April 06, 2005

• What do you need? I'm a decent drawerer, but my mother teaches art and has an assload of students who are easy to track down. Additionally, I know a guy who'd be willing to do a freelance piece if you gave him some scratch. I can come up with samples if you want, or you could give me some text and I could illustrate that for free, to give you an idea of my style.
• I know several illustrators, one of whom is a published children's illustrator. I can hook you up but I'm sure there is a Monkey out there who is the very person you need (I have illustration & graphic background but not enough experience, probably, to step up to the plate). Let's see what kind of response you get.
• Specifics....ahh, yes. Oh these have I heard. The childrens book should have more of a classic, sorta dreamy feel to it, this one is a fairy tale. The motion project is for grown-up kids (think Adult Swim) so, we're needing something stylized and edgy. Being unpublished and poor, I'd need to find people who want to work on potentialy profitable projects for nothing more than a cut of the imaginary money that may come in the future. I have one kids book written, I found an illustrator in a bar. That was a year ago. She's still working on that book a year later (6 pages done) and that ain't how you get published, non?
• If I needed an illustrator for a children's book, I'd hire this guy.
• My Google Fu is irresisable! Patricia Storms Samantha Wall Bobbi Sturgeon Jillian Crider I'm sure there are more out there. I found all the links apart from the first one by searching the writing newsgroups, where illustrators have been known to spam poke their heads above the parapet from time to time.
• 'I'd need to find people who want to work on potentialy profitable projects for nothing more than a cut of the imaginary money that may come in the future.' Ugh. Um.. this might be a bit of an obstacle.
• If someone does work for you, PAY THEM!
• I sent an e-mail to the address in your profile (letting you know in case you don't check it often)
• This is my best friend from High School's website(he's also an artist), if he can't help you directly he may know someone that can Todd Marrone
• Why exactly is it that people alway think artists should love the idea of doing spec work?
• Artists without much work experience might.
• Cause there must be artists out there who are in the same spot and want to be doing something that could make some cash. "Spec" makes me think of being someones employer, and even if I could afford that, it sounds icky and inorganic. What I'm talking about is collaberation, artistic exchange, all that hippy granola shit, but with the goal being some cash in the end (and all that making people happy crap, too, of course)
• I have just exactly the person for you. She is my best friend, has a degree in illustration from SCAD, is currently working a day job as a graphic designer & would be very happy to work with you. She has done lots of books for Lark & would love to do a kids' book; email me (in profile) and I will hook you two up.
• nobody ever wants to pay artists for their time, materials, years of experience, or pricy education...you wouldn't go to a lawyer and say 'hey, I have this fun trial you might want to work on...' this makes me sick. please take it to craigslist with all the other scheming dirtbags. tracy, please delete this post...it's just a self post and solicitation for free work... oh, and btw, the term is 'draftsman'...not 'drawerer'
• Miss the point much?
• What happened to Monkeys trying to cooperate? Collaberation to me implies getting your name on the book, and thus eventually getting royalties, even if not being paid up front. There may be someone who would be very interested. I think my husband might do something like this, if the project were something he would be interested in. he's always bugging ME to write a book
• I produce in my spare time. My money, my hours of time, theatre and film for friends, I don't get paid. Most of the artist I know occationaly make art for no money, for the pure joy of the experiance. For the fun of working with others. For the thrill of trying something new. I'm guessing you don't "get" that, huh? Go piss in someone elses thread.
• I'm pretty sure lawyers sometimes work for a percentage of the (hypothetical) future proceeds. Basically equivalent, I think.
• Actually, sexyrobot, there are lots and lots of lawyers that work for no money up front with the expectation of money received from a win. There are even lawyers that do it free for the public good...and it's common enough to have its own term - pro bono. Apparently you are not an artist. Artists do shit for free all the time...like the first 20 years I was able to hold a pencil. I am a modestly accomplished amateur 'draftsman' who has never gotten more than than a couple dollars in trade for my 'works'. It satisfies something deeper than my wallet. If I was able to commit to this project I would gladly throw my hat in the ring for nothing more than the love of creativity and to get my name out there as an illustrator. Money, of course, would be nice; however, it would be a distant 4th or 5th reason. on preview: what exppii said
• Uh, I know a lot of people in the illustration department of the Rhode Island School of design. They do excellent work (better than most of the children's book illustration out there) and might want to help you out. I sent you an email.
• I don' think we need to go as far as 'scheming dirtbags'- I reserve that for the people who are already seeing a profit from the thing that they don't want to pay you for. In this case it seems the author and artist would be SOL in parallel until a publisher was found. However, I wouldn't go as far as 'artists do shit for free all the time' either, though. A carpenter probably gets a great deal of satisfaction out of making useful things out of beautiful, natural materials; nevertheless you would not call a carpenter to your house and suggest that he make you some kitchen cabinets for the sheer joy of doing so.
• Throwing some more self-promotion into the mix - I have a little bit of animation experience, and a fair amount of drawing/painting, though not much illustration. Browse my website in my profile, and drop me an email if interested - I'm looking for a side project or two to take on for next year (since I'll be out of school). My most recent work is unfortunately not online yet, but it gives you an idea of what my stuff looks like.
• This is the sort of thing that will be perfect on MoFiProjects when it's up, and on the wiki until then. (Not that I'm saying you did wrong, starrybaby, especially if it turns out well for everyone involved).
• I repeat - I know ACTUAL CHILDREN'S BOOK ILLUSTRATORS OF EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY.
• SO DO I AND THEY GET PAID. Starrybaby, the first thing you do, is get yourself a literary agent. Otherwise this is a vanity project that goes nowhere.
• thanks, doris sorry for flaming earlier, i've just had it this week... i've been offered three 'jobs' this week that would require me to take time off from work, schlepp a bunch of crap all over creation, and highly likely require me to fork out $$$ for supplies...one guy wants me to build a fucking HOTEL for him...(a hotel set, anyway) lobby, entrance, room, working stairs, authentic period styling, what have you...all for free... plus, cragslist? yikes! try making money there... every time i call someone to work on a project of mine i ALWAYS pay at least SOMETHING... not paying someone to work on YOUR, yes YOUR project is just plain unethical. ...and I'm flaming again... *deep breath* yes I've collaborated before, yes I've worked for free many, many times...what have I learned? The more you get paid, the more respect you get...only on the free stuff do you learn the true value of 'being worked like a slave' on the other hand, i have had some fun collaborations...but those were almost all collaborations from the moment of inception, not 'i have this plan, and i want you to bring it to fruition for me' my suggestion...take an art class. I'm sure they're free, somewhere... (and yes i've heard of pro bono...in my ire, i chose professionals unwisely...let's try...ummm...garbageman! 'hey, i have some real fun trash over here for you to pick up...')
• Woo! Trash! Poor robot, I do sympathise.
• WTF, sexyrobot? Lots of people pick up others' trash for free. I especially like collecting and sorting through the refuse of celebrities ... and it's common enough to have its own term - "tabloid journalism".
• I don't do art for profit any more (although I may yet do it again). I'm unwilling to do all the fucking around you need to in order to make a viable product. I don't want to play stuff that's pre-planned, I just want it to happen as it happens and I want every single time to be different. I want to be able to incorporate whoever shows up into whatever's going on. I don't want to repeat myself any more than I feel like doing on the night. Money essentially fucks shit like this up because people expect predictability for their money -- people like to feel smart, and one way you can flatter them in this manner is by telling them what they already know. It's lucky I have enough friends and contacts (mostly people who have been professional musicians for twenty years plus) that we can do exactly this once a week or so, and whoever wants to can come or not.
• /tangent
• Sexyrobot: No, the term would be illustrator here. Drafting usually refers a) to line art, and b) to rendering blueprints. I've been paid for art before, both photographs and drawings. I work as a freelance writer. I volunteered (barring people like Settle throwing off the curve) because I thought I could be of service and had never done something exactly like this before. (I have no animation experience, so I sat out on that one). If you don't want to do it, you don't have to. And if she finds someone who will, how are you harmed?
• Didn’t really think this would be a controversial thread. As I said, many of the people I know work for free here and there to assist with other people projects, and just to be making something. Unfortunately for these ideas, they’re all writers, actors, and directors. I was at a little shin-dig last night, telling someone about this film I’m supposed to be helping out with next, and he says, “Oh, I have this project, I was gonna call you, maybe you wanna produce for us.” I had just explained that I was already committed. And I thought about robot. And I explained that I couldn’t do all of what he wanted, but that I would be happy to help in a smaller way. And I left it at that. So, thanks tons to all the monkeys who’ve e-mailed and commented positively. And thanks Tracy, very excited about MoFiProjects.
• If anyone is still looking, try this bloke.
• oh you sure told me...btw...i'm taking 2 of the jobs...i just really need to get paid at some point....