Integrity
Toughest part about getting comic jobs when you’re still starting out as a penciller/inker is getting people to pay attention and appreciate your style. More often than not, especially when you’re still learning the ropes (like I am), some of the writers you’ll want to work with will have a specific art style in mind. They may have a unique sci-fi concept, but in their minds they picture it as being drawn by Charest or Hughes. They may have an absolutely new fantasy epic, but are completely mentally locked into having it look like Joe Madureira drew it.
Where does that leave you as a newbie? Do you change your style just to land the gig? Or do you stick to your guns and absolutely refuse to abandon your artistic identity even it means passing up a project you really, really want to do? It’s a pretty thin line, but it’s incredibly tough to cross either way. And that’s all without even bringing up the dough yet.
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Eno Card says, “Simply a matter of work.”
Huh.
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Fuck it. Ain’t budging.
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As good as done with the first issue of MASK of MANOLO. As far as I know, issue two ain’t supposed to begin production till mid-November or so, so that allows me time to shift gears for a bit and work on other stuff that have had to be placed on hold. Pin-up commissions, other books, and the like.
Make it swift, man. Make it swift. Right across the jugular.
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Another tough thing I’ve noticed about actually doing the work already is this: It may take you only one day to do one clean page of comic book art, but what happens when you have to do it for days in a row, sometimes for seven days out of a week, week after week, until you do all twenty-two or more pages?
Short answer: If you don’t take it a day at a time, it will will destroy you.
Granted, of course, that I’m not exactly the most disciplined guy around, but there is something to be said for being too lazy to even sleep. I shit you not. But yeah you know what I mean.
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A toy convention is being put together by some local enthusiasts, and Santini and I were approached to spearhead the artsy-farsty side of things. Two “featured artists” if I may be so bold. Unfortunately I’m not gonna be in town for said shenanigan, but we’ll see how it evolves into something more awesome, considering I won’t be around to fuck it up. I still have a hand in it though, so HAH! Suck it!
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