Not sure how to begin or where to look
I'm a writer of sorts who for a time has been storing his ideas away. As time keeps ticking, I've been cynical about moving forward with those ideas. I've always imagined that the medium I want to approach these ideas is through illustration, and probably a weekly comic so that I(we?) could have plenty of time between updates to imagine exactly where each strip will go next.
Things get rough here because I'm honestly just a guy waiting tables, making a decent living, and spending a lot of his free time day dreaming about these places and people he wishes he could illustrate in the way they deserve. When I'm not working I'm usually jotting ideas down when I'm feeling the magic or listening to music (which incidentally inspires a great deal of my ideas). One thing I have desperately felt the need for is someone to bounce ideas off of, preferably an artist, who may also be in the same boat making a living and wanting to draw something that follows an "epic" story arch.
So that leads me to why I'm here. This is the first time I've really spoken about this with the net, though I have one very close friend whom has been a great source of objective perspective (great at telling me when I have a really crappy or cliche idea). I'm not sure where to approach anyone about whether they might be interested in talking about a story they could be involved in illustrating and having an active role in narrative. I don't want to approach someone and ask for free art, that isn't my intent. I'm not sure how to look for an artist who'd be willing to approach a story and lend their talents to it in hopes that it might become something special - someone who might be working a day job like me.
Anyway, this was the first place I decided to look. I hope this isn't the wrong forum. Thanks.
Things get rough here because I'm honestly just a guy waiting tables, making a decent living, and spending a lot of his free time day dreaming about these places and people he wishes he could illustrate in the way they deserve. When I'm not working I'm usually jotting ideas down when I'm feeling the magic or listening to music (which incidentally inspires a great deal of my ideas). One thing I have desperately felt the need for is someone to bounce ideas off of, preferably an artist, who may also be in the same boat making a living and wanting to draw something that follows an "epic" story arch.
So that leads me to why I'm here. This is the first time I've really spoken about this with the net, though I have one very close friend whom has been a great source of objective perspective (great at telling me when I have a really crappy or cliche idea). I'm not sure where to approach anyone about whether they might be interested in talking about a story they could be involved in illustrating and having an active role in narrative. I don't want to approach someone and ask for free art, that isn't my intent. I'm not sure how to look for an artist who'd be willing to approach a story and lend their talents to it in hopes that it might become something special - someone who might be working a day job like me.
Anyway, this was the first place I decided to look. I hope this isn't the wrong forum. Thanks.
Comments4
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In
I'm currently working on a webcomic, so I don't think I can help you with illustration, but I do enjoy discussion with other storytellers a lot.
A problem I have upon reading your text is I have no idea what your story is about, where it takes place, what kind of characters it deals with. Would you mind expanding a little on that?
Also, I'm not sure I understood that part. Are you looking to illustrate with, well, pure illustration, or are you looking to illustrate through sequential art? Or is it both?
Would you be interested in working with more than one artist at a time?
A problem I have upon reading your text is I have no idea what your story is about, where it takes place, what kind of characters it deals with. Would you mind expanding a little on that?
Also, I'm not sure I understood that part. Are you looking to illustrate with, well, pure illustration, or are you looking to illustrate through sequential art? Or is it both?
Would you be interested in working with more than one artist at a time?
Right now I would love it if the right artist would magically appear before me, but I'm very happy to simply discuss ideas and get impressions.
I was vague on details in my post on purpose because I wasn't sure how much information I wanted to throw out there.
My story follows a fantasy genre that tries to ground itself. It is a world where magick is a rare spectacle. I try to make sure that its history has a specific beginning and lore to it, and I can already see how it would begin in my imagination. The main arch follows the lives of three characters whose origins take place independent of each other, but eventually lead them into a central conflict that only one of them was aware of. It is an epic narrative I have been building for years and years with a large scope and a story I have been trying to make as much about the world as the individual characters.
My main problems come into play with leading characters from point a to point b simply because I have been in the creating phase for so long that I haven't actually managed to set time aside to see how exactly these characters get from where I know they are to where I know they need to be. If that makes any sense. It is world whose origins are just as important as the central conflict itself.
I could regale you with an origin story, complete with details as far as specifics I have gotten to.
I was vague on details in my post on purpose because I wasn't sure how much information I wanted to throw out there.
My story follows a fantasy genre that tries to ground itself. It is a world where magick is a rare spectacle. I try to make sure that its history has a specific beginning and lore to it, and I can already see how it would begin in my imagination. The main arch follows the lives of three characters whose origins take place independent of each other, but eventually lead them into a central conflict that only one of them was aware of. It is an epic narrative I have been building for years and years with a large scope and a story I have been trying to make as much about the world as the individual characters.
My main problems come into play with leading characters from point a to point b simply because I have been in the creating phase for so long that I haven't actually managed to set time aside to see how exactly these characters get from where I know they are to where I know they need to be. If that makes any sense. It is world whose origins are just as important as the central conflict itself.
I could regale you with an origin story, complete with details as far as specifics I have gotten to.
Yeah, I understand the vagueness.
So basically, you have a lot of world-building done already, but the narrative itself isn't clear in your head?
No matter what, I won't be able to illustrate your whole story (at least not for free). On the other hand, if you're open to the idea of working with multiple artists (ie not relying on only one other person, but rather gathering a team of artists/creatives), don't hesitate to contact me - I might be interested in realizing one or two illustrations for you (obviously that depends on whether your world-building appeals to me).
So basically, you have a lot of world-building done already, but the narrative itself isn't clear in your head?
No matter what, I won't be able to illustrate your whole story (at least not for free). On the other hand, if you're open to the idea of working with multiple artists (ie not relying on only one other person, but rather gathering a team of artists/creatives), don't hesitate to contact me - I might be interested in realizing one or two illustrations for you (obviously that depends on whether your world-building appeals to me).