TURNING ON A DIME
Just when life can totally put you in the shitter, something happens to change everything.
Anyone who’s read my last few entries knows I’ve been feeling pretty bad the last few months. But, a week ago I got some news that has me rejuvenated. I can’t mention anything here because it’s all still a gamble. When everything’s over, I could be wallowing in crap again or find myself knee deep in a new kind of shit I never anticipated. But, I’m happy just the same. And that happiness has rejuvenated me. It’s got nothing to do with my book. I’m always happy about that. No. The difference between my book and the offer I’m entertaining now, what makes one better than the other, is timing. Lazarus is moving forward, but slowly. Everything that can get in the way IS getting in the way. This new opportunity, if it works, would allow me to move faster and get the fuck out the hospital sooner. That’s why I’m so excited. Plus, it gives Laz a great push forward to have my name on another book.
My change in mood has sparked my creativity again. I’m having ideas left, right, and center. Not to mention already having some work to do. The screenplay is finally underway. All in one week, I get an offer I can’t refuse, and my screenplay partner decides it’s time to get some work done. So, we discussed the first 25% and I wrote up an outline. The colorist finished the first twenty-four pages for Laz, and with some minor changes, they’ll rock. Probably the biggest change is my penciler is almost done with the entire book. It’s been going on eight months since this whole thing began, and it’s hard to believe it’s almost over. Once I sign off on the last pages, it done. I feel like Peter Jackson on the last day of shooting Lord of the Rings, trying to hold on just a little bit longer, but knowing the end must come. But, for me, it’s about being afraid to take the next step. The closer I get to having a complete book the more nervous I’m becoming, but I’m excited to. I started this year with one book in the works. And now, if I play my cards right, I may have two. How cool is that? Usually, when I have a string of bad luck or just being depressed, it means there’s some good luck coming down the road. That, or I’ve already had some good luck and now I have to pay for it. I’m hoping all that shit I just waded through was preparing me for this moment.
My wife is still bugging me about not having seen Episode 3, and at this point I don’t really care. Sure, I’d like to see it, but now that all the hoopla has died down, I feel like I can just wait for the DVD. What I won’t wait for is Batman Begins. I’ve been looking forward to that movie since I read Chris Nolan was attached. I immediately knew it was going someplace Blade touched on, but no other comic movie had visited before. Something truly dramatic and character driven. After that, I’ll see Fantastic Four to make my daughter happy because she’s been ranting about it for days now, but I won’t like it. And that’s gotta be the hardest part of being a movie fanatic like myself, paying to see a movie you know will suck, but you do it for someone else.
Part of the reason I’m so hyped for Batman is I’m working on my own vigilante character right now. I’m way behind schedule, mostly because I’ve been too focused on finding an artist for character design work instead of writing the damn story. I’ve written down scenes in spurts, but I haven’t sat down and actually cranked on it. But all that changes real soon. One obstacle is the beginning; I have no idea how to start this damn thing. Even if I “vomit” the first draft, the beginning has me stuck. One of my most nagging problems is trying to separate the time when I write, from when I edit. I keep doing both; instead of having an idea and just rolling with it, I measure how good the idea is and hold everything back until I fix it. In this case, I had an idea on how I could begin, but it was too much like Lazarus, and I want to do the exact opposite. I hate writing two stories the exact same way. But, instead of just using it so I can move past it, I keep holding on, trying to find the perfect start and it’s not coming to me. It makes me remember one of my fave movies, Throw Momma From the Train. I love that movie. I think I saw that film before I even knew I wanted to be a writer, but even then it spoke to me: “A writer writes. Always!” And right now I can hear Billy Crystal in my head repeating over and over: “That’s the beauty of writing…perfect beginnings, perfect words.” So I can’t let go and stop trying to find that perfect beginning, the one that sets the pace for everything. I’m looking for an artist because I can’t see the characters in my head. Well, I can see them as they normally look, but this is a super hero story, I need to see them in costume. And that, I can’t do right now, so I’m trying to find someone who can help me. Boy, is that becoming a pain in the ass. The first thing that makes dealing with illustrators a major pain in the ass is they have a hard time following directions. I think that’s why a lot of them have an ego and will go off on a tangent at the drop of a hat. Telling you what you want, instead of giving you what you want. I placed an ad on Digital Webbing’s job search page, and I was very specific about what I want. I even went so far as to imply that anyone who doesn’t meet my qualifications should not even bother sending in their samples, they’ll be immediately rejected. And still, none of the illustrators that responded suit my needs in any way. Sure, they’re all great artists. But if I’m looking for an “urban graffiti hip-hop animation style” and include names like Scottie Young, Humberto Ramos, and Jason Pearson, then why are pencilers who draw like Jim Lee, John Byrne, or something way more classical answering the ad? I’ve had to go through one artist after the other looking, hoping, and praying the right one will pop-up. How hard can it be? I see graffiti artists every day. They’re everywhere: on street corners, in alleys, in hip-hop magazines, airbrushing jackets, designing t-shirts, everywhere. All I want is someone with a specific knowledge of comics and character design, why is that so hard to find?
Finding someone isn’t just the hardest part. Finding someone professional is next to impossible. I’ve had some artists who were very good and fit what I’m looking for, not a lot, but enough. I talk to them, we set things up, and then they disappear. One artist was all set to do some work, we agreed on a price and everything was go. He told me he was hyped for the work, couldn’t wait to get started, etc. He shined me on and then dropped me when something “better” came along, which usually means it paid more. Oh, don’t get me started about that. $130 for two character designs, and that wasn’t enough fucking money. Hey, I’m not complaining about comic book illustrators and sequential artists who’ve worked in the biz and have a name. I know that if you approach them, 50% of what you pay for is the name alone. The other 50% is the assurance you have that whatever you get will rock hard. I’m writing about the no-names. I'm writing about those who haven’t done dick but want $250 per illustration. For the work I needed, tattoo designs, that’s $500 on top of the $600 I gotta pay to get inked. What makes it worse is I take the time to describe my designs in detail. Granted, the artist still has work to do. He has to turn my words into something you can see, and I take into account that what I have in mind could not work. But, $125, $175, $200 for a fucking pencil drawing? I don’t give a damn how detailed it is, unless your fucking Darrow, there’s no rational for charging that much to draw a fucking angel and a demon. Especially from someone you know doesn’t have that kind of money. I met one artist, cool cat, he did some work for me and he just came right out and told me he has two sets of prices. Those for the company man and those for the guy who just need something. If he’s doing a job for a big business, then he jacks up the prices because he knows they can cover. But, there’s no way he expects some small one-man operation to have that kid of dosh. Wish all artists were like him.
So, I’m still looking. Gave up trying to deal with amateurs and now I’m going to the pros for help. If I have to pay more for the professionalism, then that’s what I’ll have to do. But, in the meantime, I have to get stepping on this story before it goes stale and someone puts it out before me. Wouldn’t be the first time that’s happened.
Later.
JPG.
Anyone who’s read my last few entries knows I’ve been feeling pretty bad the last few months. But, a week ago I got some news that has me rejuvenated. I can’t mention anything here because it’s all still a gamble. When everything’s over, I could be wallowing in crap again or find myself knee deep in a new kind of shit I never anticipated. But, I’m happy just the same. And that happiness has rejuvenated me. It’s got nothing to do with my book. I’m always happy about that. No. The difference between my book and the offer I’m entertaining now, what makes one better than the other, is timing. Lazarus is moving forward, but slowly. Everything that can get in the way IS getting in the way. This new opportunity, if it works, would allow me to move faster and get the fuck out the hospital sooner. That’s why I’m so excited. Plus, it gives Laz a great push forward to have my name on another book.
My change in mood has sparked my creativity again. I’m having ideas left, right, and center. Not to mention already having some work to do. The screenplay is finally underway. All in one week, I get an offer I can’t refuse, and my screenplay partner decides it’s time to get some work done. So, we discussed the first 25% and I wrote up an outline. The colorist finished the first twenty-four pages for Laz, and with some minor changes, they’ll rock. Probably the biggest change is my penciler is almost done with the entire book. It’s been going on eight months since this whole thing began, and it’s hard to believe it’s almost over. Once I sign off on the last pages, it done. I feel like Peter Jackson on the last day of shooting Lord of the Rings, trying to hold on just a little bit longer, but knowing the end must come. But, for me, it’s about being afraid to take the next step. The closer I get to having a complete book the more nervous I’m becoming, but I’m excited to. I started this year with one book in the works. And now, if I play my cards right, I may have two. How cool is that? Usually, when I have a string of bad luck or just being depressed, it means there’s some good luck coming down the road. That, or I’ve already had some good luck and now I have to pay for it. I’m hoping all that shit I just waded through was preparing me for this moment.
My wife is still bugging me about not having seen Episode 3, and at this point I don’t really care. Sure, I’d like to see it, but now that all the hoopla has died down, I feel like I can just wait for the DVD. What I won’t wait for is Batman Begins. I’ve been looking forward to that movie since I read Chris Nolan was attached. I immediately knew it was going someplace Blade touched on, but no other comic movie had visited before. Something truly dramatic and character driven. After that, I’ll see Fantastic Four to make my daughter happy because she’s been ranting about it for days now, but I won’t like it. And that’s gotta be the hardest part of being a movie fanatic like myself, paying to see a movie you know will suck, but you do it for someone else.
Part of the reason I’m so hyped for Batman is I’m working on my own vigilante character right now. I’m way behind schedule, mostly because I’ve been too focused on finding an artist for character design work instead of writing the damn story. I’ve written down scenes in spurts, but I haven’t sat down and actually cranked on it. But all that changes real soon. One obstacle is the beginning; I have no idea how to start this damn thing. Even if I “vomit” the first draft, the beginning has me stuck. One of my most nagging problems is trying to separate the time when I write, from when I edit. I keep doing both; instead of having an idea and just rolling with it, I measure how good the idea is and hold everything back until I fix it. In this case, I had an idea on how I could begin, but it was too much like Lazarus, and I want to do the exact opposite. I hate writing two stories the exact same way. But, instead of just using it so I can move past it, I keep holding on, trying to find the perfect start and it’s not coming to me. It makes me remember one of my fave movies, Throw Momma From the Train. I love that movie. I think I saw that film before I even knew I wanted to be a writer, but even then it spoke to me: “A writer writes. Always!” And right now I can hear Billy Crystal in my head repeating over and over: “That’s the beauty of writing…perfect beginnings, perfect words.” So I can’t let go and stop trying to find that perfect beginning, the one that sets the pace for everything. I’m looking for an artist because I can’t see the characters in my head. Well, I can see them as they normally look, but this is a super hero story, I need to see them in costume. And that, I can’t do right now, so I’m trying to find someone who can help me. Boy, is that becoming a pain in the ass. The first thing that makes dealing with illustrators a major pain in the ass is they have a hard time following directions. I think that’s why a lot of them have an ego and will go off on a tangent at the drop of a hat. Telling you what you want, instead of giving you what you want. I placed an ad on Digital Webbing’s job search page, and I was very specific about what I want. I even went so far as to imply that anyone who doesn’t meet my qualifications should not even bother sending in their samples, they’ll be immediately rejected. And still, none of the illustrators that responded suit my needs in any way. Sure, they’re all great artists. But if I’m looking for an “urban graffiti hip-hop animation style” and include names like Scottie Young, Humberto Ramos, and Jason Pearson, then why are pencilers who draw like Jim Lee, John Byrne, or something way more classical answering the ad? I’ve had to go through one artist after the other looking, hoping, and praying the right one will pop-up. How hard can it be? I see graffiti artists every day. They’re everywhere: on street corners, in alleys, in hip-hop magazines, airbrushing jackets, designing t-shirts, everywhere. All I want is someone with a specific knowledge of comics and character design, why is that so hard to find?
Finding someone isn’t just the hardest part. Finding someone professional is next to impossible. I’ve had some artists who were very good and fit what I’m looking for, not a lot, but enough. I talk to them, we set things up, and then they disappear. One artist was all set to do some work, we agreed on a price and everything was go. He told me he was hyped for the work, couldn’t wait to get started, etc. He shined me on and then dropped me when something “better” came along, which usually means it paid more. Oh, don’t get me started about that. $130 for two character designs, and that wasn’t enough fucking money. Hey, I’m not complaining about comic book illustrators and sequential artists who’ve worked in the biz and have a name. I know that if you approach them, 50% of what you pay for is the name alone. The other 50% is the assurance you have that whatever you get will rock hard. I’m writing about the no-names. I'm writing about those who haven’t done dick but want $250 per illustration. For the work I needed, tattoo designs, that’s $500 on top of the $600 I gotta pay to get inked. What makes it worse is I take the time to describe my designs in detail. Granted, the artist still has work to do. He has to turn my words into something you can see, and I take into account that what I have in mind could not work. But, $125, $175, $200 for a fucking pencil drawing? I don’t give a damn how detailed it is, unless your fucking Darrow, there’s no rational for charging that much to draw a fucking angel and a demon. Especially from someone you know doesn’t have that kind of money. I met one artist, cool cat, he did some work for me and he just came right out and told me he has two sets of prices. Those for the company man and those for the guy who just need something. If he’s doing a job for a big business, then he jacks up the prices because he knows they can cover. But, there’s no way he expects some small one-man operation to have that kid of dosh. Wish all artists were like him.
So, I’m still looking. Gave up trying to deal with amateurs and now I’m going to the pros for help. If I have to pay more for the professionalism, then that’s what I’ll have to do. But, in the meantime, I have to get stepping on this story before it goes stale and someone puts it out before me. Wouldn’t be the first time that’s happened.
Later.
JPG.
posted by QABBAL at 1:31 PM
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