Illustrator Search

Hey, just to let you know (as an artist/illustrator meself who's been there) a lot of people don't necessarily like back-end deals (which is paying after the fact). What I think is "What if this project falls through, did I do all this work for nothing?" A lot of people also don't trust back-end deals. What I would do--and am actually planning to do because I don't have time to draw it myself--is to give a little bit up front besides the back-end deal. They still get a portion at the end but there's something up front to compensate in case it falls through. Especially on Devart, having a page rate up front will bring people flocking. I'm going to try to save up so I have enough to commission someone. Professionals won't be taking things like $10 to $20 a page but you might get lucky with a talented up-and-comer.

Anyway enough of my ramblings: www.digitalwebbing.com , www.drawingboard.org and www.conceptart.org will have advertising sections and they have AWESOME artists on all of those websites.

Indy makes some really good points. It is pretty difficult to find an illustrator to do the work for free, unless you can find someone who truly believes in your project. Typically, I've seen deals between writers and illustrators where they agree to share the rights and costs incurred with the publishing. It's hard to find though, and if you are working with someone on this and NOT paying them, you will have to expect them to want creative control as well (which isn't always a bad thing. if they are invested in making sure the project succeeds, they might come up with some great ideas as well). It's really a matter of what you are looking for in finding an illustrator.

And, as Indy said, it might be best to save up to be able to pay up front for some of the work.

Good luck with your search!

Oh, and one other piece of advice I received in looking for an artist-you should be sure that you see a full page sample and not just a pin-up. It's one thing to be able to draw well. It's quite another to be able to take a script and interpret it into a page of cohesive story. There is a storytelling aspect to the art as well.

This advice came from Josh Elder, who has enjoyed some success with his own series, Mail Order Ninja and is also working on The Batman Strikes, a Batman series for DC. So, a professional who is doing pretty well for himself

I've found that the best place for an artist search is

www.Comicspace.com

I forget where I found the article, but maybe one of y'all will recognize it and know the link. Anyway, it's an article about finding artists to work with as a writer.

The main point is that writers constantly complain about not being able to find illustrators and about illustrators "flaking out" and disappearing before the project is finished. He says that you have to develop relationships just like you would in any friendship and in any business relationship.

You can't walk up to say a masseuse and say "Give me a massage for free." But if your friend is a masseuse then you could probably ask for that.

Same thing goes for writer/artist relationships. Take the time to get to know people. Drop by their websites and drop them a line just saying that you love their work. Ask them what conventions they'll be presenting at, what other work they've done.

Go to bars at conventions and meet people.

Follow up with them. Say that you understand that their schedule is busy, but that at some future point you'd love the opportunity to collaborate. And like people above said, be open. Don't shove a completed script at them if you are asking them to do it for free. Let them know that you want their input and that you want them to feel invested in the project and like they have ownership.

The author of this article (who is a successful comic book writer) says that he contacts one new artist a day just to say whats up.

This has worked well for me so far and people have been very open. I go to Flight 5 forums or penciljack and if I like someone's work, I find their page and tell them so.

I'm now working with a great artist and sometimes even when the artist I liked couldn't help, they tried to think if they knew someone who could.

Hope this helps.

You could try the artist I used for the past 16 months. We just finished the last page of the story this week and he has free time now. He's in India but he can do several styles.

Got to warn you he won't do a back end deal only but his rate is lower than you could find here in the US. Maybe you can work out a deal. Tell him Joe Calabrese sent you.

Go to my project's website at www.theeyesofmara.com, click on artists and his name is Harsho.

I agree with chan, though I've never been in the predicament myself. I'm actually an artist and as one that has not broken through yet (in either art or writing) I can tell you that if you want someone cheap they definitely want to feel invested and wowed by the project. I know I wouldn't commit myself to something unless I felt it was a great piece of work and could help move my own career forward. Plus these things can be very time consuming. For myself as a new parent I can't really take on any projects (unless they paid nicely ;-) ) yet alone something that doesn't tickle my fancy from someone I don't know. Also I'd recommend http://forums.cgsociety.org. Very active community of artists among both 2d and 3d variants.

My daughter did a couple of online paying gigs for a comic in Dallas. She must have done alright because he asked for more stuff.

Her page rate is still fairly low and she's starting college for Animation. She's pretty versatile. She's on Deviant Art. Check BlueWolf487 to see her work.

The fewer groceries I have to buy for her, the better!

It will be better to pay upfront for a few pages.

I write and draw my own work and have done some side work as well. I prefer upfront payment.

The way I look at it is you are receiving work done for your project that may or may not work out. I want some kind of compensation for my time and talent.

Very cool, make sure to share when you can.

I here that Warren Ellis likes this place: http://www.panelandpixel.com/forum/index.php?webtag=PANELANDPIXEL

Thanks for that link, Bagoth. I'd seen warren talk about it a number of times but somehow you caught me at just the right moment to actually make me go look