How much harder is it for a self taught comic artist to get a break in the comic book industry?
I love to draw. I’e been drawing since the age of 9. i never went to art school. I never went to college, in fact i became a pretty good bill collector,anyhow, my love for comic art and comics is something i ca’n’t really explain, but my actions say enough. i refuse to stop doing what makes me happy. i realize that in this world there isn’t as many self taught artist as there are men and women with degrees in art. i’m good at what i do. ive studied the human anatomy to bend and twist the body as i see fit or as a editor may see fit – i can draw in perspective – even 6point persective. i really don’t want to be a failure at something i love so much, but i have no idea how to make this dream a reality fotr my particular situation…
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5 Answers
Research how to make a portfolio. Create it and then submit it to companies you want to work for. You do not have to have a degree in Fine Art to be an artist. Check out craigslist or search for individuals making comics or writing stories that you can help illustrate.
It seems to me that publishing comics on line is the easy way to get noticed. If you have a following, then publishers will want you – but you may not need them.
Do you read online comics? If not, you ought to start. Some comics are autobiographical so you can see how the lives of those writers are organized.
@6rant6: It seems to me that publishing comics on line [sic] is the easy way to get noticed.
yes and no. it works for some comics creators and not for others. that entirely depends on the audience, what kind of comics, etc.
so to answer the original question… you don’t have to go to art school, though, of course, it wouldn’t hurt.
for career advice, hunt down some of the many books on drawing comics for a living. if you can’t afford them, then try interlibrary loan. also try digitalwebbing.com, a site specifically for comic book writers, artists, colorists, etc. looking to break into the print comics field. (some webcomics creators there, too.)
Warren Ellis had a forum set up for aspiring comics folk (largely self-publishers) though, I think, he killed it.
Check out http://www.cartoonistgroup.com/. In their library of cartoonists is contact information for various cartoonists on the site. It’s a mix of editorial cartoons and strips.
There’s a couple of things that you can do to build a portfolio, such as creating zines, drawing editorial cartoons for your church bulletin, ask at work if you could create a comic book version of training material (or better yet, just do it, and send it to whoever does the hiring/training), do an online blog with a daily cartoon installment, create and distribute clipart. Distribute your work through http://creativecommons.org/
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