The Artist's Journey with Dela Longfish & Rafael Grassetti: The Myth of Breaking into the Industry
Time
Fri, Mar 11, 2022
11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Location/Platform
Live stream (Twitch, YouTube, Facebook)
Join us on Friday, March 11th for the first installment of “The Artist’s Journey!” This live stream series will focus on tackling some of the commonly asked questions from aspiring artists. From how to stay inspired to the types of skills studios are looking for, the topics in this series aim to challenge the everyday barriers artists face and provide valuable insight from industry professionals working in the field.
We are thrilled to welcome "God of War" artists Dela Longfish and Rafael Grassetti to our first Artist’s Journey stream as we discuss the myth of “breaking into the industry.” For those starting out, the journey into the entertainment industry can seem difficult and mysterious, however, quite the opposite can be true. The pathways leading to a rewarding and sustainable career in digital art are well-established and may be more accessible than you think!
During the interview, our host, Adam Hartel, will be speaking with Dela and Raf about their unique journeys to studio life, the process of establishing themselves as professional artists, and advice for young artists as they refine their skills and discover the best path forward to accomplish their goals. Additionally, viewers will have an opportunity to ask questions in the chat.
As Lead Character Concept Artist at Santa Monica Studio, Dela Longfish leads a team of artists for God of War Ragnarok. Rafael Grassetti serves as Art Director for the God of War franchise at Santa Monica Studio, as well as being a prolific character artist in the game industry. Together, these two artists have led the teams that have designed and modeled some of the most compelling characters in the game industry.
Immediately after this interview, Adam will be sharing a brief informational session about art careers in the entertainment industry and how Gnomon is training artists for those careers.
Events with closed captioning are available via Gnomon's Facebook Page.
Gnomon's full-time programs and 10-week individual courses are designed to develop well-rounded artists that are skilled in the diverse disciplines within 3D production. For those that reside outside of the US, virtual classroom-style online courses are also available.
Guest Speakers
Dela Longfish
Lead Character Concept Artist
Dela Longfish has been working for over 15 years as a visual development artist in video games and film for clients including Santa Monica Studio, Lucasarts, and ILM. He is currently the Lead Character Concept Artist at Santa Monica Studio where he is working on God of War Ragnarok.
Raf Grassetti
Art Director / Principal Artist
Raf Grassetti is both a digital and traditional artist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over 17 years. He is one of the best-known digital sculptors in the world and contributed to some of the most successful franchises in the world, winning many awards over the years including best Art Director, best Digital Sculptor, and Video Game of the year awards. Grassetti launched his career as a traditional sculptor, but he then transitioned to digital sculpting after discovering the power of immortalizing his subjects in digital stone.
Raf has already made a name for himself in the NFT space with some high-profile sales, and was one of the top-selling artists in Christie's "Proof of Sovereignty" Auction and Sotheby's "Contemporary Curated" Auction. Currently located in Los Angeles, he is working as an Art Director at Sony Santa Monica’s God of War franchise, as well as working on his personal art book, exhibition/gallery work, and crypto art.
Beau Janzen
Gnomon Education Lead
As Education Lead, Beau is responsible for developing the curriculum for Gnomon’s VFX courses. Beau makes a continuous assessment of the visual effects industry and ensures that Gnomon’s scholastic pursuits are meeting these technical and artistic standards. Through exposure to industry professionals as well as a decade creating curriculum for postsecondary technological art-making institutions, Beau helps foster a high-level specialty skill-sets, while still providing a broad view of the production pipeline so students understand their own integration into a visual effects team. Beau also provides mentorship to students and works with Gnomon’s faculty to foster communication across all programs. He has over twenty-five years of experience as a CG Supervisor, artist, and instructor. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design from Ball State University and a Master's degree from the University of Kentucky in Instructional Systems Design.