Interview Summary Featured

Pablo Carpio X Schoolism Interview Summary

In this summary, you can get an insight into Pablo's art journey, how he landed his first job, the concept art industry, and the secret sauce to his success.

Midnight Gang

Apr 3, 2022 • 5 min read

Remains Indoors by Pablo Carpio

Key Quotes & Insights

Bobby: If someone is given support and everything they need to succeed, a lot of times it actually makes it harder for them to be successful, because they don’t need to put in the effort.

Pablo: There will always be people who have more chances and fewer chances than you. You only need to know what cards you have and use them.

Pablo: It’s not about being lucky, but being prepared when you are lucky.

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Having friendly competition can help you grow faster. Find a partner and push each other forward.

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Having access to the Internet and online resources is a privilege. With all the (free) online resources we have right now, what is making you so hesitant from learning concept art and getting better at it? You’ll never know your true potential without trying. Be confident and take that big step to start and put in the hard work. Be grateful for the variety of online resources. Just. Do. It. 💪

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Like Carpio says, you might have the crazy chance to meet and present your portfolio to a director who you admire. Now the only question is, is your portfolio ready?

Full Summary

Memorable Projects

1:56 - The “Pablos”: Pablo Carpio and Pablo Dominguez

6:12 - Between the two Pablos, who’s more hard-core, and why?

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Connection is very important in finding a job in the concept art industry.
Having friendly competition can help you grow faster. Find a partner and push each other forward.

9:05 - If a documentary about Carpio were to be made, what would be some projects he would include in it?

11:56 - What’s a project that you worked on that was memorable to you and that people don’t really know about?

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Sometimes (or maybe oftentimes), projects will be canceled in the pre-production phase. Pablo worked on a few projects but they didn’t end up happening.

15:03 - Carpio talks about seeing his own design in the Captain Marvel shooting set.

18:00 - How did this change his thought process?

Art Education

21:13 - A conversation about how advantages and hardships shape success.

12:13 -

Bobby: if someone is given support and everything they need to succeed, a lot of times it actually makes it harder for them to be successful, because they don’t need to put in the effort.

23:00 - Carpio talks about how he is always supported by his parents and has everything he needs by his side. This drives Carpio to think that if he doesn’t succeed even with all this support, it just means he didn’t try hard enough.

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27:34 -

Bobby: Every advantage could be a disadvantage, and every disadvantage could also be an advantage. It just depends on your perspective and how you make the situation works for you.

28:57 -

Bobby: It’s easier to teach someone to run if you chase after them with a bat.

29:24 - Carpio and Bobby chat about how some students fail to take full advantage of their paid concept art classes, even if the classes are costly and contain invaluable insights from industry giants.

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For all the students out there: calculate the cost per class. You might be surprised about how much money you are wasting by not paying attention.

Bobby: That instagram post that you put up during class might cost you about $70.

The Concept Art Industry

33:50 - How to succeed in the industry?

36:05 -

Carpio: There will always be people who have more chances and fewer chances than you. You only need to know what cards you have and use them.

36:18 - Pablo’s choice to fly to LA instead of going to a graduate school changed his life.

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Choose your investments wisely. Sometimes, playing things safely may or may not help you with your progress.

39:39 - The art of communication.

41:52 - How working hard on his personal projects and talking to people in the industry landed Pablo his first job.

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Refining your portfolio is crucial, but connections are also a huge factor in finding a job.

47:03 - Industry Talk. Carpio warns people that neither his nor Dominguez’s experience is a typical example of that of a concept artist.

Carpio: sometimes we just need to slow down and be like, ‘hey, why don’t you actually just paint, instead of wanting everything now.’

Carpio: That doesn’t mean my work is better or worse. It just means that I was in the right place at the right moment.

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Always remember that luck is a factor in success. Don’t beat yourself up for not getting to work on a feature film/game at an early stage as Pablo Carpio did. Be open to opportunities, talk to people more and you will get there eventually.

49:08 -

Bobby points out that both Carpio and Dominguez are people who are “constantly doing things for the opportunity to show up.” They prepare themselves so well that when the opportunity comes, they are able to take it immediately and easily.

49:26 -

Carpio: It’s not about being lucky, but being prepared when you are lucky.

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Like Carpio says, you might have the crazy chance to meet and present your portfolio to a director who you admire. Now the only question is, is your portfolio ready?

51:06 -

Bobby: So, everybody, if you are thinking about painting something, stop thinking about it. Just do it.

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Don’t be so worried about whether your artwork is good enough or not to post on social media. It’s not about it being good but rather how you’ll be able to make use of the feedback and criticism from other people to improve.

Avoid thoughts like “my artwork is never gonna stand out” and “no one even cares about my art.” Always be proud of your work and have faith in your progress.

52:00 -

Carpio: whatever your level is, it doesn't matter if you're starting right now or if you're a top-level artist, there is always room to be better.

53:02 -

Carpio: Sometimes you just need to go out of your comfort zone. This kind of job (concept art career) asks us to be a bit social somehow.

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Lightbox Expo is a great place where you can meet people from the entertainment industry and get feedback on your own work.

Also, don’t worry about asking “stupid” questions. Those “stupid” questions are often questions many other people want to ask as well but don’t have the courage to. It’s your loss if you don’t ask any questions just because you think it sounds “stupid.”

End Talk: Someone Pablo Is Grateful For

55:48 - If Carpio could thank someone, who would they be? What special lesson did Pablo learn from them?

60:02 -

Carpio: Try to use your skill and make something out of yourself instead of always thinking about becoming someone else. You have your own life, go and work on that.