Art submissions (help a newbie!)

[skoi]

Right.  This is my first post on this here website, so first I should say a general hello to all.  Wotcher - hope everyone's having a good weekend!

Anyway, to business: I have just completed a five page re-drawing of a Dredd story ('Tarantula' from the '85 annual, reprinted in Extreme Editions of July this year, if anyone's interested) as per the instructions on the art submission page.  I was just wondering, firstly, if there was any way scans could be posted online for *critiquing* by members of the forum, where to do this, and if anyone had any advice as to submitting art samples to 2000AD?  That is, beyond the 'bung-it-in-an-envelope-post-it-and-forget-all-about-it-forever-and-ever-amen' refrain (though I'm resigned to this ultimately being the best course of action).  I'm really uncertain as to whether to send it by post, or to wait until a convention rolls around, but that's a whole new can o'worms*.

Thanks in advance,

S

* 'Can o' Worms' is a registered trademark of the 'Tinned Annelid Consortium': giving you worms since 1963.  Used with persimmons.

[Adrian Bamforth]

You can join the Artdroids group:

ADE

Link: Artdroids

[Darren Stephens]

You could upload them to a free image hosting site, such as photobucket and post the links here?
Hello, by the way.  ;-P

[pauljholden]

Send it in the post AND turn up at the convention with a different, more recent sample.

Also, and more importantly, don't rely on 2000AD being your only avenue for publication, there are plenty of small-pressers looking for artists get your work around, improve it and get it in print.

-pj

[Jim_Campbell]

"Also, and more importantly, don't rely on 2000AD being your only avenue for publication, there are plenty of small-pressers looking for artists get your work around, improve it and get it in print. "

Listen to Mr Holden, for his words are wisdom.

Seriously.

And send stuff for Violent! ... I'll be happy to forward it on. [/pimp]

Cheers!

Jim

[Matt Timson]

For goodness sake, man- get a real job!

[skoi]

Whoa - I wasn't expecting replies so quickly.  Thanks to everyone for the advice and welcomes!

Where to begin?  I've applied to join artdroids, Adrian, and I've been accepted - so I'm going to introduce myself and loiter, offer crits (to the best of my ability) and then offer some of my stuff once people've gotten to know me.  I wouldn't be surprised if that gleans useful feedback.

I'd already decided that submitting to 2000AD alone would be foolhardy, PJ - I imagine they receive upward of hundreds of submissions a month; a Picasso would get lost in that lot!  Not, I might hasten to add, that I place myself on a par with Picasso...

I've already decided to submit work to a few other small houses.  For example, Com.x (www.comxcomics.com) have a short sample script on their website that they've invited artists to illustrate and submit, called Twelve O'Clock Man (if anyone else wants to see it, go to their site - it's in the 'Inside Leg' section, under the submissions link).  I'm going to take that on as my next project.  I've also finished (pencilled, inked, scanned, shaded and lettered) the first chapter of a three part story, which I'm going to submit to several small houses along with a synopsis.  I'm always on the lookout for other companies - for that matter, Jim, I'd be very happy to show you my stuff, and you can pass it on if you think it'd be suitable for Violent! [/counterpimp].  I'll also see about getting some images online for people to look at - cheers for the pointer there, dikiminster.

Finally (to round off what's already a long-winded answer), if all else fails, the self-publishing route beckons.  In the final analysis, I decided to get into this game (felt compelled, actually, would be more accurate) because I wanted to tell stories, and because I think comics are, for me, the ideal way to accomplish that.  If I can't do that through a publisher right now, then I'd be happy to self-publish, if it means getting my stories read.

*Raises glass, hiccups*

Thanks again

S

[pauljholden]

Ah, to be young and innocent ...

Artdroids has been quiet for some time, mostly because, I think, those that are on there have been their for some time, occasionally there'll be a big flare up about what ink is best but most of the time it's very, very quiet ...

Com.X I wouldn't - at this point anyway, waste my time - they've been a non-publisher since about 2004, each of the people involved having gone on to bigger and better things - the curse of the internet though means their domain will hang on for quiet some time (their news section was last updated on the 15/7/2004) - having said that, no harm in building a portfolio, although may be more useful to do something for a small presser which will get in print, there's nothing like seeing something in print for you to realise all of those horrible things you did wrong...

You could, if you're looking for wider than the UK market pimp yourself on Warren Ellis' the Engine (http://www.the-engine.net'>here) which has a thread dedicated to artists looking for writers (which is like a pirahanna feeding frenzy) or writers looking for artists (which is like a particularly sad dance where only the blokes have turned up...)

As an artist (regardless of your skill level) in the small press you'll find you'll be in demand, get a site up though! that's an important step.

- pj

[SimonC]

You could also set up a MySpace profile and promote your work that way.

It's a horribly designed site and an absolute bloody eyesore, but there are many small-press ventures represented there, and I've been sent several bulletins suggesting that artists are currently in demand.

Perhaps this would be a good way to get your work seen and/or critiqued and possibly find new leads towards publication.

Cheers,

SimonC

[Emperor]

All good advice - the small press always needs artists (PJ's analogy is scary but true). You can find The End is Nigh at the link below and the nice FutureQuake* chappies are linked from the friends panel there (the link to the mailing list is above that where you can sign up for updates, ideas and pant wettingly scary news). You can show what you do that way and build up a solid portfolio which you can show around the convention - I think I spoke to a couple of artists just while hanging around the TEIN stall making LMS wear tin foil hats for the amusement of passersby.

For starters though... show us what you've got!! TEIN @ MySpace

[skoi]

First off, for those who want to see what I have to offer, here's a URL: http://s102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/skoi_2006/

Thanks for the Com.x pointer PJ - you've saved me some time and fretting there.  I should have thought to check out the news section - something I'll make certain to do in the future.  It's all a learning process!

Speaking of defunct companies, has anyone heard anything about Knockabout comics - I was hoping to submit some stuff to them as well, but I've noticed that their website has been gone for some time.  I know they're supposed to be publishing Moore's next installation of the League; is this still set to happen?  Do they still publish?

I digress: having read through everyone's advice again, it seems the best (or at least 'first') thing to do would be to set up a website and get some samples on it.  This is useful, as I used to be a web designer, and I was thinking of getting back online in any case.  Myspace, for all its advantages, certainly has a horrible design layout - I might open an account there, but only to post a few samples and, hopefully, redirect traffic to my webpage.

As to content, I figure a fuller sample of what now rests at Photobucket (as well as innumerable paintings and photoshops).  I'm also going to work on a sequential adaptation of part of War of the Worlds, which'll be the centrepiece of the website when it gets started.  I figure that this text is best because a. I love it, and I've been aching for an excuse to design a Tripod for ages, b. it's out of copyright, c. it provides ample scope for variety of objects drawn - from old ladies to collosal striding machines of death and d. it's a story everyone's familiar with.  After that's all set up, I'll start the pimping proper.

Phew - that's a fair amount to be getting on with.  In the meantime, thanks to everyone again for the advice -

S

[Emperor]

Thanks for the link. I'm sure you'll get more (and better) feedback but I like what you've done there. The detail work is great (especially on the architecture) but I'm not so sure about the faces. I know each artist has to make the subject their own but it was the faces that weren't quite working for me - just my opinion (and its nothing major) and other people might think differently ;) Other than that a great start - let's see some more. And yes a website is a good idea - the social aspects of MySpace are probably left for the young uns but it is handy for pimping stuff and checking up on what other people are pimping.

As for a War of the Worlds adaptation - it has been done well Pencil Monkey forums (he was clearly too modest to pimp it himself) as it has a lot of small pressers on board.

Another tip: Have a look at the art competitions in the Competitions forum here as that should let you try out a few 2000 AD characters and get feedback on it.

[[YT-2]]

>I imagine they receive upward of hundreds of submissions a month

Nope, but a fair ammount of rubbish.

Send a A4 SAE to Tharg ask for the current tryout script and gto from there.

[skoi]

Cheers for the feedback Emperor - I know you've already said your issue with the faces was minor, but I'd really appreciate it if you could expand on that.  Was it Nancy's Story you referred to?  What didn't work for you?  I know there's difficulties in analysis presented by the small image size, but obviously all pointers are useful.  

I noticed the War of the Worlds Dark Horse adaptation a while back - to be honest, while I liked it, I felt that certain aspects of the comic were a little lacking.  I thought the walker design referenced human physiology too much in their form - they weren't alien enough.  The (cautiously) optimistic ending also deviated from the novel, I felt (though others might interpret Wells differently, I felt there was a definite pessimism concerning humanity's future, even after the Martian's defeat).  Certain details niggled as well: for example, Thunder Child was clearly not an ironcald in the comic (picky, I know).  However, I did think the cuts from the novel (necessary, I imagine, due to its status as a webcomic) were handled cleverly, and, all in all, a much better job than Spielberg managed.

Your point about scripts is well taken - that's part of the reason I wanted to try out for Com.X.  I'll head over to Pencil Monkey right away and check it out.  In the meantime, I just want to keep on building a portfolio (the never-ending process), so War of the Worlds it is for now, but I'll get a SAE off to Tharg in the meantime (cheers for the pointer, YT).

[Emperor]

Cheers for the feedback Emperor - I know you've already said your issue with the faces was minor, but I'd really appreciate it if you could expand on that. Was it Nancy's Story you referred to? What didn't work for you? I know there's difficulties in analysis presented by the small image size, but obviously all pointers are useful.

Its always trickiest to pin it down when its more of a niggle than a glaring problem. In Nancy's Story the faces look... static. Granted that is partly the nature of the medium but still. On the Dredd page everything was working nicely but his mouth at the end just didn't seem right (the lips seem to be pulled a long way back and there is a lot of gum showing) and it might be that the face is too wide. You could easily put some/all of this down to simple personal style but it seems to jar slightly. No biggie and easily addressed (if, indeed, it needs addressing) - you could get friends and family to act as reference material for example. I do notice a lack of faces in the work you've shown so far so it might be they are the exceptions and/or practice will sort it out (I have a friend who had trouble drawing hands and rather shied away from them but once they confronted it and drew lots of them it all worked out).

I do think War of the Worlds will suit your style and another important thing is to also play to your strengths. Throw us a link as things come along (might want to think about getting a blog so you can display work in progress too).

I like the new pictures you put up - The Boy With Nails for Eyes.

The team are regulars here but it can't hurt to pop over to the FutureQuake forum and express an interest.