ChinaShop

“Long is the way and hard, that out of hell leads up to light”
– Paradise Lost

Sure, the burning flames of Hades are no doubt uncomfortable — but ask any struggling artist and most of them will give you their own version: walking around the exhibitor hallways of Comic-Con for eternity, forever seeking acknowledgment in the unofficial 10th circle of Hell. John Milton/Dante’s prose is equally applicable to the long, arduous task of making headway in art.  Judging by the amount of fanboys and souls anxiously awaiting judgment at Comic-Con 2010, competition is fierce, and most people are looking for some way, any way in the door… really.  A fair share of these guys would sell their respective souls to get noticed, maybe even force a loved one into slavery, if it meant selling a comic or drawing — even if it’s something buried in a Cracker Jack box or Bazooka Joe wrapper.  Let’s face it: No matter who you are, you’d just as soon not be taking orders or slaving away in a cubicle somewhere.  If you really want to make it as an independent artist, the bottom line is that you can’t afford to be messing around.

And whether you’re a aspiring writer, penciler, splash-pager, or inker, you probably need all the help you can get.  Fortunately, I was able to delve briefly into the brains of a wide spectrum of comic book artists and writers, ones that had finally earned their place in the Comic-Con Exhibition hall.  It ain’t easy getting there, so here’s some advice from the industry’s best.

Tim Bradstreet (Punisher, Clive Barker’s Age of Desire, Iron Maiden album artist):  “Find a way.  Find a mentor.  I found a mentor just by coming to Comic-Con year after year after year and bugging the same guy over and over again. Finally he said, “Do you want to work together?” I was like, ‘Uh, fuck yes!’ So, yeah, persistence is key, obviously.”

Stan Sakai (Usagi Yojimbo): “I think you should draw the way you want to.  You shouldn’t necessarily have to copy off of the big guys, or emulate any particular artist’s style.” Check out ChinaShop’s Interview with Stan for more on his perspective.

Tony Millionaire (Drinky Drow, Sock Monkey) : “It ain’t easy. I had to steal from my kid’s piggy bank to keep it going. Draw a lot. Do what you feel like doing.”

Neal Yamamoto (My Name is Neal, Superhero Explosion): “Emulating an artist you like and drawing in your own style are both possible. Lots of big-time artists got their start with a style that wasn’t necessarily their own.” Neal also emphasized this crucial point: “It helps if you like to draw — that’s one of the most important parts. The guys who make it big are the guys who practice all the time, whenever they can. If they love what they do, they’re that much more likely to make it.”

Billy Martinez of Neko Press (Kickass Girl): “You have to cut out distractions,” he advised. “Get off the Internet. Turn off the television.  Work for 3 or 4 hours or more, and then reward yourself.” He also advised self publishing, and doing a lot of legwork to get your product in the hands of whomever you could find.   Martinez also offers classes at his Art school.

Dennis Calero (X-Men, Cowboys and Aliens) echoed Simone, Stan, and Tim’s sentiment that one of the most important things you can do is bug people. “I was going to school at Pratt Institute to be an architect, and dropped out around my last year.” It was then that Dennis dove first into his foremost passion, doing comics. He advised that even emulating the style of an artist you admire can be a way to get noticed, before integrating your own aesthetic into the mix.

Jeffrey Brown (Unlikely, Every Girl is the End of the World for Me) added that to him, the most important thing behind a comic is an idea, and that you don’t necessarily have to draw like Da Vinci to illustrate that. He emphasizes story over artistic ability, and considering he won the Ignatz award (a smaller version of the prestigious Eisners) and is one of renowned comic guru James Kochalka’s favorite comic artists, he’s worth listening to.

Debbie Huey (Bumperboy) cited her passion and love for the art above all else: “It sounds cheesy, but if I can just make someone smile, I’m happy,” she admitted. Huey’s webpage shows just how devoted she is to her creation, and will make you hungry for cupcakes.

Dan Cooney (author and artist behind Valentine, as well as a Comics Teacher at the San Francisco Academy of Art and a freelance artist for Star Wars and other well-known titles): “I learned the hard way. I’m self-published; a lot of people are self published, and it isn’t easy.  I make money off of freelance illustrations in between. But now my illustration gigs are getting bigger and bigger and I just want to devote most of my time to that.” Cooney recently remastered an earlier graphic novel of Valentine, which you can get at his website.

Simone Bianchi (Thor, Wolverine): “Work hard.  Get a grasp on perspective and anatomy.  These are two of the most important things you must learn before you get into art. There’s lots of other things, but those are two of the big ones.”

Well, easier said then done as they say. Obviously these guys and gals had to work to make this much headway, so don’t give up yet. We expect an Eisner from all of you in the next couple of years!

Words by Jeff Nau, Photos by Zoetica Ebb

 

5.00 (3 votes)

 Loading ...