Good Old Fashioned Horror Comics Artist For Hire

morbid · Post by **morbid** » Tue Oct 06, 2015 11:05 am

Sure would be great to get some paid assignments this fall and winter. Maybe you're a publisher, or a start-up, or even a desperate writer in need of an illustrator for a few pages? Maybe a website illustration or two? And you need an artist who never really made it past the vintage horror comics of Graham Ghastly Ingels or Berni Wrightson, and worships Richard Corben?

$1500 for a complete 22 page issue. Or $70 a page for smaller assignments. That seems to be the correct ballpark for a nobody like me who isn't a hack. You want black and white, that's the price. Color? Same price. You want me to write a story and draw it? Same price.

Of course, there are two responses to that: "I can get cheaper!" Or "He must be pretty crappy at that price!" My only answer can be for you to have a look at my portfolio and decide for yourself, good or bad. Here's a drop box with about a dozen samples:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/75h9w6pavkxh ... vI3da?dl=0

or if you like Guru like I do:

http://www.guru.com/freelancers/morbid

Thanks for having a look.

morbid · Post by **morbid** » Tue Oct 13, 2015 12:19 pm

Some queries in another forum got a response from me and I thought I'd post my reply here, as well:

I set my black and white page rate at the lowest US minimum wage standard of $7.25 an hour. I am a nobody, I have to expect minimum wage McDonald's worker level for now. Fine. From experience, it takes me 9 - 10 hours to draw, ink, grey-scale a page. To do colour rather than grey-scale doesn't take all that much longer, and to offer it for free gives me more creative power over the finished product if somebody wants colour. To go any lower than that would require some kind of real incentive -- it would require that it's for a comic book with a verifiable set publication date with a publisher. That would off-set the full work day plus that it takes to do a page to the standards I set for myself (which I admit are ridiculously aspirational, but I want to go somewhere with this).

Like all goods and services, there are two ways of doing things: build down to a price, or build up to a standard. It's just not in me to draw down to a price and whip out crap. I see that a lot in the graphic novels around -- it's obvious the hired hack illustrator spent an hour tops on a page, and they look terrible. I just can't do that.

Lead_Ronny · Post by **Lead_Ronny** » Wed Oct 14, 2015 6:33 am

tottally agreee with you ..... it gets too much hours to get an quality work, and for me as a consumer and an artist, Always bough comics with a good art quality .... comics is not just the story ...

morbid · Post by **morbid** » Thu Oct 22, 2015 8:16 am

I have had a break on a massive illustrated book while the publisher and author develop more material and edit, and I've wrapped up my end of illustrations for a pitch/funding document for one of my feature film projects, so I am wide open to do some horror comics -- or anything dark and sinister.

morbid · Post by **morbid** » Fri Oct 30, 2015 12:44 am

Here's some images from my portfolio. I see that others have posted a lot of multiple images, so I guess it's alright. I have one job so far from ZWOL and have had many threats of ones in the New Year. But in the meantime, I am certainly available for work. My rate is dirt cheap based on my observations here and elsewhere for quality work. But that's still just my opinion and you can judge for yourself if I merit compensation for my work.

Here's some images:

from an upcoming graphic novel

from an upcoming graphic novel

from a feature film pitch package

sample illustration from an upcoming book on the paranormal

sample page from upcoming graphic novel

sample image from an upcoming graphic novel

More at the links provided in the first post. Thanks for having a look![/img]

morbid · Post by **morbid** » Mon Nov 09, 2015 10:42 am

I've noticed posts with artists advertising rates from $20 a page to $200 a page on here checking up on ZWOL this week. I wonder what people on ZWOL think is a fair price for a comic book page?

rchyde · Post by **rchyde** » Mon Nov 09, 2015 12:59 pm

Hi Morbid,

If I had the money, I'm willing to pay for an UNKNOWN artist around $30,- tops for pencils and inks. And for a PUBLISHED PRO $250,- for pencils and inks.

If I had the money and it depends on how well you are known in the comic community, I would pay for your pencils/inks/grayscale $50,- a page.

I hope this helps.

morbid · Post by **morbid** » Mon Nov 09, 2015 5:40 pm

That does help, rchyde!

So being recognized as a published pro makes a huge difference. x5 the price! Of course that must depend on a lot of things, too.

Obviously I'm going to have to work on getting both published and known in the comic community if I'm going to make this economically viable.

morbid · Post by **morbid** » Fri Jul 22, 2016 8:42 pm

Long time since I've posted here -- I've been busy working on comics and illustration! I am amazed how since I visited here I see the same people posting that they are looking for commissions and asking so much more than I do. Sky high prices. They're pretty good, but I am scratching my head. Aren't they busy? I guess not.

I recently had an email from a concerned person who was wondering about if I am still doing work as I haven't updated my Guru profile in a long time, so I just did.

I updated with a couple of pages from a comic book which I was, unfortunately, shafted on payment for. Luckily I have two awesome creative partners right now on two different projects (one finished, one in progress) so I have managed to regain my positivity on freelancing.

Here are two pages from the recent project I was shafted on payment for. There's a whole comic done, but of no use for me. However, I can at least get some use out of a couple of pages:

I am right in the middle of a dream project for me, but if you have a great project you're looking to get into motion in the next couple of months and I'm right for it, go ahead and contact me!