Karla Ortiz on the Experiences that Made Her a Better Artist
In this episode of GameDay, we were joined by Karla Ortiz, whose concepts have powered films from Jurassic World to Avengers: Endgame, and whose illustrations have been featured in Magic: The Gathering and numerous book covers. She called into the GameDay stage at LightBox Expo from her home painting studio (did we mention she’s also a phenomenal oil painter?), where she recounts hilarious tales from her experience growing up and becoming an artist.
One thing is immediately clear when talking to Karla: her positive attitude. Not just her propensity for laughter, but the way she views art itself. Instead of taking her artwork and feedback from others personally, she views art analytically, like a puzzle to be solved.
"My failures in art weren't a reflection of myself as a human being, but rather that I just didn't know and I needed to learn."
This can be a hard lesson to truly appreciate. It’s only natural to see ourselves in our art, and it can be disheartening to see how much further along other artists are. But the truth is even artists as talented as Karla still wrestle with that little voice of doubt. As Karla’s father says, “you’re not an artist unless you want to quit art at least once.”
Failure, whether we like it or not, is an integral part of becoming great at anything. Thankfully, people like Karla are around to remind us that success doesn’t come overnight, and that our humbling moments can be sources of inspiration or even entertainment.
About Karla Ortiz
Karla is an award winning artist who enjoys working on a diverse and wide variety of projects. As a concept artist and professional Illustrator, her clients have included Ubisoft, Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), Marvel Film Studios, Universal Studios, HBO, and Wizards of the Coast, as well as various independent authors and toy makers. As a fine artist, her work has shown in galleries from San Francisco to Paris.
You can learn more about her at her website or follow her on Instagram and Twitter.
About Game Day
GameDay is a video series from KitBash3D featuring world-building demos and interviews with artists from projects like THE LAST OF US PART II, HALO, STAR WARS, AVATAR and many more. GameDay is hosted by KitBash3D founders Maxx & Banks and originally aired live in partnership with LightBox Expo.
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