Posts Tagged: illustrator

72: Chris Callahan – MakingComics.com Gutter Talk Podcast

We return to the walls and halls of the hallowed ground known only as the Anaheim Convention Center during WonderCon 2015 where our Gutter Talk podcast hero-slash-host Adam teams up with artist and illustrator Chris Callahan to battle a villain so evil it has no name, only a sad truth that would make any protagonist feel ill: Lack of Knowledge.

Okay, maybe that’s a bit overly dramatic but some days it sure does seem that way. That’s why we’re looking forward to bringing you this conversation Adam had with Chris, as he has the knowledge and experience of taking a chance and finding success in the work that comes along with it.

Chris has been a part of projects that range from creating visual graphics for major television shows and broadcasts to creator-owned comics, such as Robochuck. Listen in as Chris discusses those experiences he’s had and what he’s taken away from it all, as well as some of the smaller details about comic creation.

While you’re listening, please be sure to head on over to iTunes, if you’re not there already, and give the podcast some love. Ratings and reviews are big in the podcast world, just as getting clicks and reads are big in comics, both web and print. Along with word of mouth, this is just one way you can help us here at Making Comics Worldwide spread out knowledge and information to those who are seeking it out but may not be sure where to look.

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58: Jared Cullum – MakingComics.com Gutter Talk Podcast

What do you get when you mix honesty and humility with a little bit of trepidation and an immeasurable amount of talent? You get an artist like Jared Cullum, that’s what. Adam finally gets a chance to sit down one on one with Jared, who is no stranger to the Making Comics Worldwide calendar. Last year he appeared on one of the panels for the amazing MOOC we did and he has contributed a treasure’s worth of knowledge for the website. This time around Jared opens a window into himself and we guarantee you’ll find it comfortably familiar. Why? Because there’s a pretty good chance you’ve been there before or are there right now.

[Tweet “What do you get when you mix honesty and humility with a little bit of trepidation? @Jared_Cullum @sdgreeny “]

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10 Pieces of Advice for Freelancers

This article applies to more than just the comics industry. I’ve been working as a freelance artist since 1998 and this is some of what I learned along the way.  These are my ten best pieces of advice for working independently.

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It’s Called Freelancing – Part 3

Missed the first installment of this article series? Read it here.

So what exactly are fair rates? This is the million dollar question. It’s very difficult to get a straight answer, and everyone will give you a different one. Here are page rates as determined by the Graphic Artists Guild from a few years back:

  • Writers (plot and script) $75-120
  • Painted art $150- 350
  • Layouts/Breakdowns $35-100
  • Penciled Art $55-200
  • Background art $10-25
  • Ink Art $45-150
  • Lettering $18-35
  • Lettering on overlay $20-35
  • Coloring art $75-150

Those are some pretty wide ranges, but it gives you an idea. Depending on your abilities, some employers may offer more, some may offer less. If you’re new to professional illustrating, these rates may be a little bit lower for the first few years as you gain experience. After looking at these, I feel that my rates are are actually rather low in a lot of cases, but they do fluctuate a lot. I take different variables into account before submitting a quote: the time frame involved, the complexity of the art, what style of coloring is needed (digital vs watercolor), who keeps the original art, what my other commitments are at the time of production, and anything else that may be a factor. Don’t forget that communication can eat up a lot of time, too. Sending emails, making phone calls, creating invoices – these things will eat up your time faster than you can imagine! Sometimes my rates are higher, sometimes they are lower. But I always quote what is fair to me based on the needs of the project. And see, writers should be getting paid a fair wage, too. But that’s a story for another time…

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