Innovative, Renowned Photographer and American Academy of Art Former Student, Michael...

Innovative, Renowned Photographer and American Academy of Art Former Student,
Michael Elins, Presenting to 2009 Graduates

Chicago native, Michael Elins, returns to share four keys to success with
Academy graduates during inspirational presentation Wednesday morning, May 20,
2009.

CHICAGO, May 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Famed photographer Michael Elins will share
with 2009 American Academy of Art (www.aaart.edu) graduates highlights of his
personal journey and his recommended four lessons for success. Elins speaks
on Wednesday, May 20, at 11 a.m. in the Academy's Bill Parks Gallery.
Ironically, the gallery is named after a former Academy teacher that Elins
says had the greatest impact upon him while a student there.

When Elins left the Academy in 1981, he went to work at a large commercial art
studio as a staff illustrator. At 26, he packed his car and left for L.A. to
illustrate movie posters. As the business moved digital, Elins replaced his
airbrush and paints with computers. A fashion editor at the New York Times
Magazine offering Elins his first project where he could blend photography
with his highly developed digital illustration skills. He has never looked
back, having shot numerous magazine covers and advertising campaigns since.

"We're proud to welcome back Michael Elins to the Academy," said Richard Otto,
the Academy's president. "He's an inspiration to our current students, new
graduates, faculty and hopefully to everyone open to evolving their art form."

Elins is known for having shot/created: covers for many magazines, including:
Wired, Newsweek and Time; the recently completed 2009 Standard Hotel calendar;
the cover of the 1,000th issue of Rolling Stone magazine (in 3-D); the movie
posters for the first two Lord of the Rings movies; all the photography for
singer Katy Perry's latest album, a video project for Apple, illustrating how
the Blue Man Group uses the iPhone in innovative ways; initiating the
"Vanities" pin-up page in Vanity Fair magazine; and many other projects.

"I loved the American Academy of Art and learned so much there," Elins
commented. "The disciplined instruction helped me develop a terrific
foundation for my career. The fact that I was never a 'can't-miss' kind of
student and ended up where I am today is something I want to emphasize to new
graduates. Determination and showing up are 90 percent of the battle."

Elins will share with Academy graduates these four key lessons / principals:

1. Know your fundamentals.
Work hard to develop the fundamentals, drawing, painting and art history.
You'll call on them every day. Once you have this foundation, you'll always
be equipped for new challenges.

2. Become a transformer; evolve and never be static.
An artist must stay fresh, open and aware. Elins began as an illustrator,
then digital illustrator, then a photographer, then combined all of the above,
and now has added video and motion to his repertoire.

3. Be motivated and challenged by rejection.
Rejection is an essential component of success. Embrace it, but don't let
it or your reactions to it define you. Some of life's best lessons are
learned through rejection.

One of two humbling failures Elins recounts took place at the Academy. He
couldn't get his mock-up of a Time cover selected by a teacher for the
school's presentation board.

Another failure took place early in Elins' career when he met with the
head creative director at Time Magazine in New York and showed him his
illustrations. This person told Elins that they would never use his work at
Time Magazine. He's done several covers for Time since.

4. See opportunity and have the courage to act on it.
It's more important to prepare for and recognize your break, than to
struggle desperately for your opportunity. You have to have sharp ideas and a
sharp mind, and be able to execute.

This will be a very challenging and incredible time for new graduates.
They will need patient perseverance. They'll need to stay focused on their
dream, work hard, advance their skills and keep going.

Reflecting on the last half of his life since leaving the Academy, Elins said:
"I wonder what my career would have been like if I hadn't attended the
Academy. I'm glad I did."

The American Academy of Art has a fairly illustrious history and has trained
and educated some of the nation's most prominent and prolific fine artists and
illustrators since its founding in 1923. Alumni include comic book and
graphic novel wunderkind Alex Ross; Haddon Sundblom, who gave us the American
version of Santa Claus for Coca Cola; and numerous other well- and
lesser-known artists. Most recently, artist T. Allen Lawson, yet another
Academy alumnus, received a commission from Laura Bush to paint the
Administration's final holiday card. The original painting for the card has
since become part of the permanent collection at the Smithsonian Institute.

ABOUT THE ACADEMY
The American Academy of Art (www.aaart.edu) offers a four-year, accredited
Bachelor's of Fine Arts degree program in the following disciplines:
Illustration, Multimedia/Web Design, 3-D Modeling/Animation, Life Drawing,
Painting (oil painting specialization), and Painting (watercolor painting
specialization). It emphasizes the classical tradition, reinforced by
real-world projects taught by distinguished instructors - all of whom are
working artists as well as full-time teachers. The Academy not only guides
and trains students to be exemplary artists, it also connects students to
valuable resources to help with their transition to real-world careers upon
graduation. The Academy is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning
Commission of the North Central Association and the Accrediting Commission of
Career Schools and Colleges of Technology.

CONTACTS: Jason Sherman, (708) 445-8598, Jason@shermancm.com
SHERMAN communications & marketing, inc.

www.shermancm.com

SOURCE The American Academy of Art

Jason Sherman of SHERMAN communications & marketing, inc., +1-708-445-8598,
Jason@shermancm.com, for The American Academy of Art