ART AS A JOB! How to become a profitable and professional comic or concept artist?

ART AS A JOB!

How to become a profitable and professional

comic or concept artist?

-Written by Sylvia “Sage” Greaux-

Picture from Pixabay.com

As a hobby or a dream career, comic art and concept art are the two mainstream ways to express an idea or tell a story. But without practice and a degree, it can be really hard to achieve this objective.

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Some people think that bring an artist, in general, isn’t a “real job” but a hobby. They don’t realize that most illustration books, comic books, movies, even advertisements, come from a comic, concept artists, illustrators and graphic designers.

However, these careers aren’t well paid at first. A new comic artist can make $2,000 for a 100 page-comic, written Money, the financial section of the Time. But, a more experienced artist can earn $600 per page, said the same article. All these numbers are from the US comic industry. The contrast of pay is a problem in the industry. Most of the time, these new artists must take on a second job.

Concept artists, on the other hand, can earn between C$30,240 and C$74,338 total pay per year, said the website Payscale.

As a freelancer or a full time employee in a company or an editorial, deadlines are a top priority! The respect of deadlines is something the teach in art school. It is part of what differentiates a professional and a hobbyist.

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In comic books, sequential narration is capital! This is a way to maintain a coherent narration and storytelling through illustrations, panels, dialogues and camera angles. Scenarios and storyboards are the key to help with a good narration. But the most important part is to keep a bit of personality in the art style, the narration and the dialogue. Being able to read every complex aspect of a character, a situation, even an emotion, can help convey the simplest panel, a lot of information and feelings.

All of these tips are also applicable for concept art!

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Finally, to go further about finding a style: references!

Photos, another artist’s work, even other medium than digital and traditional art! The importance of references is, sometimes, neglected. This is also what opposes a professional and an amateur.

Photo from Pixabay.com

Amélie, a French former art student, explains that the most important part is “to draw things that you and others would enjoy because they’ll see the joy felt while doing it” and “not because it’s trendy”. She also adds “Don’t give up”! Practice a lot and never give up. “If you make a mistake, don’t focus on that, try to not make the same mistake on another drawing” and that ““perfection” will come with time”

To conclude, she said: “Don’t give up because of your mistakes”

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Becoming a comic or a concept artist is a tough road. But, it’s not because it’s a “enjoyable” task, that means that it’s not a job.

As a former art student and aspiring comic artist and character designer, I hope that I’ll enjoy my future job!