Illustrator / Comic artist - help with direction
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Hey guys, I just found out about the forum from the last episode. I've been seriously drawing and making comics for about 6 years. I've tried to pitch comics with other writers over and over, and never gotten close. Now I just make my own books and put them online. I have a kickstarter right now, which I'll make a spam post for later.
I just feel like I'm getting nowhere. Outside of a handful of small commissions per year, I never get any illustration work. Next to nobody reads my comic stuff. I've never gotten a gig off of sites like Fivver. I just really want to be making some money from this, or at least feel like I'm going somewhere with my work.
I guess this is pretty vague, but anyone that can spare a few words on this?
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Neat stuff, Jordan!
Are you trying to go in a particular direction, art-wise? Like, are you emulating a successful artist's style, or are you trying to establish your own style? Are you hoping your own way of drawing will gain interest from publishers, or are you trying to one day draw like the established pros in the comic business?
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I'm not trying to emulate anyone but I defiantly am inspired by Daniel Warren Johnson, Paul Pope, James Harren, and endless others. Yes, I'm hoping to get interest from publishers on my own merit, and my own art style.
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The last time I felt like I was going nowhere with my art, I invested some time (and money) in revisiting the basics. Like perspective, working with basic shapes, basic inking techniques, that kinda stuff. Basically I worked my way through the basic curriculum at SVSlearn (and took a texture and detail live course). It kinda gave me direction.
As for HOW to get work I can't really give much advice since the work I get kinda falls in my lap lately. But I did notice an increase in interest from people as my art improved from revisiting the basics.
Good luck!
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@art-of-b Good advice, maybe my art's just not good enough to get the attention I think it deserves. Haven't brushed up on basics for a long time.
