If you can create a dynamic portfolio that showcases diversity and talent, then you're well on your way to being "marketable" to the comic book industry. Although, there will also be a lot of self-motivated networking at comic conventions, pitching to publishers, meeting new people and applying to freelance jobs online.
The good news is that dedication often pays off with more secure contracts over time and you'll find yourself with a rather rewarding, creative career ahead of you.
Your success is often dependent on your own personal motivation. Mike Mignola, Hellboy's comic book creator, says he works seven days a week from 9am - 9pm at his home studio, taking breaks throughout the day as needed.
That is one perk of this job; that you are relatively free to craft your own schedule, although there are deadlines.
"If you're working for a comic publisher like Marvel or DC Comics, you usually have to turn around a five to six page strip in about three weeks," says British comic book artist Jim McCarthy. "A graphic novel takes much longer – it might be eighteen months to two years from the original inception to a finished book."
Unfortunately, finding a comic book artist job isn't always easy. DC and Marvel Comic Books are considered very competitive to get into, so most newcomers will have to prove themselves and seek out smaller, independent jobs first.
Job sites like www.digitalwebbing.com, www.coroflot.com, www.simplyhired.com, www.getafreelancer.com and www.craigslist.org are becoming increasingly popular ways to find work. Yet the best way is said to be good, old-fashioned leg work and towing your portfolio to convention after convention and dazzling publishers with your resume and eye-catching illustrations.
For more resources on getting started, be sure to check out www.comicbookresources.com and www.theaoi.com.
To read more Finding A Job As A Comic Book Artist
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