Everyman Guide to Comic Conventions part 3

ARTISTS

• Specialize. It's great that you can pencil, ink and color your own work but most companies won't let you do that for either time or editorial reasons. Pick what you are best at and run with it.
  
• Don't just do splash pages of the hero in a cool pose. Editors are interested in the breath of your work. They want to see that you can draw a boy and his dog playing in the park or a couple out for a walk as convincingly as you draw Stupendous Man kicking the crap out of Dr. Destruction.
• Never defend your work. If you don't like what the editor tells you, say "Thank You" and walk away. But think about what they said first. They may have a point.
• Never, ever trash another artist. No one cares if you think that you draw better than (insert pro's name here), they have a job, you don't. Trashing another artist makes you look unprofessional and kind of childish, to be honest.
• Only show your best work, offer to leave a packet with them and always have a business card ready. (see earlier blog)
• Know what the company that you are showing your work to publishes. Showing your superhero samples to a company that only does romance or horror is a waste of everyone's time.
• Leave your adults only samples at home. There is a venue for this but Marvel or DC aren't it. Titillation is one thing but full frontal will not impress a mainstream editor, no matter how good they are.

Next time, tips for the writer.