Hello Tapas Community!
My name is Daniel and my comic is I'M THE WIZARD! And You're Not! I've been writing and drawing it myself for about 6 or 7 months and I'm now starting to look for an artist to take over illustrating it so that I can begin to expand and work on other projects simultaneously.
ABOUT THE COMIC:
I'M THE WIZARD! is an offbeat fantasy/comedy in a cartoon-ish style that's about an arrogant wizard and the motley crew of characters who live and work with him in his castle. It's structured loosely like a daily comic strip, usually 6-10 panels. There are some narrative arcs that span many issues/episodes, but the general idea is still for new readers to be able to jump in at any time (meaning I do my best to clue in new readers when an episode is a continuation from the previous one).
It currently posts every Tuesday and Thursday, both here on Tapas and on Webtoon.
ABOUT THE JOB:
Artistic Requirements:
First and foremost, candidates must be able to match the comic's current look as closely as possible. This does not mean it needs to be so exact that the audience will not be able to tell a new artist has taken over. It just means that the overall general aesthetic should be preserved.
THAT BEING SAID: I am not a trained artist, I'm mostly self taught, and I know I've made a lot of mistakes along the way. I am very happy to have my mistakes corrected/hear suggestions on how things might be done better.
I primarily use Adobe Illustrator to create this comic. The chosen artist may use whatever software works best for them as long as the end product meets expectations. It's a plus if they use Adobe programs since I am most familiar with them, but it is not a requirement.
In general, the chosen artist should be communicative about any restrictions/limitations they may have. I will always do my best to work with you if some problem arises.
Lastly, though this comic is PG / PG-13 leaning, with no plans to go beyond that, candidates must be comfortable with crude and/or suggestive content/humor OR ELSE be very communicative about anything they are uncomfortable with that they may see in a script. NOTE: I will NEVER ask an artist to draw something they are uncomfortable with, nor will any graphic sexual content ever enter into this comic. In all likelihood it will remain PG-13-ish with occasional subtextual adult humor in the dialogue.
Payment:
This is a PAID position, though please keep in mind before applying that I am working with a very tight budget. This is NOT full time work and would be more ideal for someone looking to supplement their current income and/or work on a side project in their spare time. I would like to arrange a flat rate per comic issue/episode structure, though I am open to negotiating other terms.
Rate of pay is also open to negotiation. Interested candidates inquiring about the position should please include an estimate of how long it would take them to complete an average comic episode and how much they would expect for this amount of work in their message. This estimate will NOT be taken as binding/contractual, but will simply serve to give me a general idea of what you're expecting.
From time to time, there may be need of additional artwork (like bonus content, etc) that deviates from the episodic artwork. Payment for any additional artwork like this can be negotiated as it arises and will depend upon the size of the job in question. This kind of artwork will not be subject to the same terms as the main episodic artwork.
NOTE: I want to be clear that I am VERY sensitive to the fact that, especially in this day and age, people often try to take advantage of artists and/or try to get more work out of them than they pay for. To that end, I try, and will continue to try, to be aware of the workload at the script level and try to keep it as light as possible. Meaning: scripts will either be short and/or will make use of previously generated content so it doesn't have to be redrawn. If the work involved in this comic ever proves to be more difficult or time consuming than previously agreed upon, I am open and willing to work with the artist to resolve the problem. For instance, if it would help lessen the workload/time involved, I could potentially continue to do some of the artwork like initial base sketches or final inking or coloring.
To summarize: it is my intention to create and enter into a collaborative contract that works equally well for all parties involved.
Deadlines / Time Requirements
As previously stated, right now this comic posts every Tuesday and Thursday. When an artist is hired, my current plan is to continue illustrating episodes for a short time while the new artist works on establishing a "bank" of several weeks worth of episodes (exact amount to be determined). That way, once this initial "bank" hurdle is over, both the artist and I will have a good amount of cushion room going forward, meaning deadlines will be relatively lax. As long as the Tu/Th posting schedule is continually met, the artist will be free to work on their own time, with minimal deadline pressure.
If it becomes necessary, I am also willing to take a hiatus in order to give the artist more time to complete the work, though I would like to avoid doing this too often.
If something comes up at any time that prevents the artist from meeting a deadline, they must be communicative and let me know about it as soon as possible so that I can make other arrangements and/or announce a postponement.
Collaboration / Legal stuff:
The chosen artist will of course receive credit for any artwork they are responsible for, be it comic episodes or additional bonus content that may come up.
I am also very open to collaboration and love to hear and talk about all thoughts/ideas/suggestions.
That said, I will retain sole ownership of the overall comic and the intellectual property therein, unless otherwise negotiated at a later date. If you have any issue with this, please let me know.
APPLYING:
If you've read all of the above, have checked out the comic (viewable via the links at the top of this post or below), and are still interested in applying for the position, please send me an email at: danielchaseart@gmail.com
As stated above, please include a rough estimate of how long it would take you to complete an episode of this comic and what your desired rate for this work would be. Again, this will serve as a basis for negotiation; you will not be strictly held to your estimate.
In addition, please include a link to your portfolio and/or other comics you've drawn. If none of your work is available online, please send me some samples as attachments. Also, as part of the selection process, I may ask candidates to draw a sample panel (of my choosing). Please indicate in your message if you'd be OK with doing that. NOTE: if I do ask you to do this I will pay you for your time, regardless of whether or not you are chosen for the position
Finally, if you could just write a very brief blurb about yourself, your experience level, and what draws you to this project that would be helpful! Again, brief and casual is fine, no lengthy cover letter required.
And of course if you have any questions please feel free ask away!
That about does it, thanks for checking out this post! I look forward to hearing from you
Best,
Daniel Chase
danielchaseart@gmail.com
Link to the comic: