. You can download it at: 1... IF you are a NEW subscriber use this link: https://mailchi.mp/35463906f6e8/72oagctklv 2... IF you are ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER please email me directly for your worksheet john@thebreakthroughcreative.com Please subscribe to The Breakthrough Creative and share the show with the artists in your life! You can reach John with questions, guest suggestions and more at john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
Using your Creative Skills to solve Clients’ problems is a sure way to growing your income. I explain how I list my Creative Skills, brainstorm the problems my skills can solve and then narrow down types of clients who need the solutions I can provide. This is a process I have used throughout my career to apply my skills and grow my income.
To receive your FREE WORKSHEET... ...IF you are a NEW subscriber use this link ...IF you are ALREADY SUBSCRIBE please email me directly for your worksheet john@thebreakthroughcreative.com (sorry for the inconvenience... my server is acting up) Please subscribe to The Breakthrough Creative and share the show with the artists in your life!
The business of Princess Parties is serious business with some magic sprinkled on top!
Sarah Shadrack shares how she began her journey in the arts at a very young age, writing and helming her first movie, launching and selling business, Princess Party Chicago, and her current ventures in visual art, prints and cosplay.
Sarah can be found on instagram and YouTube:
https://www.instagram.com/chicagoprincesssarah/
https://www.instagram.com/princesssarahart/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEMZbJnLNANjot93z0odU0g
Please subscribe to The Breakthrough Creative podcast and share the show with the artists in your life!
You can reach John with questions, guest suggestions and more at john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
Join The Breakthrough Creative's email list at http://eepurl.com/dH0kgT
Knowing how to get clients can be challenging for artists (or anyone for that matter) but it is a skill you can learn and master. It takes the right approach, attitude and persistence to win clients and make a living!
In this episode, Amy Rogers from SEA (selfemploymentinthearts.com) interviews me about my approach to marketing and sales.
I share:
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How to Identify Clients
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How to Contact those Clients
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How to Make the Offer or ASK FOR PROJECT WORK
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How to Build Relationships with your Clients
You can do this! You can learn marketing and selling while growing a business relationship with new and existing clientele!
Please check our SEA's website. Sea is a fantastic Non-Profit organization with the goal of helping creatives make a living from their art.
Please subscribe and share episodes with your artist friends! You can reach John with questions, guest suggestions and more at john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
You can see John's work and more at https://direct.me/johnmcdavitt
Dealing with difficult clients and getting paid are two situations you are going to encounter at some point in your creative career. I share my own situation and how I handled it.
This episode is not for the faint of heart. It is challenging to deal with difficult people and maybe as (or even more) challenging to stand up for your right to earn a living.
I share my story and several key points that help me to navigate these situations.
Please subscribe to the show and click the link below to be added to The Breakthrough Creative mailing list.
You can email me at john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
Carlos Behrens is a 3D Game Artist and OC (Original Character) creator working in Blender and ZBrush. He began his career in graphic design before moving into the world of 3D creation. He works for corporate clients and takes individual commissions for OC avatars.
Carlos shares his journey as he moved from Venezuela to Spain along with his professional journey. What a great guy!
Carlos primarily uses LinkedIn and Twitter to market his services.
You can follow Carlos on Twitter (@carlosbehrens), LinkedIn (@carlosbehrens) and Instagram (carlosbehrensgraphic).
Please subscribe to The Breakthrough Creative and share with the artists in your life!
Follow us at https://instagram.com/thebreakthroughcreative email: john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
Join The Breakthrough Creative email list
Using coaching and masterminds to grow your business is a wise step. Jim Jozwiak (I interviewed Jim Jozwiak in episode 31) shares about his coaching and mastermind group experiences and why they are incredibly beneficial to any business (and individual).
If you are interested in learning more about Jim's coaching services you can contact him on LinkedIn or https://jamesjconsulting.com
email: jim@jamesjconsulting.com
Please subscribe to The Breakthrough Creative and share with the artists in your life!
https://instagram.com/thebreakthroughcreative
john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
Starting a Podcast and YouTube Show was something I learned firsthand in 2020.
This challenging year - which was filled with a pandemic, economic uncertainties and personal loss - actually had some amazing benefits, too.
I share my process behind starting The Breakthrough Creative, learning the technical side of production, marketing the show and finding and interviewing my guests and why I am excited for 2021 and beyond!
Have a Happy New Year!!
If you are interested in The Breakthrough Creative membership group please email john@thebreaktrhoughcreative.com and I will put you on the wait list and keep you updated.
You can follow The Breakthrough Creative on Instagram and see John's work there, too.
Dino Crisanti is a Toy Inventor and Stop-Motion Animator.
Dino began his career as an animator before transition to toy invention for one of the most renowned toy invention firms in the world, BMT (Big Monster Toys).
Dino is a BUSY ARTIST! He invents, designs and sculpts toys, creates bronzes for zoos and other collectors, instructs stop-motion animation at Columbia College and is currently working on his own film. Dino shares about his career, his process and why he prefers being "a Maker, not a Taker."
You can find Dino on:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dino.crisanti/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfK5RyKU7hl5tOZB-mEwjHg
Website: https://www.dcrisantisculpture.com
Please subscribe to The Breakthrough Creative and share episodes with the artists in your life! john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
In this episode Robin Liefeld shares the 17 Steps she takes with every Painting! (PRICELESS!)
Please be sure to take notes!
Robin shares so much excellent advice - business, creative curating and marketing info to apply to your own business.
Check out her story in episode 37.
You can find Robin (and her artwork) at:
Website: https://www.robinliefeld.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robinliefeldcreates Etsy Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/RobinLiefeldCreates Please subscribe to The Breakthrough Creative and share episodes with the artists in your life! john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
Robin Liefeld is a fine artist (with an inspirational story) who learned how to paint and sell her art by doing hard things!
Robin had a life of caring for foster children before a personal crisis led her to pursue her dream of becoming a professional artist (and to her own personal healing).
Robin creates paintings of her 'girls' - highly stylized portraits - and sells originals, prints and more.
You can find Robin (and her artwork) at:
Website: https://www.robinliefeld.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robinliefeldcreates Etsy Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/RobinLiefeldCreates Please subscribe to The Breakthrough Creative and share episodes with the artists in your life! john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
Tom Most is a Digital Sculptor, Mold Maker, Rapid Prototyper, Medical Prosthetician, Toy Designer and Jewelry Maker. I began my career working on a project for Tom and am grateful for our friendship.
Tom walks us through the story of his creative business adventures in working as a creative employee, in a partnership as a business owner and to a chance encounter with Jon Favreau, producer and directer of The Mandalorian, that allowed Tom to participate in the series in a very special manner.
You can find Tom at www.mostlyfantasy.com or shop his wares at his Etsy shop.
Please subscribe to this podcast and follow The Breakthrough Creative for more episodes like this and share with the artists in your life.
Contact john@thebreakthroughcreative.com with any questions or comments.
Airbrushing T-Shirts is a really solid way to earn a living! (Just ask Episode 33's guest, Pat Gaines)
It was the summer of 1989, I had just graduated high school and was desperate to find a way to make money that did not involve working at some undesirable job.
Enter AIRBRUSHED T-SHIRTS. I had been watching a guy airbrush t-shirts at the mall for several years and had an airbrush myself (which I DID NOT YET know how to use). This was my answer. Listen to how I became an overnight success (in 3 years) and made $11,000 Airbrushing T-shirts in One Month!
You can read my Blog of this Podcast by Clicking HERE.
Please subscribe to this podcast and follow The Breakthrough Creative for more episodes like this and share with the artists in your life.
Contact john@thebreakthroughcreative.com with any questions or comments.
A short notion from me to you about things for which I am thankful... (You are one of them)
Pat Gaines has been making a living airbrushing t-shirts much of his life beginning in Panama City Beach in the ‘70s. He has turned a tourist-spot impulse buy into a specialty store niche in high traffic retail areas.
Pat grew up the son of retail mall management parents which led to his first retail venture in airbrushing shirts for profit. In this episode we hear about Pat’s creative and professional journey in the airbrush t-shirt business, his love of entrepreneurship and his history of encouraging artists to use the airbrush to make a living.
You can find Pat Gaines on Facebook or on his website.
Please subscribe to this channel and share with the artists in your life.
Follow us on https://Instagram.com/thebreakthroughcreative
Email us at john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
In episode 32 John shares one of his favorite business practices - EARN while you LEARN!
We all work to solve problems in our everyday professional lives and often times we have to learn something new to get the job done. Why not get started in your career, overcome your fears and 'earn while you learn?'
John shares a couple of his own personal on-the-job experiences with earning while he's been learning and breaks down three things that may be holding you back:
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FEAR
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IMPOSTOR SYNDROME
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NO PEDIGREE
Please subscribe to The Breakthrough Creative podcast and share this episode with the artists in your life and leave a review and rating.
You can follow The Breakthrough Creative on Instagram
email: john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
Jim Jozwiak started his career as a trumpet player in Chicago for musical theater and visiting artists, including Frank Sinatra, jr., Tony Bennett and scores of others including playing at President Clinton’s first inaugural in Washington D.C
With a child on the way Jim's gig lifestyle was no longer a feasible means of income so he pivoted and started Band For Today, a service business that provides music instruction to schools across the nation.
Jim shares about his trumpet playing days, pivoting to start a music education business, the roller coaster ride of entrepreneurship, the impact of coaches and mentors and steering his business through the murky waters of COVID.
You can find Jim on LinkedIn or https://bandfortoday.com
Please subscribe to The Breakthrough Creative and share with the artists in your life!
https://instagram.com/thebreakthroughcreative
john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
Please hit the SUBSCRIBE button and share with the artists in your life! I was having a conversation recently with a friend who is working on a transition from his day job to his art business. It was a really good conversation! In this video I share 3 IMPORTANT KEYS to STARTING YOUR CREATIVE BIZ.
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Corporate Clients VS Individual Clients
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Diversify Your Services AND Clients
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Transition Wisely
john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
https://instagram.com/thebreakthroughcreative
Alec Gillis is the co-founder of the Studio ADI, one of the largest practical effects houses in the film industry.
Alec shares stories from his early career at Roger Corman's New World Pictures, his time at Stan Winston Studios (working on Aliens, Predator and more), how he and his partner, Tom Woodruff, Jr, formed ADI and his foray into writing and directing the 80's retro-monster movie, Harbinger Down.
Alec talks about his chance encounter with James Cameron, how luck and preparedness go hand-in-hand, lessons from Dick Smith and we share memories from the food truck!
You can follow Alec on Instagram or visit his YouTube Channel.
Please subscribe to this podcast and share it with the artists in your life!
Follow The Breakthrough Creative on Instagram.
You can contact The Breakthrough Creative by emailing: john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
Bart Mixon is a veteran Prosthetic Makeup Effects Artist for the film industry.
Bart's interest in makeup began early and transformed from hobby to profession through his work on low budget horror movies to classics such as 'Robocop,' Tim Curry's Pennywise the Clown in Stephen King's 'It,' Thing in 'The Fantastic Four,' and 'Vision' from the Marvel movies to name a few.
Bart shares his journey, what it is like to work in the business from running your own shop to working on massive shows to 'on set' makeup application.
You can follow Bart on Instagram. Or visit his website. And keep an eye out for the upcoming 'Pennywise: The Story of IT' documentary.
Please subscribe to this podcast and share it with the artists in your life!
Follow The Breakthrough Creative on Instagram.
You can contact The Breakthrough Creative by emailing: john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
Ted Haines has worked for over thirty years in the special effects industry creating fat suits, muscle suits and creatures for MARVEL movies, GEICO commercials, The Mandalorian and more!
Ted moved to LA in the early 80’s and found his niche working and crafting foam for film.
Ted shares tales from his career, we discuss pricing and how to place a dollar value on your services and Ted starts his own studio!
You can follow Ted’s work on Instagram and on Facebook.
Please share this episode with the artists in your life.
Follow The Breakthrough Creative in Instagram
You can contact The Breakthrough Creative by emailing: john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
Carlos Huante is an accomplished creature designer for the film and video game industry.
Check out his credits at https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0399082/
Carlos began serious pursuit of his career in his early 20's and soon found himself in the animation industry working on Alvin and the Chipmunks and The Real Ghostbusters. Eventually, this led to his Creature Design specialization in the practical special effects world under the likes of Rick Baker, Rob Bottin and ADI. Listen to how Carlos' confidence and 'go-get-it' attitude goes a long way to making a successful creative career. You can follow Carlos' at: https://instagram.com/carlos_huante
https://instagram.com/galleryanatom
https://www.patreon.com/Anatom
www.carlos-huante-monstruo.com
Please share this episode with the artists in your life. Follow The
Breakthrough Creative at:
Https://Instagram.com/thebreakthroughcreative
You can contact The Breakthrough Creative by emailing
john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
Hey there all you Breakthrough Creatives! Getting started is the hardest part. There are so many internal and external pressures (and excuses) that can stop us before we ever start. In this episode I share about starting, finding accountability and committing to the journey. This is foundational stuff that will make you strong for the journey ahead! Please share this episode with the artists in your life.
Follow The Breakthrough Creative at: Https://Instagram.com/thebreakthroughcreative
For feedback, coaching and booking John to speak write to john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
Steve Rogers owns a video production company and is a competitive fisherman. He combined both interests to create his YouTube channel, Steve Rogers Outdoors, where he shares fishing tips content with his growing audience.
In this episode, Steve shares his approach to successfully building an audience for his YouTube channel which has allowed him to monetize in a variety of ways.
Follow The Breakthrough Creative at: https://instagram.com/thebreakthroughcreative
john@thebreakthroughcreative.com
Debb Oliver is a spectacular portrait artist! She paints pictures of people in watercolor and in Procreate, a digital app for the iPad. Debb lives in Australia and has a huge following on Instagram at The Monkey Brush and a backlog of commissions beyond 2020! Debb tells us about how she came up with her studio name, how she started and maintains her busy schedule with her iPad and Apple Pencil and her amazing encounter with Bindi Irwin and her family.
If you love the show please subscribe and give us great review and rating on your podcast platform.
You can reach us at john@thebreakthroughcreative.com . I would love to hear your comments, questions and suggestions. Please share this with the artist in your life.
Dave Collingwood is a professional drummer and cymbalsmith. After a touring career met his desire to be closer to home, Dave began crafting cymbals for hobby and eventually for sale. Today Dave operates Collingwood Cymbals.
This episode unpacks Dave’s story, his determined journey into cymbalsmithing and we go deep on a number of fronts.
Please subscribe to the show, leave a rating/review and share with the artists in your life!
For questions or guest suggestions, you can reach John at john@mcdavittdesign.com
Joe Bianco is a Voiceover Talent. He spends his days recording for clients who need an 'audio actor.'
Joe is a 'roll-up-his-sleeves,' 'lunchpail' kind of artist. He determined early on that he needed to carve out a creative niche suited to his skills and the microphone became his ally.
I particularly appreciated Joe sharing about a college course called 'Performance Problems.' Pay special attention to that part of the interview.
You can reach Joe at https://www.actorjoebianco.com
The Breakthrough Creative podcast is hosted by John McDavitt. Drop John a line at john@mcdavittdesign.com if you have any comment, questions or guest suggestions for the show.
Amy Rogers is a lover of the arts and an advocate for artists.
She oversees www.selfemploymentinthearts.com , or SEA, which exists to help "you, the artist, succeed by connecting and exposing you to resources, artist practitioners, experts in the field, and more through our website, workshops, conferences, and other programs."
Amy and I talk about the benefits of SEA, attendee's stories and the connections between artists that have happened through the conference.
Casey Page is a Breakthrough Creative!
Casey, owner of Cardinal House Studios, is a fine artist who paints a variety of subjects in a variety of mediums on a variety things!
Casey shares his journey from part-time to full-time artist and how he gets after it with enthusiasm, energy and hard work!
You can find Casey at:
https://www.instagram.com/cardinalhousestudios/
Please share this podcast with the artists in your life!
You can reach John at mcdavittdesign@gmail.com
Visualization is a POWERFUL TOOL to assist you in your professional journey - especially if you are just starting out!
I share examples of the benefits of VISUALIZATION in my life and career (that brought me to Skywalker Ranch!) and break down the REASONS TO USE VISUALIZATION and HOW TO PRACTICE VISUALIZATION.
Please leave me a 5-star rating and a review if you find The Breakthrough Creative is an encouragement to your creative journey. PLEASE SHARE with the ARTISTS in your life.
https://mcdavittdesign.com
https://instagram.com/thebreakthroughcreative
https://instagram.com/muralguy
Jessi is a Breakthrough Creative!
Jessi is a Creative Director with a copywriting background. She
recently opened a floral business named Gary (after her dad). A
surprising twist to Gary is the 'pop-up floral shop' ingredient made possible by the purchase of a mobile camper. (Way to be an imaginative entrepreneur, Jessi!)
You can find Jessi on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/pensivegirl/ or https://www.instagram.com/alwayswanderhome/
Please subscribe to The Breakthrough Creative, leave us a 5-star rating and review (It REALLY helps to get the word out).
Please share with the artists in your life!
Dave Starr is a Breakthrough Creative!
Dave is an industrial designer in the product development space whose recent journey has landed him at Tesseract Ventures leading R&D for a Robotics and AI start-up in Kansas City, and a side gig teaching design at the University of Kansas. (Boy, are those students fortunate!)
We jabber about product development, design-thinking, and... Adam West.
You can reach Dave at Dave@tesseractventures.io or hit him up on LinkedIn!
Please share this with the artists in your life!
Brandy Sales is a Breakthrough Creative!
Brandy is the owner of WeCast Productions, a video marketing content company that helps non-profits fundraise through video and provides on-camera coaching for real estate agents.
Brandy’s journey has grown from a one-man show to a largely hands-off operation that he oversees from a creative managerial position.
An important aspect of Brandy’s journey has been his ability to turn his failures into success!
Please subscribe to my channel if you find my content beneficial and be sure to share it with the creative artist in your life!
Karen Kohout is a Breakthrough Creative!
Karen shares about her process and eye for forecasting trends in the marketplace and how she applies them to her work in product development.
You can find Karen on LinkedIn.
Please share this show with the artists in your life!
Mark Wedow is a Breakthrough Creative!
Mark is a civil engineer who spends the rest of his time playing guitar in his cover band, Centerfold, creating majestic images as a photographer, fabricating character costumes, playing Chicagoland’s Best Santa every Christmas all while finding time to design and execute a haunted attraction for Halloween.
You can reach Mark at mvwedow@aol.com
Please share this podcast with the artist in your life and give us a review and 5 star rating to help bring awareness to the show.
Greg Eichelberger is a Breakthrough Creative (and one of my best friends)!
Greg shares about learning guitar, joining a heavy metal band, finding his faith (and a calling), starting & operating his recording studio, Grevan Music, and friendship.
You can reach Greg at grevanstudios@yahoo.com
Please subscribe and share with the artists in your life.
Ricky McEachern is a Breakthrough Creative!
Ricky shares about his creative journey to Fine Artist via engineering, sales and the internet, his creative process, how he manages his time by making 'lanes' and his podcast, Eager To Know (E2K). You can find Ricky at rickyartist.com.
Please subscribe and share with the artists in your life.
This is a follow-up episode to last week's topic, 'How to Manage a Client Meeting.'
If Client Meetings can MAKE or BREAK your business, then Completing the Client Project is just as important.
In this episode I give you a behind the scenes play-by-play of how I manage and deliver a quality project on time despite a number of challenges working against me.
Please let me know what you think and share this with your creative biz friends!
For questions, Business Coaching or Design/Art Lessons email: mcdavittdesign@gmail.com
Client Meetings can MAKE or BREAK your business. In this episode I share how I manage client meetings with a real-life, play-by-play meeting I had not to long ago.
There is A LOT of helpful info in this episode.
Please let me know what you think and share this with your creative biz friends!
For questions, Business Coaching or Design/Art Lessons email: mcdavittdesign@gmail.com
Brian Prairie is a Breakthrough Creative!
We talk about his humble beginnings, resiliency, soft skills, he value of criticism, seeing reality clearly and geek out over our top 5 (or 20) movies list. You can find Brian at ravenspringcreative.com and at instagram @brianprairie.
Victor Ku is a Breakthrough Creative!
Victor is the owner of The Mighty Pegasus where he creates artwork to show and sell at comic-con-type conventions.
He shares how he got started, how to prep for a comic convention and his amazing encounter with Man of Steel and Batman V Superman movie director, Zack Snyder.
You can contact Victor at mightypegasus.deviantart@gmail.com and follow him on Instagram @mightypegasus
Please subscribe and give this podcast a 5-star review to help spread the word!
Kim Witte is a Breakthrough Creative!
Kim is the owner and operator of Witte Artistry where she create jaw-dropping makeups and tutorials for her YouTube, Tiktok, IG accounts and more.
Kim has amassed an amazing number of followers in her very brief career and shares her love of makeup and her start in the social media landscape.
You can contact Kim at https://witteartistry.com
Please give this podcast a 5-star review to support us!
You can contact The Breakthrough Creative at:
thebreakthroughcreativepodcast@gmail.com
Kim Witte is a Breakthrough Creative!
Kim is the owner and operator of Witte Artistry where she create jaw-dropping makeups and tutorials for her YouTube, Tiktok, IG accounts and more.
Kim has amassed an amazing number of followers in her very brief career and shares her love of makeup and her start in the social media landscape.
You can contact Kim at witteartistry.com
Please give this podcast a 5-star review to support us!
You can contact The Breakthrough Creative at:
thebreakthroughcreativepodcast@gmail.com
Kate Sartorius is a Breakthrough Creative!
Kate is a the owner and operator of Kate's Cake Design where she makes unique cake toppers for her clients.
Kate also teaches an online Cake Topper course called 'Top Tier Cake Topper Masterclass.'
You can find Kate and her work on Instagram at 'https://www.instagram.com/katescakedesign/'
Please give this podcast a 5-star review to support us and our ongoing desire to serve and inspire Creative Entrepreneurs to become Breakthrough Creatives!
You can contact he Breakthrough Creative at: thebreakthroughcreativepodcast@gmail.com
How can you get a leg up in your business? How do you become better at your craft? How can you move into new markets or industries with your creative services?
How can you just figure out HOW to get started?
Find yourself a mentor...
A MENTOR is one of the very best resources you can acquire to help you reach the next level - whether you are a beginner OR an expert!
It takes a lot of work and dedication to become a Breakthrough Creative... I believe there are 6 distinct characteristics every creative professional needs to flourish!
I break down all 6 here in todays podcast:
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Become Excellent!
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Talent Stacking
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Applied Skills
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Serve at the Highest Level
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Understand and Solve Your Clients Problems
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Communicate with Extreme Care and Clarity
You can reach John with your thoughts and questions at thebreakthroughcreative@gmail.com
Michael Spooner is a Breakthrough Creative!
Michael works as a Visual Development Designer (he designs worlds) for the film and entertainment industry. His credits include projects for Disney (The Emperor's New Groove, Lilo & Stitch), Dreamworks (Shrek), and Sony (Hotel Transylvania 2, Smurfs: The Lost Village).
He has worked with Ralph Bakshi on 1978's animated version of Tolkien's 'The Lord of the Rings' and spent some time with He-Man in the 1980's.
You can learn more about Michael by visiting his website: https://www.michaelspoonerart.com