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June 30, 2009, 08:20:48 PM
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Hello all, I know many of you can't abide twitter (which is fine) so I've collated a bunch of things I posted about becoming a pro comic creator. Here they are:
http://tinyurl.com/pjtips
Comic Artist tips (everyone else is doing it, why not me?) Want to know what it’s like to be a pro comic artist with kids? Punch yourself in the balls 4 times a day, sleep 4 hours per night, eat dinner standing up and… that’s it!
Comic Artist Tips:why not make sure you eek out every last minute of your deadline,filling the time with self loathing and fear of rejection
Comic Artist Tips: remember, when asked how fast you are, the answer is ALWAYS “1 page per day”
Comic Artist Tips: that writer you can’t stand? him? yeah? you’ll end up working with him eventually. Bite your lip.
Comic Artist Tips: the ‘zone’ happens at exactly 10 minutes before you hit the sack. Why not fool yourself by working a full 24 hrs…
Pro Artist Tips: A silhouette looks cool AND is quick to draw.
Pro Artist Tips: Make sure you sneak wolverine into every page – that’ll give you a good secondary income when you sell the pages…
Pro Artist Tips: Writers will buy you drinks. Writers will buy anyone but other writers drinks. Remember this. It will save you a FORTUNE.
#ArtistTips if you find yourself attacking the table at awkward angles-like a snooker player on a trick shot-it may be time to lose weight
@simonfraser find a writer you like DRINKING with. A pro can work with ANYONE…
#ArtistTips find a new, unpublished writer, offer to do a three page strip for them, from that day on – you OWN THEM.
#ArtistsTips do work that excites you or you die a little with every compromise. Do work that pays you or you die of starvation.
#ArtistsTips There IS a magic pen that can make you draw just like Adam Hughes/Mignola/[other] – you just have to find it – now get looking!
#ArtistsTips to misquote Kirby: every time you erase a line you lose money! Remember this!
#ArtistsTips Don’t want to draw that panel? why not photocopy an earlier panel and ENLARGE it. Almost no-one will notice.
#ArtistsTips your mother and your girlfriend are NOT good judges of your talent. But your dad probably is. And he hates you.
#ArtistsTips if you’re too embarrassed to draw nekkid girls in case people think you’re a perve – why not make ‘em superheroes!
#ArtistsTips when an editor tells you what’s wrong with your portfolio – why not disagree with them! They can’t tell you how to draw. Idiots.
#ArtistsTips your portfolio case can handle more than 12 pages! Why not pack it full of stuff, an editor is BOUND to like something in there
#ArtistsTips buy some books on anatomy and drawing and leave them on your drawing table. Osmosis isn’t just for plants.
#ArtistsTips instead of drawing, go to twitter and keep hitting refresh – eventually an editor will spontaneously commission you via a DM.
#ArtistsTips when your wife asks what were you doing til 2:30am – tell her you were drawing.
#artiststips you’re right: it IS about WHO you know, unfortunately, though editors know a LOT people who can draw better than you.
#ArtistsTips the only person you can rely on is yourself. And even then you can only be 50% sure of that.
#artiststips spend at least five minutes a day wistfully remembering what sleeping was like.
#artiststips – just as you’ve suspected, once YOU’VE connected to an editor via a social network everyone abandons it, including the editor.
#artiststips – forget the naysayers, Comic Sans is a GREAT font to letter your samples with. Also: DON’T letter your samples.
#artiststips while you spend your weekend drawing that two page spread of 100s of clones vs x-men, just remember-it took 5 minutes to write.
#artiststips thinking of a career in comics? look at your local newsagents. See that? more magazines about Koi Carp than comics. Think FISH.
#artiststips don’t forget – ‘Leave Behind’ is not only a bunch of photocopies to give an editor, but also the odor peculiar to man sweat
#ArtistsTips – if you’re smart you’ll NEVER have to draw feet.
#artiststips Marry someone rich.
Writers Tips
Goaded into doing the equivalent for writers, here’s what I’ve come up with so far:
#writerstips Your first PAID work is actually a gruelling test of stamina that editors call The Gauntlet-run by interns for amusement
#writerstips that first pitch will resemble the final paid work only in so far as the credits will be the same.You will not tell people this
#writerstips remember, BEFORE you break in QUALITY is important, once you get your first gig QUANTITY is important. Don’t mix them up!
#writerstips remember, the more you write, the less you have to edit. And editing is DULL – ask any editor.
#writerstips if the first thing you wanted to get published WASN’T a 100 page opus, stop now: you’re not a writer.
#writerstips start saving now, remember the first rule of write club is that no-one will work with you unless you buy them drinks.
#writerstips get your artist while they’re young and hungry. Literally hungry; don’t feed ‘em unless they’re drawing.
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