Selling your art Pro Bono?

[Hanzou]

It would seem that some within the independent comic community feel that if an amateur- semi professional artist demands pay for panel work, that artist is being unrealistic or even arrogant, and should be quite happy with getting nothing more than a promise of possible notoriety and published work from his/her toil and labor.

Some even suggest that this attitude on the part of amateur artists is "hurting" independent comics, since so many projects can't get off the ground without decent artwork.

Let's be honest folks, if you can't afford to pay an artist at LEAST $15-20 a page for original 11x17 artwork, then you shouldn't be in the business of self-publishing comics. ANY competent artist can go to ANY convention in this country, buy a table, and sell a SKETCH for $5. If I can sell a bunch of scribbly lines of the X-Men for $5 a pop, why the hell would I want to do a BOOK for free? And not just any book, YOUR book.

I just really think some folks need to educate themselves in regards to the artist market. I know comic creators and writers have it hard. I don't envy their situation at all, because in most situations, artists have a clear, distinct advantage in this business. I can set up at a show with my Ben10 pic on the table and make some money and notoriety for myself. A writer/creator can't do the same with a script and some stick figures. Sorry, that's just the way it is.

That being said, I'm not wrecking the independent industry by demanding compensation for my work. You should expect to pay me by page because YOU are asking ME to do a commission.

BTW, $15-20 minimum for an original, 11x17 commission is a steal.

Does anyone feel differently?

[Justice41]

But is your time always at a price?

[Hanzou]

Originally Posted by Justice41

But is your time always at a price?

Yes. Time is money after all.

[jimmybott]

I partially agree with you. For an artist working on somebody elses story it is a big commitment of time and it would be nice if the writer would also make a commitment to the project by putting some money forward to make.

I get the feeling from some creators that if they're not willing to pay they aren't serious enough about wanting to make comics. I paid out quite a lot to put together a graphic novel and I usually pay a colorist and letterer for pitches. Not really high rates. but mid-indy rates. $50 for colors, $10 for letters. Which is better than a lot of the smaller indies.

Working on other peoples stories I'd like something. But, if I'm on board from the start and I'm co-writing/co-plotting a project and I have as much invested in the characters and story creation as the writer, then I don't mind going down the collaboration route.

Also, there are anthology stories I've done in the past and more lined up just because it's a chance to do a 4-8 pager that will be published and working with a friend. I did Negative Burn last year with Doug Wagner (writer of image's "guncandy/The Ride") I've got another story I'm doing this year for a british anthology with Marvel UK editor, Brady Webb. So it's not always about the money.

But you're right, an indy writer wanting to get his 4 issue mini out there or whatever. Should be willing to pay out a minimal page rate of $15-20 to make it a reality. If he's not, I'd question his commitment to making his comic.

[madelf]

$15 to $20 per page?
Are we talking about paying that amount for collaborative projects with shared copyright? Or stuff where the rights go to the writer?

[Justice41]

Originally Posted by Hanzou

Yes. Time is money after all.

Oh I don't know about that. If i knew the person personally I would do an issue for nothing as long as I wasn't part of the long term deal. It's a good thing I don't know anyone personally who's doing comics so I'm safe.

[Hanzou]

Originally Posted by madelf

$15 to $20 per page?
Are we talking about paying that amount for collaborative projects with shared copyright? Or stuff where the rights go to the writer?

Obviously the latter. If you have a shared copyright on a project, then clearly you wouldn't mind working for free, since its partly your project as well. I'm talking about people asking artists to work for free for notoriety, "resume purposes", or possible payment after publishing.

$15-20 should be a minimum.

[Hanzou]

Originally Posted by Justice41

Oh I don't know about that. If i knew the person personally I would do an issue for nothing as long as I wasn't part of the long term deal. It's a good thing I don't know anyone personally who's doing comics so I'm safe.

See Justice, if I were your friend, I wouldn't LET you draw my issue for free. I'd pay you because I respect you and your work.

BTW, can I be your friend?

[ithireeul]

Agreed. I've let quite a few projects fall by the wayside due to no pay. I just don't have the time to mess around with them with a dayjob and such. If I'm not gonna make anything from it then I'm no better off where I started and I might as well be working on my own stories.

[madelf]

Originally Posted by Hanzou

Obviously the latter. If you have a shared copyright on a project, then clearly you wouldn't mind working for free, since its partly your project as well. I'm talking about people asking artists to work for free for notoriety, "resume purposes", or possible payment after publishing.

$15-20 should be a minimum.

Okay. Just wanted to verify how shocked I should be.

[NILgravity]

I'm going to make the same point I always make in these threads. If a writer can't afford to pay an artist and can't get one to work for free: make a photo comic.

[Justice41]

Originally Posted by Hanzou

See Justice, if I were your friend, I wouldn't LET you draw my issue for free. I'd pay you because I respect you and your work.

BTW, can I be your friend?

The way I see it, when I was trying to get into comics I drew nearly 12-15 pages of sequential's, monthly. I submitted a package of 6-7 pages every two weeks like clockwork, of differing characters and simple story ideas. If I could do that, in trying to get my foot in the door, I could certainly help out a friend the same way. But only once. Never create a dependency where there should not be one.

[Hanzou]

Originally Posted by Justice41

The way I see it, when I was trying to get into comics I drew nearly 12-15 pages of sequential's, monthly. I submitted a package of 6-7 pages every two weeks like clockwork, of differing characters and simple story ideas. If I could do that, in trying to get my foot in the door, I could certainly help out a friend the same way. But only once. Never create a dependency where there should not be one.

I have no problem with people willing to give their work away. I'm talking about the EXPECTATION to give your work away, and your refusal being labeled as "arrogant", "unprofessional", "not wanting to pay your dues", etc.

[Justice41]

It's a control mechanism. Wives use the same technique to get their way

[The DarkMind]

My ex-wife was a master of the guilt mechanism