Any tips on what I should do?

[sirandal]

I did do my research

http://www.darkhorse.com/Blog/895/da...s-ghost-series

Speaking of that--I was wearing my Ghost t-shirt just yesterday (but under a polo shirt).

[Symson]

I did do my research

http://www.darkhorse.com/Blog/895/da...s-ghost-series

I stand corrected.

[mjcurry7294]

Ghost?
Why are you preparing samples for a character currently not being published? As far as I know the last new Ghost story was in 2001 and the last reprint was in 2009. Dark Horse is pretty much out of the spandex super hero game.

Here's another tip. Do your research and know what the company currently publishes. This way you can put your best foot forward and increase your chances of being hired soon.

Otherwise, you show the editor you are not in touch with their current publishing direction.

I did do my research

http://www.darkhorse.com/Blog/895/dark-horse-comics-announces-ghost-series

[Symson]

Good point Cyberlord.

A ghost writer usually does the whole book or story under a more popular writer's name. Just as there are ghost artists who work on the Garfield comic strip.

If I jumped the gun I apologize. Please forgive my confusion.

The tip is still a good one, which is to know the company you are sending your portfolio to and what is appropriate to send them as samples and will get you taken seriously as a candidate to be hired.

[CyberLord]

Ghost?
Why are you preparing samples for a character currently not being published? As far as I know the last new Ghost story was in 2001 and the last reprint was in 2009. Dark Horse is pretty much out of the spandex super hero game.

Here's another tip. Do your research and know what the company currently publishes. This way you can put your best foot forward and increase your chances of being hired soon.

Otherwise, you show the editor you are not in touch with their current publishing direction.

Symson:
I don't KNOW, but "ghost" might not be the character. It might mean he is working for someone without credit, like a "ghost-writer".

[Symson]

Hmm sounds like damn good advice, thanks. I'm working on some ghost pages for dark horse as we speak. Thanks

Ghost?
Why are you preparing samples for a character currently not being published? As far as I know the last new Ghost story was in 2001 and the last reprint was in 2009. Dark Horse is pretty much out of the spandex super hero game.

Here's another tip. Do your research and know what the company currently publishes. This way you can put your best foot forward and increase your chances of being hired soon.

Otherwise, you show the editor you are not in touch with their current publishing direction.

[Fallenangel]

Hey,
i would really appreciate it if you'd elaborate a bit more on the "to who and how you submitted your pages?" question
I'm slowly trying to re-build this section of Submission-guidelines-2.0-Finding-a-Job-in-the-Art-industry
so if you have anything to add to it... companies that i missed, useful links/info it would be very cool.

PS. If anyone have any more useful info on this, feel free to share so i might add this to the Guidelines section.

Cheers,
Fallen.

[mjcurry7294]

If they don't have a sample script, one thing you could do is redraw a scene from one of their books. For the smaller companies it may increase your chances. They are the more likely to hire off submissions process, and if you go that extra mile it would help you distinguish yourself. If given a choice, they'd always want to see your take on their characters. And taking the time to draw their characters shows your commitment. Find a property you'd want to draw for that company and draw it 125 percent better than the artist who's currently on that title.

Hmm sounds like damn good advice, thanks. I'm working on some ghost pages for dark horse as we speak. Thanks

[dfbovey]

If they don't have a sample script, one thing you could do is redraw a scene from one of their books. For the smaller companies it may increase your chances. They are the more likely to hire off submissions process, and if you go that extra mile it would help you distinguish yourself. If given a choice, they'd always want to see your take on their characters. And taking the time to draw their characters shows your commitment. Find a property you'd want to draw for that company and draw it 125 percent better than the artist who's currently on that title.

[mjcurry7294]

My first point of advice would be not to submit original stories to publishing companies to begin with. You should pick an existing story or one of their sample stories that many publishers provide, draw it to the best of your ability and submit THAT. When you are submitting pencil samples and you add lettering or darken the pencils to where they look like sloppy inks, it'll only create confusion. And if you drew up some Black Widow samples, why would you send them to anyone other than Marvel anyway? Think about that for a minute from the editor's perspective and why that wouldn't be such a great idea.

My second point of advice at this point in your development is to work on precision and clarity. Overall your stuff based on your Widow samples looks very rushed almost somewhere in between thumbnails and finished pencils. Too many stray lines and some of the hatching is haphazard and sketchy looking. Professional presentation of pencils, or at least pencils you intend to submit, really needs to be crisp, clear. Precise.

Third, never take anything anyone says as anything other than motivation.

all very reasonable and fair points. the only thing i wish to add is that many of the editors and companies dont have sample scripts to work from, such as boom or few others that im a little to tired to look back up now. Isnt it best to draw characters that everyone knows to send to editors such as these? since they already know what these iconic characters look like, isnt it a safe bet to assume they want to see how you draw other characters. this is what I found with a lot of artists agencies such as glass house. Whom actually have original scripts they wrote of characters for other licensed companies like dc or marvel since they get these artist jobs at such places. Dont get me wrong, i send examples of all my work to different companies depending on what style of books they produce. ( I.E. i dont send fantasy pages to MARVEL and I dont send superhero pages to Arcadia) Im not trying to be argumentative, i just wanted to know you guys opinion on that

[dfbovey]

My first point of advice would be not to submit original stories to publishing companies to begin with. You should pick an existing story or one of their sample stories that many publishers provide, draw it to the best of your ability and submit THAT. When you are submitting pencil samples and you add lettering or darken the pencils to where they look like sloppy inks, it'll only create confusion. And if you drew up some Black Widow samples, why would you send them to anyone other than Marvel anyway? Think about that for a minute from the editor's perspective and why that wouldn't be such a great idea.

My second point of advice at this point in your development is to work on precision and clarity. Overall your stuff based on your Widow samples looks very rushed almost somewhere in between thumbnails and finished pencils. Too many stray lines and some of the hatching is haphazard and sketchy looking. Professional presentation of pencils, or at least pencils you intend to submit, really needs to be crisp, clear. Precise.

Third, never take anything anyone says as anything other than motivation.

[F0NG00L]

I thought your work was poorly inked, I didn't realize it was pencils. I'd suggest not darkening the stuff. Make sure it's clear that what you're showing is PENCILS.

I actually find it hard to believe that an editor *actually* thought you were submitting a writing sample. I'd be inclined to think he was trying to teach you something about submitting art samples while also attempting to diffuse any personal offense on your part by talking about "your artist" rather than "you". Kind of brilliant, actually.

I will say that the excellent Cap face on page one shows you have the talent to get there with more work (and the half-assed muzzle flares on Natasha's guns on page two show how far you still have to go...)

Seriously, it appears to me that you're at that almost-there stage where you just need to keep drawing until you have that breakthrough. I've seen it happen REALLY fast for some people at your stage. It really just comes down to how well you can see your own weaknesses at this point. If you're delusional, you'll never break through that wall. If you're honest with yourself, it's only a matter of time.

[CyberLord]

What Are Your Goals?

WHY do you draw comics? Are you looking for a way to earn money doing something you like to do? Then focus on what the people above suggested. Work smarter, not harder. You can do this by taking life drawing classes. You should also examine the work of those you admire: buy original art - consider it to be an investment. Submit your work here for critique.
If, and only IF, you are creating comics because it is in your blood, then CREATE ART! Write your stories and draw them YOUR WAY!
Neal Adams, Bryan Hitch, and lots of other guys have artwork that looks realistic. Mike Mignola, Jack Kirby, and lots of other guys have been very successful creating work that is more cartoonish. Find ways of telling YOUR stories in an entertaining way. Not everyone is going to like your work. Not everyone likes Jim Lee or Stephen King. Find your style and your audience.
As for your samples. You write "The publishers submitted to we're all the publishers that pay, that have emails avaible (sic). So no marvel or dc. Just smaller publishers."
From what I understand no publisher wants to look at a competitors characters in submissions. If I had a company and you sent me samples featuring Marvel characters, your submission would hit the round-file like it was a hot potato!
My suggestion would be to create a submission featuring characters you created.
One last note. Joe Quesada wrote once about how to submit to a company. He suggested a nine-page sample featuring three three-page stories with a beginning, a middle, and an end. I think the first three page sample features your standard super-hero knock-down, drag-out. The second features super-hero(es) interacting with normal people. The third features entirely non super-hero characters.
If this is in your blood, you will make comics no matter what. If not...

Good Luck!

[mjcurry7294]

Thanks so much everyone, a few things. All my work is pencil, I darken it in photoshop. The publishers submitted to we're all the publishers that pay, that have emails avaible. So no marvel or dc. Just smaller publishers. I'm gonna focus on what everyone said here it was really helpful and I can't wait to see where it leads me. Thanks very much guys

[Smitty]

You need to improve your submissions skills.

We're all friends here, all just trying to help, nothing personal. Have a smilie , heck have another ! That said, what the BLOODY SMURF were you thinking to so abuse and insult an editor. The rule is: Best work only, no apologies; yet you submitted... "This comic was done completely start to finish in 26+ hours, no sleep, just drawing and work." Editors have work to do, their time is money and should be treated with respect, not with your very least. This is showing up in court buck naked but for a filthy T-shirt that reads "screw the judge."

Marvel once had Big John Buscema give a talk to the young punks and turks. Kids came from all over the tri-state area. John stood and said, "First, learn to draw, then... draw faster." John was done and going for the door when they dragged him back for more but, that was all minutiae. The Kirbys, Ditkos and Kuberts of the world are few and far between. The Maneelys that make them look like dilettante slackers are once in a lifetime. Listen to Big John, "First, learn to draw, THEN... draw faster."

Steven Grant once said all stories start with the same 2 questions: What does the hero want and how far will they go? So, how much time, effort and work are you willing to flush down the drain. How many dates, weddings, graduations, new years, holidays are you willing to surrender for work no one will see? How much abuse and humiliation will you take with a smile? I was 30 when I "made it." Hal Foster was 40. Raymond Chandler was 50. Steve Englehart came to NYC to be the next Neal Adams, took one look around Continuity Studios and became a writer instead (one of his generations best.) Mr Grant has you covered: What do you want and how far will you go?

A Grandmother once wrote Dear Abbey for advice. Her family was adamant that she NOT go medical school. "Grandma, it will take at least 8 years." Abbey's response? "How old will you be in 8 years if you stay home?" What happened here was NOT fun but, it's Cod Liver oil for artists. It's good for you. Survive it and the day comes when you're in the bottom of the boat with Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw and Richard Dreyfuss swapping stories, comparing scars, laughing your asses off, drunk as skunks. But first, you have to stare down Bruce. You have to fend off the sharks, thieves, liars, backstabbers, sycophants and gladhanders... for years. That's what you signed up for. If it sounds like fun, come on down the water's fine. If not, you're in the wrong business.

Break a nib.
Smitty