Are you a comic book fan that has some fantastic ideas for a new comic book? Maybe you’re a pro at storytelling and already have a compelling outline for a great story; you might even have a fully fleshed-out manuscript ready to go.
The only problem–you aren’t an artist, and anything beyond a coloring book is outside of your skill level. It’s time to hire a comic book artist to bring your visions to life, but how much is this going to cost you?
Tips for Finding a Good Artist
Ask any friend who’s ever gotten a great tattoo and they can tell you that finding a good artist isn’t easy. Before they chose the artist for their favorite piece, they most likely spoke with at least ten different professionals across various shops to find the exact artist that was right for them. How you find a comic book artist isn’t much different—it’s all about talking to lots of artists.
The great thing is, once you find an artist you click with, you have someone to go to for future projects. Here are some tips to find that perfect artist:
Find a Passionate Artist
The key to finding a passionate artist that’s right for you is finding someone whose passion matches yours. This shared vision is important, both in terms of style and how they view the world you’ve decided to create with your comic book.
Make sure you have an artist that is fully on board with your vision of how things should be.
Be Clear About Your Vision
Be transparent with your artist. Clearly explain what you are looking for, and be as detailed as possible. Set the mood you want your comic book to display. If the artist specializes in lighthearted and upbeat art, a serious noir comic might not go over very well if you don’t communicate.
Be sure and ask the artist for feedback as well, not only to get their ideas but to make sure they fully understand what you want to create.
Listen to Your Artist
While you may find that your artist’s ideas for how something should look may be slightly different from yours, they’re an expert. They understand how different types of ink will look on different types of paper and, if the artist works digitally, they’ll understand the limitations of their software and skills. They will know best how to forge a successful path forward.
If your artist has a suggestion that you disagree with, discuss your concerns while allowing them to expand on the idea so that you fully understand their intentions. Communication is key to a great collaboration with a skilled artist.
Examine Their Portfolio
This should go without saying, but it’s essential that you examine an artist’s body of work before deciding to work with them. Every artist’s style is different, and you want to make sure the artist’s style matches what you are trying to create with your comic book.
How Much Do They Charge?
How much an artist charges depends on a variety of factors, including the size of the piece being drawn. A comic book page-sized piece of paper is thankfully a very clear and well-known size for drawing.
The next factor is going to be the level of detail. A comic book page of line-drawn characters is going to be far cheaper than a highly detailed page filled with multiple colors and elaborate backgrounds. This is why the price per page isn’t a set price—the level of detail could be the difference between a job taking one hour or fifteen.
Most artists charge by the piece or by the hour. Even if an artist charges by the piece, the price will change depending on the number of hours they think it will take them.
The last thing that will influence the price is the reputation of the artist. Many people are capable of reproducing Banksy’s work, but none of them have his reputation. The bigger the reputation, the higher the cost.
Finding Your Artist
On Guru, you’ll be able to browse thousands of artists of all types. Here, you can examine everything you need to know to make the right choice: portfolios, prices, styles, customer testimonials, and reviews. Get started today, and find the artist that can make your dream a reality!
