Illustration Submission

Wilzon · 04 December, 2010, 11:36:11 AM

Greetings mighty Tharg and fellow droids.

I would love to draw for the galaxy's greatest comic and have been looking at the sample scripts which I downloaded from here. Are you looking for new art droids at the moment? Was also wondering if you required a full sample script illustrating or if a couple of pages would be sufficient? Here's a link to some of my recent work..

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wilzon/

Thanks

James

Kev Levell · 04 December, 2010, 11:55:12 AM

Hello and welcome!

I really like the stuff you've got there.

You will need to do a full script though I'm afraid, and it will need to be submitted by mail or at a convention for Tharg to assess... you might get away with only doing three or four pages, but it is worth following a whole script through to prove that you have the storytelling ability... it is not enough that you are a very good artist.

As for whether there are jobs going, that's a tricky one, the open submissions policy means that you will get a response, but it's fair to say that unless you are the next Jock or Simon Bisley it's highly unlikely that you will be hired first time out.

I hope this helps and sorry if it seems at all negative. I think it's very much worth seeing how your stuff looks sequentially. Good luck and let us all know how you get on...

If you post your work in progress in the Creative Common section of the forum, you will probably get some handy hints on how to improve your work... maybe even from one or two of the pro artists that frequent these boards!

Wilzon · 04 December, 2010, 03:15:15 PM

Thanks for getting back to me and glad you like my work:). I am happy to Illustrate a whole script, can it be in colour as well? Or do you usually prefer black and white for submissions? I realise that there are a ton of talented artists out there and that comics and Illustration are very difficult to break into but I am not at all put off and look forward to receiving some feedback. Thanks for the creative common recommendation too.

James

pauljholden · 04 December, 2010, 03:21:27 PM

James - Kevin doesn't speak for 2000ad (though everything he says is spot on). 2000AD editorial are highly unlikely to respond to submissions via anything other the proper channels (ie at either a comic con or through the post).

-pj
ps I don't speak for 2000AD either

Peter Wolf · 04 December, 2010, 04:44:54 PM

Quote from: Wilzon on 04 December, 2010, 03:15:15 PM
I realise that there are a ton of talented artists out there and that comics and Illustration are very difficult to break into but I am not at all put off and look forward to receiving some feedback.
James

If everyone who aspires to being a pro were put off by a profession being difficult to get into then there wouldnt be any new artists or writers etc.

Just about any interesting profession is difficult to get into so keep at it.

Wilzon · 04 December, 2010, 04:47:39 PM

Hi PJ

Cheers for the advice. Thought I would try them through this as they weren't responding on Twitter, basically didn't want to spend a ridiculous amount of time doing a whole script if it wasn't necessary. I better get drawing!

pauljholden · 04 December, 2010, 05:57:51 PM

The more full scripts you draw the better you'll get

It's not the breaking in that should put you off being a professional comic artist, it's the lifestyle and hardship that happens when you actually do break in. Make sure you have a second option. Comics don't pay well (they can pay ok if you draw fast enough) and there's NOT enough work for all of the pro comic artists to live on comics alone and everytime you finish a job you have to go looking for another one - otherwise you're not getting paid.

-pj

Wilzon · 04 December, 2010, 08:22:41 PM

It has been a while since I drew a scripted comic. I used to draw my own when I was a lot younger, then went to college and University where drawing comics was looked down on. I tried a lot of different styles while in education and it wasn't until three years after I finished uni that I began to identify my style and way of working. Basically it's a pretty similar way of working (pen and ink, then photoshop) to when I was younger but a lot more refined and better referenced! I work in a full time job now freelancing part time and would much rather be drawing full time. Seeing as I have never broken into comics I don't really know what the lifestyle would be like, although I can appreciate it must be pretty challenging. I am up for a challenge though, and I think that uncertainty of where the next job is might even be quite exciting. I will persevere nonetheless and see what happens.

SuperSurfer · 31 January, 2011, 02:28:44 PM

Fantastic illustrations on your Flickr site, Wilzon. I love the style.

we66y · 28 February, 2011, 05:57:40 PM

About 5 years ago I managed to get my art work published in the Judge Dredd Role Play Game (Mongoose Publishing), I produced hundreds of pictures for the book and the expansions (although nothing sequential) . It gave me the oppurtunity to meet some of the guys at Rebellion which was brill. I thought I had my foot in the door and quickly followed up with a submission script. But alas it wasn't to be and I'm still trying to break into comics to this day.

Bubba Zebill · 07 April, 2011, 06:18:04 PM

Does anybody know if the sample scripts on the submission page would be acceptable material for an artist to illustrate?...it's as though they are there for that reason but it also specifically says you can write in for a spec script?...just wondering. Thanks.

Richmond Clements · 07 April, 2011, 07:33:15 PM

Quote from: OPIPOP on 07 April, 2011, 06:18:04 PM
Does anybody know if the sample scripts on the submission page would be acceptable material for an artist to illustrate?...it's as though they are there for that reason but it also specifically says you can write in for a spec script?...just wondering. Thanks.

Either/or I would think. Tharg will be more interested in seeing the quality of your work than anything else.

Have a look at this thread: http://www.2000adonline.com/forum/index.php/topic,27411.0.html

pauljholden · 07 April, 2011, 07:35:23 PM

Quote from: OPIPOP on 07 April, 2011, 06:18:04 PM
Does anybody know if the sample scripts on the submission page would be acceptable material for an artist to illustrate?...it's as though they are there for that reason but it also specifically says you can write in for a spec script?...just wondering. Thanks.

Unless you have a pressing reason not to do them (ie you've already done them a hundred times) just do the samples on the submission page.

-pj

Bubba Zebill · 10 April, 2011, 06:49:24 PM

Thanks for the reply Paul, I started doing so. I found info on these forums (in fact you were commenting on those pages too.)...anyway,thanks for the reply. I started 'Cycle of Violence' this morning.

Bubba Zebill · 11 April, 2011, 10:06:08 AM

I blocked all the pages in yesterday. I made this little inking test this morning, I'm playing with the idea of adopting this style to represent the past, and ramping up the grit for the present scenes. I'll colour 'Cycle of Violence' although I probably won't submit it that way, but I will post some of those examples here, if anyone would be interested in the process. Sadly, real work intrudes during the week, and this project must just be a weekend thing at the moment :9(

But I'll keep posting as and when possible.