Toonbots message board: hiring someone to draw?

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Jass Richards Sun Aug 8 13:10:00 2004
hiring someone to draw?

Okay, mouse, and anyone else - please tell me how I can hire someone to draw (your post of long long ago suggests it's easy)...I've got the ideas (ex-stand-up) but cannot draw - and rather than learn to do it, I'd rather find someone with whom to form a partnership...regular strip, single cartoons, illustrated book...

mouse Sun Aug 8 15:08:14 2004
Re: hiring someone to draw?

well, i am completely inartistic, so of no real help - but there seem to be artists out there who would be interested (particularly if there is a prospect of actually getting paid). a lot of web cartoonists seem to be struggling financially, and might be interested in the prospect (i've been noticing pleas from jamie robertson (clanofthecats.com), carson fire (elflife.com) - although they both have very sophisticated style, so i'm not sure what the turnaround time might be). ian mcdonald of brunothebandit.com has a more 'cartoony' style, and is already doing some collaboration with sluggy freelance. anyway, i would suggest you start by checking out various web comics, and see if you see someone whose style you like, and go from there.

Emsworth Sun Aug 8 20:46:40 2004
Re: hiring someone to draw?

> Okay, mouse, and anyone else - please tell me how I can hire someone to
> draw (your post of long long ago suggests it's easy)...I've got the ideas
> (ex-stand-up) but cannot draw - and rather than learn to do it, I'd rather
> find someone with whom to form a partnership...regular strip, single
> cartoons, illustrated book...

Not sure which of honorable mouse's posts you are referring to, M. Richards (and considering, the Toonbots forum is an odd place to ask about obtaining artists!), but the process depends entirely on what you are looking for and what you are willing to offer, as well as the details of the strip and other projects. If a regular salary is possible, you could indeed try established cartoonists like those named above. However, even then, the workload would be a factor, as I doubt the gentlemen would care to be in a situation where they are compelled to abandon their webcomics in favor of another gig which may or may not be longterm, depending on whether you are successfully in selling or publishing the strip or whatever your plans are and still paying.

Which brings us to the expenditure of time and effort, and how easily your ideas and scripts could be translated. Would there be a deadline involved, or would you prepare the scripts and request the art in advance before attempting any publication, on or off the web? What content would be involved? (Some artists are squeamish re sex and violence, while others are simply unable to draw the female form realistically for an adventure strip, and so on). Would complex shading and coloring be required or expected from the artist? What about integration of text with the art, would that also be the artist's job? How long would you expect such a collaboration to last? (Some may only be interested in short-term gigs; I took on an editing assignment which thus far has spanned three years, and is still ongoing).

If you require a less sophisticated style and are willing to work with more amateur talents, there are more options, although again, you'd need to specify whether you need realism, caricature, fully comic art, how intricate or minimal it should be, what tone may or may not be required, etc. One possible option, in addition to posting on the Keenspot or Keenspace boards (which are frankly lousy with such pleas), you could try the job listings on Animation World Network (www.awn.com), where again, money helps, but you may also attract folks desperate for the experience.

And of course, some may simply want to have fun. (Heck, even humble self has been trying to polish his artwork and rekindle the creative urge).

That, I think, is the focal point. Are you wishing to begin a comic as a potential source of revenue, merchandising opportunities, syndication or publication sales, etc.? Or do you merely wish to have fun and share your ideas, jokes, and characters with others? Ultimately, whether paid or voluntary, an artist and writer must be able to work with each other; even if they don't see entirely eye to eye on all aspects, they should be able to at least complement each other, rather than working against each other.

Hope this helps somewhat, good sir (and heck, if you're absolutely desperate, I can send you a portfolio!)

spinclad Tue Aug 31 12:33:46 2004
Re: hiring someone to draw?

Finally, if you can express your scripts in XML, the Toon-o-Matic might be willing to help...

Michael Tue Aug 31 13:54:26 2004
Re: hiring someone to draw?

> Finally, if you can express your scripts in XML, the Toon-o-Matic might be
> willing to help...

I tried working to real scripts in Damonk's Great Framed Escape!!! -- The resulting burnout nearly killed me. That and the politicization of my life after 9/11/2001, which was right in the middle of that. Probably it was the politicization, but it's more convenient to blame Damonk, 'cause he's Canadian anyway.

mouse Tue Aug 31 17:18:04 2004
Re: hiring someone to draw?

> I tried working to real scripts in Damonk's Great Framed Escape!!! -- The
> resulting burnout nearly killed me. That and the politicization of my life
> after 9/11/2001, which was right in the middle of that. Probably it was
> the politicization, but it's more convenient to blame Damonk, 'cause he's
> Canadian anyway.

well, what else are canadians _for_, after all? i mean, other than providing the world with hockey players...puerto rico doesn't have a hockey team, does it?

spinclad Wed Sep 1 00:06:00 2004
Re: hiring someone to draw?

> I tried working to real scripts in Damonk's Great Framed Escape!!! -- The
> resulting burnout nearly killed me. ...
> [I]t's more convenient to blame Damonk, 'cause he's
> Canadian anyway.

True that. I was thinking more on the lines of supplicant approaches grovelling, bearing complete equipage (floating thumbnails, assorted settings, the odd pixel defect, XML) for a fully autonomous run -- just drop into hopper, watch the gears grind it to dust. But the Great Escape serves to illustrate the risks of a self-ruling Toon-o-Matic as well.






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