Wannabe artist looking for tips

[Bottle Rocket]

Hi all,
I've been with the forum  a while but this is my first post.
I am an unpublished artist looking for an in road. I have worked on a couple of scripts for friends but have never submitted anything. I downloaded a Dredd sample script that I've started but I don't know if I'm up to submission to 2000ad yet (I aim to be)
I have bought Zarjaz and listened to ECBT podcasts, and want to know if I submitted drawn pages of this script would they give any appraisal, with a view to being paired up with a writer.
I am on art duties on a friends comic but there has been a slight hiatus and I would like to test the water and see if my drawing is publishable.
 I suppose I could show some pages on the forum.
What is the best way to approach this?
 Sorry if this sounds coy.
Thanks in advance
BR

[pauljholden]

Hi all,
I've been with the forum  a while but this is my first post.
I am an unpublished artist looking for an in road. I have worked on a couple of scripts for friends but have never submitted anything. I downloaded a Dredd sample script that I've started but I don't know if I'm up to submission to 2000ad yet (I aim to be)
I have bought Zarjaz and listened to ECBT podcasts, and want to know if I submitted drawn pages of this script would they give any appraisal, with a view to being paired up with a writer.
I am on art duties on a friends comic but there has been a slight hiatus and I would like to test the water and see if my drawing is publishable.
 I suppose I could show some pages on the forum.
What is the best way to approach this?
 Sorry if this sounds coy.
Thanks in advance
BR

Get your art seen by as many people as possible. Draw as much as you can. Learn as much as you can about story telling. Seek out people's opinions and listen to them. Keep showing your art, keep showing that you're committed to what you're doing. Do sample after sample after sample.

It doesn't hurt to send stuff to 2000ad, but don't make it your sole aim and don't lose heart when you get knocked back. Very few 2000ad artists got work within their first half a dozen pages and 2000ad, as a venue, can't offer any single person enough work for it to become their primary income (and, even if they could; it's madness to make one single place your only income when you're freelance).

Pursue the small press publishers, send them art - there are ALWAYS looking for artists and it's a good way to push yourself and what you do and to find some discipline for meeting deadlines.

Hope that helps.

-pj
-pj

[Bottle Rocket]

Thanks for the encouragement. I have a fiat off work, the kids are at school so I get time at the drawing board in the daytime.

[Emperor]

I am an unpublished artist looking for an in road. I have worked on a couple of scripts for friends but have never submitted anything. I downloaded a Dredd sample script that I've started but I don't know if I'm up to submission to 2000ad yet (I aim to be)

Best bet is to run the pages passed folks in this thread (and also have a look at what everyone else has done and look at the feedback to see if there is anything you can use, there usually is - PJ in particular gives great advice):

http://forums.2000adonline.com/index.php/topic,27411.0.html

I have bought Zarjaz and listened to ECBT podcasts, and want to know if I submitted drawn pages of this script would they give any appraisal, with a view to being paired up with a writer.

The small press is always on the look out for new artists, so it'd always be worth circulating pages to folks like FutureQuake Press (and there is a thread or two in this forum on small/indie publishers and more general comics art stuff). There are always interesting projects cropping up on here all the time, so keep an eye out and have a word with those behind them.

Also, as I say to all artists, get your work out there - start a blog, get on DeviantArt, drop your art and doodles into the relevant pages in this forum and definitely contribute to the art competition in the General forum.

You'll find that after you've done a bit of spadework, taken on board any feedback, knocked off the rough edges (everyone has them) and got a bit of momentum, before you know it you'll probably have more on your plate than you can cope with.

Sooooooooo let's see what you've got!

[edit: Ah ha, I have seen your work on the Mark Millar forum but the above points still apply - post up your sample pages, for example]

Oh and, welcome.

[Bottle Rocket]

Thanks for the advice, I set up a Deviant art account (BrianDRankin). I will brave the forum and post some art here too.

[Bottle Rocket]

PS Anyone else on Deviant Art?

[mygrimmbrother]

You'll find that after you've done a bit of spadework, taken on board any feedback, knocked off the rough edges (everyone has them) and got a bit of momentum, before you know it you'll probably have more on your plate than you can cope with.

This! Look forward to seeing some of your work BR, and I will look you up on DevArt too. I'm on there too - link in my sig.

As a fellow wannabe comic artist, I will say that this forum has been immensely supportive. As Emperor says, you're likely to get friendly, honest and valuable crits - sometimes from pros like PJ too, and there's a huge network of folks on here who are involved with various small press titles (too many to mention!). It's a healthy, vibrant time for small, independent comic projects in this country, and you've done the right thing in signing up here.

Best of luck to you!

[Bottle Rocket]

Kind words again, I like this forum already.
PS I like your sketch of Ukko

[flip-r mk2]

All I can say is listen and follow any advice given to you.

filip

PS I'm on deviantart find me here  http://flip-r.deviantart.com/

[Darren Stephens]

Hi Bottle Rocket. Welcome to the forum. Yeh, you should certainly post some art. As the guys said above, there are plenty of helpful folks floating around here. Hope you enjoy your stay and get stuck in! Oh, I'm also on DeviantArt, here : http://dikiminster.deviantart.com/   

[DoomBot]

Welcome Bottle Rocket,

Lot's of excellent advice already given that I can only echo. If you want to post your art to the forum, this is the thread: http://forums.2000adonline.com/index.php/topic,27612.0.html

You can catch me on deviantart here http://doomritual.deviantart.com/

[Emperor]

PS Anyone else on Deviant Art?

You'll find a lot of people from here on there and quite a few droids too.

You can start here and work out:

http://2000ad-earthlings.deviantart.com

And/or throw in your link.

[W. R. Logan]

Learn how to draw, not being facetious but so many wannabe's dont.
Find someone you trust and will tell you the gods honest truth, so that if something is shit they'll tell you.
Find PJ's old thread on how to submit and set up a portfolio, great advice.
Dont be narrow minded in who you'd like to work for, if you want to be an artist then submit everywhere.

[TordelBack]

Learn how to draw, not being facetious but so many wannabe's dont.
Find someone you trust and will tell you the gods honest truth, so that if something is shit they'll tell you.
Find PJ's old thread on how to submit and set up a portfolio, great advice.
Dont be narrow minded in who you'd like to work for, if you want to be an artist then submit everywhere.

Worst limerick evah.

But sound advice.

[Bottle Rocket]

Thanks again everyone