Thread: ...so I think maybe I'll become a comic book artist next...

...yeah, I used to draw pretty good when i was a kid in the late 1970s and early 80s, and comic book art looks pretty simplistic, probably a decent racket to get into and make some big money fast, whaddya think?!





EDIT:
ps. ^ Y'see that lil monkey?! I drew it, it's mine, oh yeah, talent...

Your on your way

I don't know much about comic book artists, but art in general is difficult but at the same time relaxing...I don't think I could get paid to paint what I paint

I'm at work and firewalled from free pichosts, i see no pic

but take this FWIW - i'm sort of a comics geek, know a little about the industry

It will not be easy. Comic art is not just about drawing heroes in striking poses. It's about storytelling, you have to be able to draw the everyday mundane things, and like a film director/cinematographer, you have to set up angles/points of view to make the art stand out as well as forward the storytelling that the writer scripted.

If you have those basics down pat, then you have to deal with deadlines, how many pages will you be able to draw a day?

Regular issues in a series average 22-25 pgs (generally 22) not including the cover. You then send your art to the writer and editor to look over, they make suggestions or approve, then you tighten up your pencils, and sent to inker (unless you ink your own pencils) and then to colorist (unless you will color it yourself too)

good luck to you should you pursue this career!

Originally Posted by Stickgrappler

I'm at work and firewalled from free pichosts, i see no pic

but take this FWIW - i'm sort of a comics geek, know a little about the industry

It will not be easy. Comic art is not just about drawing heroes in striking poses. It's about storytelling, you have to be able to draw the everyday mundane things, and like a film director/cinematographer, you have to set up angles/points of view to make the art stand out as well as forward the storytelling that the writer scripted.

If you have those basics down pat, then you have to deal with deadlines, how many pages will you be able to draw a day?

Regular issues in a series average 22-25 pgs (generally 22) not including the cover. You then send your art to the writer and editor to look over, they make suggestions or approve, then you tighten up your pencils, and sent to inker (unless you ink your own pencils) and then to colorist (unless you will color it yourself too)

good luck to you should you pursue this career!

PAY, PAY, what do they get PAID, MAN?!


...and the pic is just a stunned little cartoony monkey.

i dont know rates and if you work for the big 4 (marvel, dc, dark horse, image), you may or may not be owner of your art... although, image is publishing many creator-owned projects

i see many artists ebay/sell their art, so i think you probably own it, but back in the day, jack kirby got fragged bigtime, he didn't own the art, marvel said it was theirs

iirc, jim lee was paid $1 million back in ~2004 when he did a 12 issue story arc on batman.


hope you know of the 2 artists i mentioned. if not, just ask.

Join Marvel or DC, you will make money but hurt your wrist.

I was thinking I might become a surgeon. Here's my Stanley Knife. How hard could it be?

Stanley.jpg

Bradlee,

asked some friends, one came up with this from 2001:


"Straight from the Graphic Artist Guild Handbook for Pricing and Ethic Guidelines (2001):

Comparative Page Rates for Comic Book Art:

Writers (plot and script) $75-120
Painted art $150- 350
Layouts/Breakdowns $35-100
Penciled Art $55-200
Background art $10-25
Ink Art $45-150
Lettering $18-35
Lettering on overlay $20-35
Coloring art $75-150" (coloring adj. per comments at drawing board.org)

Marvel and DC (at least at one point) have additional payments based on sales ie. royalty like payment. "



I mentioned Jim Lee and Batman: Hush. It's said Todd McFarlane was paid 1.5 million to work on his Spider-Man title.

Guessing that the big name writers and artists will get a whole lot more. DC/Marvel has brought in non-comics people (but they are comics fans) like Joss Whedon and Brad Meltzer to name 2 to work on their books.

and as an artist, if you are popular, you could go to cons and sell sketches.

Originally Posted by Stickgrappler

Bradlee,

asked some friends, one came up with this from 2001:


"Straight from the Graphic Artist Guild Handbook for Pricing and Ethic Guidelines (2001):

Comparative Page Rates for Comic Book Art:

Writers (plot and script) $75-120
Painted art $150- 350
Layouts/Breakdowns $35-100
Penciled Art $55-200
Background art $10-25
Ink Art $45-150
Lettering $18-35
Lettering on overlay $20-35
Coloring art $75-150" (coloring adj. per comments at drawing board.org)

Marvel and DC (at least at one point) have additional payments based on sales ie. royalty like payment. "



I mentioned Jim Lee and Batman: Hush. It's said Todd McFarlane was paid 1.5 million to work on his Spider-Man title.

Guessing that the big name writers and artists will get a whole lot more. DC/Marvel has brought in non-comics people (but they are comics fans) like Joss Whedon and Brad Meltzer to name 2 to work on their books.

and as an artist, if you are popular, you could go to cons and sell sketches.

what he said, it doesn't have to be a case of you doing everything from story arc to finished product.

Be nice if you could create one. Have you tried to draw any of the biggie but put your own stye on it?