Comic Collab prices?

~Plot-Convenience Jul 6, 2012 Hobbyist General Artist

I have no frame of reference for this so I thought it was worth asking. How much should I expect or look to pay to have an artist work with me on a comic book, but just as a penciler? I intend to ink and color the pages myself.

I don't have money for it right now anyway, but I wanted an estimate. I know it depends on the artist too.

It isn't that I can't draw, but I'm not very good at the whole 'comic' page thing. Especially not good enough for the story I want.

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Devious Comments

~Vineris Jul 7, 2012 Student General Artist

"It isn't that I can't draw, but I'm not very good at the whole 'comic' page thing. Especially not good enough for the story I want."

Well you're not gonna get any better by not doing it. If you start drawing comics now and get critique on the pencils you'll likely be just as good as the penciler you're going to hire by the time you have money to hire them. Like, if you're going to be doing a 200-page graphic novel, how long is it going to take you to save $5000-$20,000? (The sorts of people who charge $10 a page are going to either be bad artists or they're likely to flake out on you.) Work on making comics in the meantime and when you have the money saved you can decide on whether to pay a penciler or use the money to print/promote your book.

~Plot-Convenience Jul 7, 2012 Hobbyist General Artist

Aw, work at it?

but that is no fun

Everything you said is very true. I won't stop trying because I'm not good enough right now, but I also know comics are very different from illustrations. I'll probably draw like it all depended on me, then save money like I needed to depend on another artist. Then either way I'm good. I'll either be good enough and be able to fund my project myself, or I'll just be better anyway and that is always good.

~Vineris Jul 7, 2012 Student General Artist

Good.

You might want to pick up Scott McCloud's "Making Comics" to help you out. Most people have the most trouble with the layout so I'll give you a couple of tips:

- Keep things simple. Start with a grid of equal-size panels. If you need a bigger panel join some together, if you need smaller ones split some up. You don't need crazy-shaped panels or crazy camera angles to show how "creative" you are.

- The most important thing is the story. If you have to choose between a pretty, artistic picture that's confusing and a more plain one that's clear, the plain one is better. (Unless the story needs to be confusing at that point of course.)

- Do the words first. The dialogue is just as important as the art, don't squish it in after you've drawn everything. If the word balloons are constantly popping out of panels or squashed between the character and the panel edge or covering up characters' heads, that's bad planning. Don't do that. It all needs a bit of space to breathe.

~wisp Jul 6, 2012 Professional General Artist

Anywhere from $10 to over $100 per page, though because this would be an indie project, you're definitely looking at the lower end. Just remember, any artist who knows their stuff isn't likely going to want to work below minimum wage, so if they work for $10/page they're likely only spending about an hour on that page.
You -can- see if someone would like to work as a collaboration for a labour of love with possible back-end money if it ever comes to that, but that can be really hit and miss and people working for free are less likely to commit to something long-term.

~Plot-Convenience Jul 7, 2012 Hobbyist General Artist

Thank you very much. This exactly what I was looking for information wise.

~wisp Jul 7, 2012 Professional General Artist

You're welcome. Best of luck with your project

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