My First Professional Art Job - Watts Weekly

This week Jeff will talk about the trials and tribulations of his first professional job: The pre-finish of the Army of Darkness movie poster.
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VIDEO CHAPTERS:
[00:00] - Intro
[00:10] - Theme From Army of Darkness
[03:09] - Jeff Talks About Getting the Job
[04:04] - Comping for the Industry
[04:42] - Pre-Finish vs Final Execution
[05:31] - Reference Photoshoot
[06:03] - 🎨MasterTip, The Reality of Working Under a Deadline
[07:24] - Getting Paid and the Business Side of Movie Work
[09:20] - Using an Underpainting For Efficiency
[10:41] - Compositing Reference and the Importance of Invention
[11:38] - Illustration is the Culmination of Your Knowledge and Ability
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Do you want to improve your figure drawing? Anatomy? Portraits? We would appreciate you stopping by the Watts Atelier website to see all the teaching that we offer. From courses on the Reilly Method, Figure Drawing, Bridgman Anatomy and Structural Drawing to portrait and figure painting we have you covered. Our Online school provides students of all levels with a solid curriculum to follow that will take you from a beginner artist to a highly proficient and if you have the dedication, a professional. Learn from illustrators and artists Jeff Watts, Erik Gist, Lucas Graciano, Ben M. Young, Meadow Gist, Robert Watts and more. We cover a wide variety of materials, mediums and techniques that you can use to help your learning. We hope to see you there!
www.wattsatelier.com/online Free Trial of Watts Atelier Online:
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[@randyranson84]

My dad was one of the top illustrators in Montreal, Quebec, he was well known by even the illustrators in Toronto too. What I wanted to know, was who was it that gave my dad the work, and when I found out it was art directors at ad agencies, I decided I wanted to be and art director, which I eventually became at the age of 21, being the youngest art director in Montreal, yet all my life I've drawn pictures and never really stopped in my love for the arts. My dad eventually passed away, and I wish I had asked him the key questions I have today. So if you're in a similar situation, take the time and ask those questions while your dad is still alive. You'll never regret it. I only wish my dad could see what's being produced today, by all the illustrators of this era, he'd be quite impressed. The talent has never been better, it's the quality and continuity that is most impressive in art today.

[@wattsatelier]

Great story. It's true that today is certainly one of the best times alive to be an artist. So much creative potential and opportunity for us all!

[@pedron.1695]

That's a awesome story and advice! If you're looking for a versatile traditional artist I would be very happy to show you my portfolio

[@randyranson84]

@@pedron.1695 Thank you Pedro, as it is right now, I'm dealing with estate issues as my mother passed away a little while ago, and I'll be lost in family matters until the middle of this year if all goes well. So I won't have the time, sorry about that.

[@pedron.1695]

@@randyranson84 gosh... I'm so sorry to hear that. My condolences. I hope you get through

[@yoyolol22]

Who's your dad?

[@HowManySystems]

Sweet, Jeff Watts + Army of Darkness

[@KiX-K4T13]

Jeff you and Stan Prokopenko are indirectly helping me develop realism skills and with that, kind of making me see the love and value realism has on creativity. Not only that, but I've been trying my best at any different medium I can. I love charcoal, colored pencils, markers, paints.. Ah hell. I think I love it all, haha.

[@KiX-K4T13]

Also, I bought your Bridgman book! Holy cats that thing is awesome! Your work is stunning, and I have tried to copy from it every day, but sometimes it turns into once a week. My sketchbook is filling up, with Yoni Baker poses, hah.

[@wattsatelier]

Keep going! Glad to hear you picked up the Bridgman Book. Hopefully we will be releasing the Arms and Legs volume next year!

[@patrickmullane30]

I had no idea you did this poster!!! I am a total nerd fan!!!

[@pavelsokov]

Love this poster, very iconic Jeff! Badass first job! I never understood why they have to give these illustration jobs 3 days before they are due, as if they didnt know the movie will require a poster

[@timowthie]

I feel like they do that on purpose.

[@kefkazeromus91]

I didn't know you did that, I love that movie. Awesome work

[@thundering1]

This is one of my favorite movie posters EVER! Had no idea you painted it. This captures the whole mood and feel of the movie perfectly! I still have that poster (the version with Embeth Davidtz added), and I giggle every time I look at it. It's just goofy fun, and you did an amazing job capturing it!

[@brucenunn3268]

I watched the whole thing.. Jeff is a Natural behind that camera.. Can’t wait to Start taking Classes And Join this Group of Respectful Teachers.. 👊😎

[@DeanHNZ]

Such a cool image. One of my fav video cover illustrations

[@BC-sh7en]

Shooting my own references is one part of the job that for some reason I have lots of fun doing it. If you get to dress up to do it, then it's even more fun 😂😅

[@lupo1185]

ha, great video - the final movie-poster is hanging in front of me on the wall behind my desk right now. Thanks for sharing!

[@pardismack]

amazing story, Jeff!

[@yogeshp2k3]

always delighted to hear from Jeff and his stories.

[@Within_Cells_Interlinked]

Great intro! 😄 Love hearing these stories.

[@littlecurrybread]

These videos are just terrific!

[@keniamaya-schmidt890]

Im so glad you talked about this i have been so curious to hear more!! I loved these movies growing up

[@aliskangajann]

So stoked to know that you are the artist for Army of Darkness movie. I really love that film. Anyways, what you talked was just I needed at this moment. I'm having a heavy deadline and could be slapped of breach of contract if I don't finish it before the given time (they already gave me extensions many times but I still didn't make it). Thank you for your insights on working hard. Really appreciate it, sir.

[@jesusavelinoleyvamendoza4478]

Your words are very insightful, kind and full of wisdom Master Jeff. This video comes to me like godsent thankyou.

[@achasonc]

Educational and entertaining. Thank you.

[@APG2112]

Had some questions in mind as I started the video and from 7min through 18min you answered them all. Thank you Jeff, take care.

[@TDuD3]

Ok.. that opened my eyes thank you for sharing the stories!

[@vartanarakelian4643]

Hi Jeff, I am 75 and when I see your drawings and paintings I amazed of such a perfectionist. Now I am self taught in drawing and when I see your works and a few other masters it pushes and encourages me to work hard. Its time to get your recommended books and thanks for everything.

[@DANTHETUBEMAN]

The lighting 🕯️ is perfect movie 🍿🎥 poster 🎨 art, the charcuterie is rugged, the bead army is great. We lived the entire series in high school as they came out. You really captures Ash

[@corlenkruger464]

Hey Jeff , thanks for the great video and the insights is really interesting , i cant believe you created the original comp painting for Army of Darkness , its incredible !!! Have a great and creative day ! :)

[@TheBat39]

Always sage advice from you, Jeff! I love hearing your stories and advice! I wish I could’ve bought that painting!

[@michelangelo_6933]

Really like your hyped up energy in this video Jeff - I love how excited you still are about art so deep into your career. Ps Army Of Darkness was a favourite film of my brother and I growing up. Amazing work on the painting.

[@TheAzhighwayman]

It is always great to watch Jeff sharing some of his wisdom and knowledge....Anyway grow that beard back

[@zebposada]

Lovely image. Loving how you guys are tackling the qeekloest. So much inspiration.

[@michaelangelo5217]

Appreciate the videos Jeff

[@ElianaLemosArt]

What a great share! And what a poster for a 19/20 year old artist? 🤩 so inspiring! Please do more of these and props to whom suggested this weekly (Jeff mentioned the teacher's name but I didn't hear it clearly). Anyways, thank youu!

[@dezlacell7610]

Man. What a great story

[@santone1849]

fantastic Video and painting loved this .

[@peckerdecker]

Wow... You made that lovely movie poster. I remember seeing the VHS poster... Everywhere here in the midlands (,uk). Right next to Dolph in _joshoua tree_ . Brilliant stuff. Well done sir

[@Eliel7230]

Great Story !

[@kristonterbutt7373]

Wow, cool,you did this cool comp for a legendary film. Awesome start to get this kind of oportunity early on. Hard work but worth it . Cheers.

[@kevinkolodinsky4805]

I just learned something here that I never thought of! I have been in this industry for over a decade, lead designer/concept for Movie Titles, and never even questioned WHY they pay net 30/60/90 days. To make the Interest off their budget so the work I did was free for them ha.. Thank you for that. PS. I continue to torture myself project after project.

[@theonebegotten]

"My dad helped me" This can not be overstated

[@turtleultraviolet758]

It's surprising to hear that you didn't have any students initially Jeff. It's encouraging to hear these stories of how to persevere through the challenges.

[@lukasketner]

Just discovered/subscribed to your channel, thanks for the great videos! I love the Men in Black analogy. My "Men in Black" reset after a difficult job is sometimes just the piece itself too. If I like the finished product enough, all that pain gets suppressed and I kinda auto-delete how much it sucked to go hard with no sleep for a few days. Then it's on to the next thing with an unrealistic optimism that this time will be easier :D

[@abhedpatil7822]

There are 2 lord ganesh idols behind you...happy to see our indian gods in your studio.....much much love and respect to u and your artwork

[@jaysato]

wow had no idea you did the Army of Darkness. havent seen it but an iconic piece as a cover/poster

[@breedbeeld_podcast]

very cool story!

[@notsure4475]

That was an inspired piece, the pose says it all. Can't believe it was 30+ years ago

[@marcosjosegomesdossantos1577]

Perfeitas artes..👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@samankucher5117]

Epic

[@ronweed2030]

Hilarious movie - that was a great effort for a first at bat!!! The medical analogy - 🤣. Sort of out of left field - but you made it work. That near Miss on the Army of Darkness - ouch! ...glad it worked out otherwise. I've seen stories of other highly skilled artist who didn't recover from such things. It really is one of the most difficult businesses bar none.

[@Jezeriah]

While in college, Michael Hissar painted the final promotional piece featuring ash and the damsel at his leg. Not Drew Struzan, as this video suggests.

[@angeliqueroux3017]

Would love to hear you talk about building a fine art career 😌

[@angeliqueroux3017]

How does it differ from the illustration industry, how to work with galleries, turnaround times/exhibit deadlines and preparations, etc ☺️

[@karnoldas]

As always great story telling about your past! Today movie industry just abuse and don't want to pay at all it they can.

[@abhinavbhardwaj5517]

I was feeling if I should move towards doing professional works at 15 . Now I feel I have more time to even take my skills ta next level. Thanks Jeff it's always amazing listening to your advice. Also Jeff I would love to know how and at what age you actually started studying art and what process you went therough.

[@ChetLeDuke]

Thanks for sharing. Not sure why at 4:47 you imply Drew Struzan did the finish when in reality it was Michael Hussar, but w/e!

[@amritpalhh9836]

Tbh Yh I’m 29 I’m still tryna get there with a full time job I hope I make it one day

[@seannicholes]

It can be really difficult to figure out who painted some of the old cover Arts, I've Loved this painting for many years and tried to figure out who did it. To find out it was you and that it was your first pro job just about blew my mind apart. I would love to be able to attend the school in person, but unfortunately live on the east coast. Maybe online one day.

[@havefundrawing]

Streaming registration is open in a few days! I took one class last term and it was great!

[@roathripper]

did you listen, he didn't do the final version of the poster!

[@wattsatelier]

There is always opportunity for people to come out to the school, if you want to send us an email through our site and we try to do our best to help students looking for more information on how to make the move a possibility! Of course, as someone mentioned streaming registration opens up tomorrow!

[@Siegfried5846]

It would be cool to see you paint the same thing again to see how you've gotten better with the years

[@roathripper]

are you kidding? he nailed it already!

[@Siegfried5846]

@@roathripper I never said it was bad, but this was painted in the 80's, and he talks a lot about training your whole life.

[@hariseldon6392]

@@Siegfried5846 if you're just hoping to see if he can make something that's "better", you won't find it. The life of an artist is always changing. You could be at your peak painting level at age 30, but by age 50, you're just not that interested in accomplishing some super realistic drawing that will look good for a movie poster. That's no longer a priority. If Jeff painted this Army of Darkness poster again, sure he will probably nail it again. Perhaps even better. But there is a better chance that he will inject his years of knowledge but more than that his experience in who he is as a person into it more than making even more detailed and hyper real - which at the end of the day is meaningless when it comes to true display of skill. He will most likely draw a looser and more fine art approach to it and leave room for the imagination.

[@randalllaue4042]

Wish had CC Available, not that different than resistance in hospital, artists expect these fast turnaround jobs... especially your dad to buffer.

[@NME10E]

Whaaaat?! You painted the Army of Darkness cover?!! That’s amazing, thanks for creating and sharing with the world.

[@amritpalhh9836]

Ash!!

[@marcosjosegomesdossantos1577]

Como você fez essas artes? Foi tinha óleo?..

[@dreadwinter]

So the movie industry makes a number of people work without sleep through the weekend as a competition on which one of them gets paid? And then the pay comes months late? Did i understand that right?

[@wattsatelier]

Everyone gets paid for the preliminary work they do. Like Jeff said, he was paid a good amount of money for this painting, the "pre-finish." The big battle is to see who's preliminary painting gets chosen to be to final finish where you can make quite a lot more. But, yes the pay takes forever, such is the life of a freelancer.

[@steveelliott667]

How do I get an autographed print of this I would very much like one

[@Norfolk250]

I'll never look at that torso the same again. (is that a good or bad thing?! HA!)

[@randalllaue4042]

Love your insights to real world of art... don’t teach this in school...

[@randalllaue4042]

Plus your Dad was a tremendous help and support!!

[@chinmay6249]

Yours was way better than John Bolton.

[@robinlinh]

"ah yes super heroes fantasy character fighting skeleton. Cool" "this is me actually" *you wut mate?*

[@farben_]

I'm not an expert but I don't think you flip pizzas, hamburgers on the other hand...

[@luciferfernandez7094]

Well, the experience was not priceless- it cost you 40.000. Not the kind of experience one forgets, tough. 😊

[@randalllaue4042]

Now I want to have your mom do a talk about being an artists wife, and be an artist mom and

[@randalllaue4042]

Living in that environment...

[@orange3965]

It's just capitalism. There is no fairness.