Hiring graphic novel artist to create portrait as gift?

April 20, 2008 2:42 PM

Hiring graphic novel artist to create professional graphic-novel-style portrait as gift?

My girlfriend's birthday is coming up, and I'd like to get her something unusual. She likes graphic novels. Is it possible to commission one of the professional artists involved to create a piece of display-size art, showing her fighting bad guys in court or something like that? If so, what should I expect to pay, and how do I go about it? Is three months lead-time enough, or should I be shooting for Christmas? Is there something else I should be asking that I'm not savvy enough to be asking?

posted by commander_cool to shopping (13 comments total)

If you're in a city/town with an arts college, I would head there. You may be able to find a student through craigslist or the personals in a free daily paper or something, or you can physically go to the college and post on a bulletin board.

Or go to an art supply store and tell the clerks what you're looking for. They probably know someone.

When you find someone, see a portfolio, preferably see some quick sketches up front and make sure they are capable of the look you're going for.
posted by chudmonkey at 2:55 PM on April 20, 2008

Also, for what it's worth, I am acquainted with a working artist who currently has a title published with Image. If you're having trouble locating someone local to you, I can recommend him and see if he's interested in the work. Shipping artwork seems silly if you don't have to, though.
posted by chudmonkey at 2:58 PM on April 20, 2008

Advertise on Craigslist San Francisco, NYC, etc., under art or design "gigs." You'd be amazed at how talented the people are who respond to those ads.
posted by jayder at 3:07 PM on April 20, 2008

What Jayder said at first, and I also can hook you up with the girl that draws Girls With Slingshots ... she does great artwork and has inked or drawn for a number of graphic novels and publications ...

As far as how much, depending on the level of detail you'd want I think $50-$75, maybe $100 is reasonable for an 8x10. You're getting up towards $150-200 if you want to go larger or want it on more durable stock than just a piece of acid-free paper.

With lead time, keep in mind that most artists are flaky as hell -- so I'd ask for it to be completed a month before you actually need it. ;) A month or two should be plenty of time.
posted by SpecialK at 3:13 PM on April 20, 2008

* at = as

... and I say artists are flaky as hell with all the love in my heart. It's an endearing quality. Honest.
posted by SpecialK at 3:14 PM on April 20, 2008

There are lots of great illustrators out there, and as suggested, starting at the local art school is a good idea. If you find someone through Drawn.ca you like, I'm sure you could contact them directly; most would be happy for the business. I have Goopymart draw valentines for my wife every year; he's inexpensive and wonderful, but maybe too cartoony for what you want.
posted by luriete at 3:44 PM on April 20, 2008

Check with these guys (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/comicart-l/); the question probably comes up a lot there. I'm sure they'd be able to help you with recommendations and contact info, especially if you know some specific artists, or general styles she likes.

If you end up with a professional, you should probably shoot for Christmas, or even next year's birthday. In the comics world, commissions are usually priced by how many figures are in the drawing, then considering stuff like backgrounds, if the drawing is inked or just penciled (or even colored), &c. The general price range depends mostly on the artist. This could get really expensive, but not necessarily.

On the other hand, if you have a chance to attend one of the bigger comic conventions (San Diego, New York, the Wizard cons), a lot of artists do convention sketches. Bring some photo reference, and you could probably get something done in a weekend.
posted by Bigfoot Mandala at 4:43 PM on April 20, 2008

Not sure of your price range, but artist Ellen Forney is open to commissions.
posted by polyester.lumberjack at 4:43 PM on April 20, 2008

There are also plenty of sites where people hang out who do indeed make their beer money doing precisely what you describe - though usually it's people's role-playing game characters.

The biggest is probably deviantART, but I find it very hard to get around that site for some reason and find what I'm looking for.

You might also want to take a look at the galleries on Zeros2heroes (Disclaimer, they're publishing a comic project I wrote.) The level of professionalism is hugely variable, but the top end is pretty damn impressive, and there are a couple hundred sample portfolios instead of thousands.
posted by Naberius at 4:45 PM on April 20, 2008

One thing that will benefit the work of any artist on this assignment is if you can give them lots of good references.

So start photographing your girlfriend every chance you get! (It would be funny too if you shoot her in some action poses, and she has no idea why you are taking the pictures).
posted by extrabox at 6:09 PM on April 20, 2008

You might want to take a look at the Cartoon Commune, though the art might be a little more 'cartoony' than what you're looking for.
posted by jennyesq at 8:07 PM on April 20, 2008

If she's into zombie comics and you're not looking for a "name" illustrator, here's your answer: Zombie Portraits. I ordered one for a friend last year. It was great, arrived on time and she loved it. He's still around a year later (expanding, even) which is a good sign.
posted by zanni at 2:09 AM on April 21, 2008

Another great artist who does custom works: KC Green.
posted by clockworkjoe at 5:36 PM on April 21, 2008