Post by Brian Germain on Sept 11, 2006 11:07:04 GMT -5
This is the beginning post and an echoed thread of one I started over at penciljack some time ago. I think everyone can benefit by checking this out.
www.penciljack.com/forum/showthread.php?t=40780
Click the link above for the original post....
Ok first of all let me start out by saying i am not the one who should be starting a thread like this, but in what little time I have had on the comics scene I have learned so much that I can't help it so here goes.... This thread is not for specific tips and tricks on how to create comics but maybe it should be moved to the tips and tricks section anyway... regardless here is my advice to any of you out there who are thinking about making comics.
(1.) Make Them!- If you are sitting around waiting to be the next marvel or Image mega artist, then keep sitting and waiting cause likely that is all you will end up doing. However if you actually want to become something you have to prove your mettle. and what better way to prove that you can make a comic then by making a comic!? There are literally hundreds of ads on place like www.penciljack.com or www.digitalwebbing.com and many more from people who are all about making comics and yet they aren;'t actually making any. but there is an upside with those hundreds of ads comes hundreds of writers and hundreds of artists who could and should be working togetherto make a full comic book themselves.
(2.) Raise your Goals but Lower your Expectations.- I see tons of people wanting this style or that style of artist to do their artwork for them with the comment no pay involved unless property sells or something similar... guess what if you are lucky you get what you pay for, and if you are rreally lucky you get much better. but don't expect to be working with Todd McFarlane right out the door unless you've got big bucks to blow.
(3.) Be Realistic.- so you spent a buttload of money to get a comic printed and now Diamond won't sell it? Well there are other distribution companies besides diamond but perhaps not as well connected... burt if you were realistic you spent as little money as possible on a quality product, in a low print quantity. 2000 comics is alot when you are trying to sell them yourself at cons, but not unachievable, but anything more would be a bit ridiculous for your fist issue out. and beyond that stay low for awhile with those print runs it's cost effective and creates wonderfult things for you in the future with the law of supply and demand. If you haven't sold them all in a month well then maybe you expected too much... give yourself a year and hif you haven't sold them all within a year then maybe start to kick yourself. meanwhile get the second issue ready.
(4.) Plan Ahead- When at all possible get a backlog of about 3 issues before you go to print with the first one.
(5.) Commitment, Drive, Dedication - if you wanna make it in the comics world these are traits to have, you may be makeing plenty of money off comics but your determination should be focused so much as to say you would still be workiong toward your goals even if you are making nothing. (some of us aren't making anything yet, or again)
(6.) Learn to Deal with Criticism - were you criticized and you feel it was wrongly? Well don't respond with retaliation just stay professional nod and move on with your day. Perhaps if you calm down and rethink what they said it was constructive criticism, so maybe they were trying to help you. this goes along with almost all rules but espescially with criticism, "The greater your talent, the more likely you are to lean on it" remember if you aren't making a living at doing what you love and only what you love then there has to be room for improvement somewhere. If you can't take criticism perhaps comics aren't the world for you.
(7.) Learn the Trade.- get as many helpful hints and tips as you can from anyone who will give them. use what you want discard the rest. Be yourself but at least learn what needs to be done. if you are submitting for the first time to a big company don't send them a 48 page graphic novel, read their submission guidelines and send the five pages they asked for! I see all kinds of people who want to put together submissions for other companies with like one company in mind! ie; they wrote a 36 page DareDevil story and whant to submit it to marvel so they get an artist who is willing to pencil it, and an inker who inks it, and complete a whole comic book to send into a company that only wanted you to submit a 5 page story to begin with. (What a waste of time you just spent) you could have made a 36 page book of your own and self published at least then you'd be published!
(8.) Give yourself a break! - I mean this one in all ways... after my second year of working on Moonshadow#0 (my pride and joy) I was nearly nuts, I was almost in tears I had just completely drawn half way through the book for the fifth timeand was working on finishing the book all the way through for the fifth time when I went intoi my living room and said aloud "I think this is going to drive me insane, I think I am going f8$%ing nuts!" at which point my younger brother in all his wisdom said "why don't you just take a break?" you know right then i felt really stupid it just never dawned on me that I could take a break. i was so focused on getting it done and getting it done ruight that i was consumed by it... whenever I hada moment of spare time i was working on it... but when that light clicked on it was like "wow i really can Take a Break!"
(9.) Get Experienced!- no this doesn't mean taking mind altering drugs and listening to Jimi Hendrix but hey if that works for your creativity then I say so be it... this is in regards to everything else you need to do... keep drawing comics, keep writing, inking or whatever it is you do to create and you'll get better at it, go to cons talk to the pros check out the web learn everything you can and experience everything you can with what you have about the creation process, and don't be afraid to ask questions.
and Last but not least... for now...
(10.) Be you, and Be your best.- Most Artists/writers are their own worst critics, but even if ou set out and do fall flat on your face just do your best work and be yourself, then at the end of the day if nothing else you know you did your best. and don't worry there will be more chances and oppurtunities down the road. and if you feel like giving up then maybe you didn't read rule number 5. Never give up, giving up is the only way you'll fail.
Well Like I said someone else should have been the one posting this but it looks like it waqs lil ol' me... most of this comes from just 4 years of comic experience (I have been taking the crash course though believe me) but I have had over fifteen years of semi-pro and pro art experience and alot of the same rules apply, but no where can i stress them more than in the comic book arena...
Til Next Time....
-Brian Germain
www.penciljack.com/forum/showthread.php?t=40780
Click the link above for the original post....
Ok first of all let me start out by saying i am not the one who should be starting a thread like this, but in what little time I have had on the comics scene I have learned so much that I can't help it so here goes.... This thread is not for specific tips and tricks on how to create comics but maybe it should be moved to the tips and tricks section anyway... regardless here is my advice to any of you out there who are thinking about making comics.
(1.) Make Them!- If you are sitting around waiting to be the next marvel or Image mega artist, then keep sitting and waiting cause likely that is all you will end up doing. However if you actually want to become something you have to prove your mettle. and what better way to prove that you can make a comic then by making a comic!? There are literally hundreds of ads on place like www.penciljack.com or www.digitalwebbing.com and many more from people who are all about making comics and yet they aren;'t actually making any. but there is an upside with those hundreds of ads comes hundreds of writers and hundreds of artists who could and should be working togetherto make a full comic book themselves.
(2.) Raise your Goals but Lower your Expectations.- I see tons of people wanting this style or that style of artist to do their artwork for them with the comment no pay involved unless property sells or something similar... guess what if you are lucky you get what you pay for, and if you are rreally lucky you get much better. but don't expect to be working with Todd McFarlane right out the door unless you've got big bucks to blow.
(3.) Be Realistic.- so you spent a buttload of money to get a comic printed and now Diamond won't sell it? Well there are other distribution companies besides diamond but perhaps not as well connected... burt if you were realistic you spent as little money as possible on a quality product, in a low print quantity. 2000 comics is alot when you are trying to sell them yourself at cons, but not unachievable, but anything more would be a bit ridiculous for your fist issue out. and beyond that stay low for awhile with those print runs it's cost effective and creates wonderfult things for you in the future with the law of supply and demand. If you haven't sold them all in a month well then maybe you expected too much... give yourself a year and hif you haven't sold them all within a year then maybe start to kick yourself. meanwhile get the second issue ready.
(4.) Plan Ahead- When at all possible get a backlog of about 3 issues before you go to print with the first one.
(5.) Commitment, Drive, Dedication - if you wanna make it in the comics world these are traits to have, you may be makeing plenty of money off comics but your determination should be focused so much as to say you would still be workiong toward your goals even if you are making nothing. (some of us aren't making anything yet, or again)
(6.) Learn to Deal with Criticism - were you criticized and you feel it was wrongly? Well don't respond with retaliation just stay professional nod and move on with your day. Perhaps if you calm down and rethink what they said it was constructive criticism, so maybe they were trying to help you. this goes along with almost all rules but espescially with criticism, "The greater your talent, the more likely you are to lean on it" remember if you aren't making a living at doing what you love and only what you love then there has to be room for improvement somewhere. If you can't take criticism perhaps comics aren't the world for you.
(7.) Learn the Trade.- get as many helpful hints and tips as you can from anyone who will give them. use what you want discard the rest. Be yourself but at least learn what needs to be done. if you are submitting for the first time to a big company don't send them a 48 page graphic novel, read their submission guidelines and send the five pages they asked for! I see all kinds of people who want to put together submissions for other companies with like one company in mind! ie; they wrote a 36 page DareDevil story and whant to submit it to marvel so they get an artist who is willing to pencil it, and an inker who inks it, and complete a whole comic book to send into a company that only wanted you to submit a 5 page story to begin with. (What a waste of time you just spent) you could have made a 36 page book of your own and self published at least then you'd be published!
(8.) Give yourself a break! - I mean this one in all ways... after my second year of working on Moonshadow#0 (my pride and joy) I was nearly nuts, I was almost in tears I had just completely drawn half way through the book for the fifth timeand was working on finishing the book all the way through for the fifth time when I went intoi my living room and said aloud "I think this is going to drive me insane, I think I am going f8$%ing nuts!" at which point my younger brother in all his wisdom said "why don't you just take a break?" you know right then i felt really stupid it just never dawned on me that I could take a break. i was so focused on getting it done and getting it done ruight that i was consumed by it... whenever I hada moment of spare time i was working on it... but when that light clicked on it was like "wow i really can Take a Break!"
(9.) Get Experienced!- no this doesn't mean taking mind altering drugs and listening to Jimi Hendrix but hey if that works for your creativity then I say so be it... this is in regards to everything else you need to do... keep drawing comics, keep writing, inking or whatever it is you do to create and you'll get better at it, go to cons talk to the pros check out the web learn everything you can and experience everything you can with what you have about the creation process, and don't be afraid to ask questions.
and Last but not least... for now...
(10.) Be you, and Be your best.- Most Artists/writers are their own worst critics, but even if ou set out and do fall flat on your face just do your best work and be yourself, then at the end of the day if nothing else you know you did your best. and don't worry there will be more chances and oppurtunities down the road. and if you feel like giving up then maybe you didn't read rule number 5. Never give up, giving up is the only way you'll fail.
Well Like I said someone else should have been the one posting this but it looks like it waqs lil ol' me... most of this comes from just 4 years of comic experience (I have been taking the crash course though believe me) but I have had over fifteen years of semi-pro and pro art experience and alot of the same rules apply, but no where can i stress them more than in the comic book arena...
Til Next Time....
-Brian Germain