Stan and Marshall talk about the frustrating "intermediate plateau" a stage where artists feel stuck. They explore causes like boredom, complacency, and unclear goals, and give advice on how to push through using feedback, mentorship, passion projects, and risk-taking.

SHOW LINKS (some contain affiliate links):

Animal Anatomy For Artists by Joe Weatherly (Foreword by Marshall Vandruff) - https://amzn.to/4f1Fquk

George Woodbridge (Mad Magazine Artist) - https://img-resizer.proko.com/o/media/images/stan/dm-s4e8-lesson-notes-mad-magazine-george-woodbridge-catch-22-issue.jpg

Jack Davis (Mad Magazine Artist) - https://img-resizer.proko.com/o/media/images/stan/dm-s4e8-lesson-notes-mad-magazine-jack-davis-catch-22-issue.jpg

23 Habits for Artists - Draftsmen S1E14 - https://youtu.be/WrKyzUMERKc?si=xAt2uqF3JawxIYAm

Mastery by George Leonard - https://amzn.to/4o1zxBc

Marshall’s small artwork from his 30’s - https://img-resizer.proko.com/o/media/images/stan/dm-s4e8-lesson-notes-marshall-vandruff-drawing-small-caterpillar-framed-with-size-text.jpg https://img-resizer.proko.com/o/media/images/stan/dm-s4e8-lesson-notes-marshall-vandruff-drawing-small-caterpillar-full-size.jpg

Rembrandt (photo by Olivier Middendorp) - https://img-resizer.proko.com/o/media/images/stan/dm-s4e8-lesson-notes-stan-prokopenko-pikachu-wolverine.jpg

Leonardo da Vinci - https://img-resizer.proko.com/o/media/images/stan/dm-s4e8-lesson-notes-leonardo-da-vinci-bear-sketch-framed.jpg https://img-resizer.proko.com/o/media/images/stan/dm-s4e8-lesson-notes-leonardo-da-vinci-bear-sketch-full.jpg

When by Daniel Pink - https://amzn.to/44HYjir

Masterclass (Ron Howard) - https://www.masterclass.com/classes/ron-howard-teaches-directing

Masterclass (Mira Nair) - https://www.masterclass.com/classes/mira-nair-teaches-independent-filmmaking

Masterclass (Martin Scorsese) - https://www.masterclass.com/classes/martin-scorsese-teaches-filmmaking Masterclass (Margaret Atwood) - https://www.masterclass.com/classes/margaret-atwood-teaches-creative-writing

Creativity by Mihaly Csikszentmihaly - https://amzn.to/45elml4

Think Like a Freak by Steven D. Levitt - https://amzn.to/3IDvElY Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt - https://amzn.to/3Uq4YHS

Kristian Nee’s youtube channel - https://www.youtube.com/@KristianNeeTV

Kristians Podcast with Marshall - “What Every Artist Needs to Hear (But Nobody Says)” - https://youtu.be/ptXnRU-HGxQ?si=qSKU8po6gqpU1MgJ

Stan’s Anatomy Course - https://proko.com/anatomy

Anatomy Course Drawings (only on screen briefly for how much work went into them) - https://img-resizer.proko.com/o/media/images/stan/dm-s4e8-lesson-notes-stan-prokopenko-popeye-stan.jpg

Pinocchio (1940) - https://amzn.to/44RzdO0

Frankenstein by Bernie Wrightson - https://img-resizer.proko.com/o/media/images/stan/dm-s4e8-lesson-notes-frankenstein-by-bernie-wrightson-illustration-1.jpg https://img-resizer.proko.com/o/media/images/stan/dm-s4e8-lesson-notes-frankenstein-by-bernie-wrightson-illustration-2.jpg

The Upside of Quitting - Freakonomics Radio - https://freakonomics.com/podcast/the-upside-of-quitting-3/

Cops TV Show (1989-present) - https://amzn.to/4mqyb1F

Sexy Beast (2000) - https://amzn.to/3UtbugY

Kimon Nicolaïdes - https://img-resizer.proko.com/o/media/images/stan/dm-s4e8-lesson-notes-kimon-nicolaides-gesture-sketches.jpeg

Learn to Draw - www.proko.com

Marshall Vandruff - www.marshallart.com

Stan Prokopenko - instagram.com/stanprokopenko

Kristian Nee - https://www.kristiannee.com/ 

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Stan and Marshall break down how to learn color by combining theory and practice without getting stuck in rules. They explain hue, value, and saturation, share stories about their own color frustrations, and outline exercises like using limited palettes, plein air painting, and master studies. You’ll learn why repetition, observation, and balancing intuition with knowledge are key to developing your color sense over time.

Show Links (some contain affiliate links):

Show Notes - proko.com/883

Building a Dream Art Studio - proko.com/370

How to Learn Anatomy - proko.com/339

How to Learn Perspective - proko.com/369

How to Learn Composition - proko.com/426

Learn to Draw - www.proko.com

Marshall Vandruff - www.marshallart.com

Stan Prokopenko - instagram.com/stanprokopenko

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Stan and Marshall discuss how the art industry is always changing, facing challenges like economic downturns, tech advances, and shifts in consumer behavior and the importance for artists to adapt to survive. Industries go through cycles, and the art world is no different. Stay resilient, improve your skills, and be open to new ways of working, like collaboration, using technology, or finding alternative income sources. Embrace change, build mental strength, and focus on creating value to navigate the uncertainties of the art industry.

Learn to Draw - www.proko.com

Marshall Vandruff - www.marshallart.com

Stan Prokopenko - instagram.com/stanprokopenko

Show Links (some contain affiliate links):

Let's Have Another Cup of Coffee by Irving Berlin - https://youtu.be/rFniGuoCBXA

Prosperity Is Just Around Which Corner? by Carson Robison - https://youtu.be/mkNn4WUwtCA

Crips and Bloods, made in America - https://amzn.to/4cxgYhp

Jeffrey Katzenberg - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeffrey_Katzenberg

Highest Grossing Animated Films - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_highest-grossing_animated_films

James Gurney Blog Post - Why Are Art Schools Closing? - jamesgurney.substack.com/p/why-are-art-schools-closing

Radiorunner’s Curriculum - https://www.reddit.com/r/learnart/comments/dapk62/from_the_guy_who_made_the_most_comprehensive_list/

Being Mortal by Atul Gawande - https://amzn.to/4dPNix3

Andrew Huberman - https://www.hubermanlab.com/

Simon Sinek -​​ https://simonsinek.com

Simon Sinek - Coronavirus Team Speech - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdSWReBrQuk

Don Richardson IMDb - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0724504/

Edgar Müller sidewalk art - https://www.metanamorph.com/

SLEW - https://slewniverse.com/

Meet The Man Who Can Teach Anyone to Draw - https://youtu.be/Usry6gVEAcE?si=6OBw6M1Gb0fGvRa8

In-Depth Tour of the Greatest Art Studio in California - https://youtu.be/R4ocBGf0614?si=UOaYZn76HIVtS7Gn

SLEW doc on Zac Crawford - This Artist Makes $1,000 Per Day Drawing People in NYC - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kA9Qk4HKa4

Tim Ferriss - https://tim.blog/

Maui Nui Venison Sticks - https://mauinuivenison.com/

Perfect Bar - https://perfectsnacks.com/

Artists Mentioned: 

Justin Sweet

Vance Kovacs

Vance’s Mouse Guard art - Old Greyfur Tells a Story.jpg

Artists who studied at the closed American Academy of Art College in Chicago - Thomas Blackshear, Alex Ross, Richard Schmid, Howard Terpning, Gil Elvgren, Haddon Sundblom

Remedios Varo

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Long-term projects require dedication, focus, and patience, often starting with a big goal and breaking it into smaller, manageable tasks. Marshall and Stan discuss the crucial way to stay motivated by celebrating small wins and maintaining a balance between work and rest to avoid burnout. Collaboration can help, but knowing when to delegate is key. The two also talk about embracing unexpected bursts of inspiration and using your most energetic times for critical tasks. Remember, saying no to less important things can help you focus on what truly matters.

Learn to Draw - www.proko.com

Marshall Vandruff - www.marshallart.com

Stan Prokopenko - instagram.com/stanprokopenko

Show Links (some contain affiliate links):

Atoms shoes - https://atoms.com/

Golden Mind Gold Milk - https://remedyorganics.com/

Coconut Water - https://harmlessharvest.com/

Kyoto Uji Matcha - https://www.ochaandco.com/

CLARI-TI SuperShot (Blue Spirulina) - https://solti.com/

23 Habits for Artists - Draftsmen S01E14 - https://youtu.be/WrKyzUMERKc?si=fYmxznu8jEGStBGP

A Game of Pool - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOorjFsGNKU

Figure Course - https://www.proko.com/figure

Anatomy Course - https://www.proko.com/anatomy

Young Frankenstein - https://tv.apple.com/ca/movie/young-frankenstein/umc.cmc.qdwp732xvf641j94g9shwan7

Daniel Pink Ted Talk - https://youtu.be/rrkrvAUbU9Y?si=Q39zREtWeoP45peM

Ken Burns Masterclass - https://www.masterclass.com/classes/ken-burns-teaches-documentary-filmmaking

Ken Burns Brooklyn Bridge Documentary - https://amzn.to/3WH3OZw

Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001) - https://amzn.to/3AkLxcN

Design Your Career with a Whiteboard - https://www.proko.com/whiteboard

The Art of Songwriting with Stephen Sondheim and Adam Guettel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TofC3KD-h8M

The Psychology of Performance by Dr. Eddie O’Connor - https://amzn.to/4dAkTM1

Books:

Atomic Habits by James Clear - https://amzn.to/3M0ZDCT

Six Thinking Hats by Edward de Bono - https://amzn.to/3YCtZmF

Drive by Daniel Pink - https://amzn.to/4cmCMfO

When by Daniel Pink - https://amzn.to/4fHQU64

Slow Productivity by Cal Newport - https://amzn.to/3M7W8KE

Zen in the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury - https://amzn.to/3SGL3nx

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Marshall and Stan discuss the importance of cinematic perspective in storytelling, emphasizing how camera placement, movement, lighting, and color can influence the audience's emotions and perceptions. By manipulating these elements, artists can create dynamic and engaging narratives. They also touched on the contrast between continuity and dialectic approaches in film editing, using examples from classic and modern films to illustrate how these techniques enhance storytelling.

Learn to Draw - www.proko.com

Marshall Vandruff - www.marshallart.com

Stan Prokopenko - instagram.com/stanprokopenko

Show Links (some contain affiliate links):

The Perspective Course - http://proko.com/perspective 

Marvel's The Art of Storytelling - http://proko.com/marvel 

Cody Shank - https://codyshank.com 

Sergei Eisenstein - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergei_Eisenstein 

Vsevolod Pudovkin - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vsevolod_Pudovkin 

The Kuleshov Effect - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuleshov_effect 

Storytelling - Draftsmen S3E32 - https://www.proko.com/course-lesson/storytelling-draftsmen-s3e32/ 

Storytelling Lessons from The Simpsons - https://www.proko.com/simpsons 

Books:

Tongue Twisters by Alvin Schwartz - https://amzn.to/46xEeup

The Elements of Eloquence by Mark Forsyth - https://amzn.to/4fs9sr3 

Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens - https://amzn.to/4ceFCDh 

The Pickwick Papers, AKA The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club by Charles Dickens - https://amzn.to/3WsCxcU 

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens - https://amzn.to/4fxI8HO

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austin - https://amzn.to/3A7yDic 

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin - https://amzn.to/4ceFNyr 

Where’s Waldo by Martin Handford - https://amzn.to/3AaBA1z 

Understanding Movies by Louis Giannetti - https://amzn.to/4ca5hx6 

Thank You For Arguing by Jay Heinrichs - https://amzn.to/4dweyk9 

Movies:

Ben-Hur (1925) - https://amzn.to/3YAbeAq 

The Bear (2022 - Present) - https://www.hulu.com/series/05eb6a8e-90ed-4947-8c0b-e6536cbddd5f 

Peaky Blinders (2013-2022) - https://www.netflix.com/title/80002479 

Toy Story (1995) - https://amzn.to/4clhAGS 

M*A*S*H (1970) - https://amzn.to/3X3u2H7 

The Wizard of Oz (1939) - https://amzn.to/46CgdT1 

Battleship Potemkin (1925) - https://amzn.to/4ci88Ed

Back to the Future (1985) - https://amzn.to/4cgTD3m 

Memento (2000) - https://amzn.to/46xFfCJ

Betrayal (1983) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iu2iT8fj3VI 

Cast Away (2000) - https://amzn.to/46B5loi 

Network (1976) - https://amzn.to/3LSlFHV 

The Social Network (2010) - https://amzn.to/3SFdtyj 

Double Indemnity (1944) - https://amzn.to/3WuiPh4 

The Hangover (2009) - https://amzn.to/3Aaxwyd 

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly (1966) - https://amzn.to/3SFuWXv

Midnight Run (1988) - https://amzn.to/4dhMl0U

One Hour Photo (2002) - https://amzn.to/4dw3XFY 

Dr. Strangelove (1964) - https://amzn.to/4dbPXBq 

Ordinary People (1980) - https://amzn.to/3SExoO9 

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In this special SDCC panel, Stan is joined by Marvel artists and instructors from the course to share their personal journeys and offer advice for aspiring comic book artists. Learn what it takes to become a professional comic artist straight from the experts themselves. Find out how long it took them to get their break at Marvel, why they create comics, and get insider tips for getting a job in the industry.

Signup for "Marvel's The Art of Storytelling" - proko.com/marvel

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This episode follows painter Stephen Bauman's journey from graffiti artist to fine art professional. He discusses his beginnings tagging buildings in Miami, training at the prestigious Florence Academy, and developing his artistic skills and philosophy. Bauman provides insights into mastering figure drawing, finding inspiration, judging good art, and creating work that is beautifully crafted.

Stephen Bauman - www.stephenbaumanartwork.com/

Learn to Draw - www.proko.com

Stan Prokopenko - instagram.com/stanprokopenko

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Legendary artist and instructor Glenn Vilppu sits down for an intimate discussion on his artistic journey, sharing wisdom and advice for mastering fundamentals like gesture drawing and developing your own artistic voice. Vilppu explains his training under old master artists and transition from painting to animation, emphasizing imagination over imitation. He provides tips on how to study classical techniques, use anatomical references, and avoid common mistakes like stiff gestures.

Glenn Vilppu - vilppuacademy.com/

Learn to Draw - www.proko.com

Stan Prokopenko - instagram.com/stanprokopenko

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Former Disney animator Aaron Blaise discusses his rapid journey to animating major characters at 21, losing his wife and leaving Disney, and starting an art education website to pass on artistic knowledge. Blaise also talks about his lifelong obsession with drawing animals, gaining inspiration from mentor Glen Keane, and the traditional hand-drawn animation process at Disney.

Aaron Blaise - creatureartteacher.com

Learn to Draw - www.proko.com

Stan Prokopenko - instagram.com/stanprokopenko

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This interview with Steve Huston covers his journey from comic books to fine art painting, his unique style combining realism with abstract expressionism, and his insights on figure drawing. Steve explains his mastery of lighting and form, approach to conveying emotion through art, and thoughts on engaging audiences. He also covers some of his artistic philosophies and the path it took to becoming a master painter and beloved instructor.

Steve Huston - stevehustonart.com

Learn to Draw - www.proko.com

Stan Prokopenko - instagram.com/stanprokopenko

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This interview with illustrator Karl Kopinski covers his artistic journey, from early influences like fantasy novels and biology books to honing his skills at Games Workshop. Karl provides an inside look at freelancing for big brands like Magic: The Gathering and Netflix, building an accidental social media following thanks to his wife's encouragement, and the discipline needed to draw for 10+ hours daily. He also shares funny stories from conventions, his approach to developing original characters, and the obsessive research that goes into historical paintings.

Karl Kopinski - karlkopinski.com/

Learn to Draw - www.proko.com

Stan Prokopenko - instagram.com/stanprokopenko

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