How do you find and select a good artist to collaborate with
Posted: Sat Jan 01, 2005 7:35 pm
I've long had a story that I think would be a good one for a webcomic. I also draw but not to the level I feel the story needs. It would need some very good realistic renderings of the human body. What I'm wondering is how best to find and select an artist to collaborate with.
I live in Madison, Wisconsin, USA and there are three institutions of higher education that produce artists here: University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison Area Technical College, and Edgewood College. Madison is also very much an artist's city. Many artists view it as an oasis for artists in the Midwest. So locally, I think it's good hunting grounds for artists. However...
Is it really crucial that the artist and I live in the same location? Heck, that we even meet in person? What I'm wondering is if one can adequately collaborate over the net. My gut feeling is that it should be more than possible. It's not as if we would be doing live performances together. We don't need to hold each other's hand ... or shouldn't need to ... or at least not physically. I write up the stories, email them to the artist, we discuss it, changes are made, artist renders it, artist send pencil sketches, we discuss them, changes are made, finished artwork done, it is released, and then the whole process starts up over again for the next episode. These discussions becoming less and less as the series' style, characters, setting, and so forth become more and more established. Discussions flaring up only when something new and significant is introduced.
Then there's how to select an artist. Naturally, you need to look at work they've done ... just as they need to see examples of the story you wish to have illustrated. However, there's also work ethic. Afterall, an artist might be fantastic but if he never gets the work done within a reasonable period of time, he's worthless as a collaborator. Is there any real way of determining their work ethic besides trial and error? If so, what is it?
And how best should you handle when a collaboration is just not working out? I would assume there needs to be some prior understanding who owns the series so if there's a falling out, one of the two can continue it. I would think it would be the writer, but that could just be because I place a lot of importance on story being a writer. That and I've subscribed to numerous comicbooks that are constantly switching out artists. Then again, they do likewise with the writers as well. Hmmm. Thoughts? Anyone have a standard collaboration contract between a writer and artist they'd be willing to let us (or at least me) take a look at?
Lastly, there's an issue of adult content. The story I have in mind is a science fiction story where nanites (http://www.totse.com/en/fringe/fringe_s ... nites.html) are a reality and, due to their abilities, clothes are no longer needed. Some wear them, but none do so for warmth or protection from the elements. The series is meant to have adult themes, but not explicit sex scenes. Flirting, yes. XXX, no. However, I do see how this can be a problem in recruiting an artist. Suggestions on how to deal with this would be much appreciated.
I live in Madison, Wisconsin, USA and there are three institutions of higher education that produce artists here: University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison Area Technical College, and Edgewood College. Madison is also very much an artist's city. Many artists view it as an oasis for artists in the Midwest. So locally, I think it's good hunting grounds for artists. However...
Is it really crucial that the artist and I live in the same location? Heck, that we even meet in person? What I'm wondering is if one can adequately collaborate over the net. My gut feeling is that it should be more than possible. It's not as if we would be doing live performances together. We don't need to hold each other's hand ... or shouldn't need to ... or at least not physically. I write up the stories, email them to the artist, we discuss it, changes are made, artist renders it, artist send pencil sketches, we discuss them, changes are made, finished artwork done, it is released, and then the whole process starts up over again for the next episode. These discussions becoming less and less as the series' style, characters, setting, and so forth become more and more established. Discussions flaring up only when something new and significant is introduced.
Then there's how to select an artist. Naturally, you need to look at work they've done ... just as they need to see examples of the story you wish to have illustrated. However, there's also work ethic. Afterall, an artist might be fantastic but if he never gets the work done within a reasonable period of time, he's worthless as a collaborator. Is there any real way of determining their work ethic besides trial and error? If so, what is it?
And how best should you handle when a collaboration is just not working out? I would assume there needs to be some prior understanding who owns the series so if there's a falling out, one of the two can continue it. I would think it would be the writer, but that could just be because I place a lot of importance on story being a writer. That and I've subscribed to numerous comicbooks that are constantly switching out artists. Then again, they do likewise with the writers as well. Hmmm. Thoughts? Anyone have a standard collaboration contract between a writer and artist they'd be willing to let us (or at least me) take a look at?
Lastly, there's an issue of adult content. The story I have in mind is a science fiction story where nanites (http://www.totse.com/en/fringe/fringe_s ... nites.html) are a reality and, due to their abilities, clothes are no longer needed. Some wear them, but none do so for warmth or protection from the elements. The series is meant to have adult themes, but not explicit sex scenes. Flirting, yes. XXX, no. However, I do see how this can be a problem in recruiting an artist. Suggestions on how to deal with this would be much appreciated.