January 10, 2012

• Pro

  Freelance art is a very tough line of work. All the things my Art Institute instructors warned us about came true and it's a little worse than what those bastards predicted. To be quite frank, they didn't do a good job of preparing their students for this shit, but that's another story for another time. Other than the fact that I'm my own boss, there's no real benefits to brag about. You live from one project to the next. You're working on something, but there's the feverish hustling for another project and that's supposed to be the norm. Of course, nothing is guaranteed. You might have a client back for whatever reason. Sometimes you don't have anything except your personal projects or a side gig that has nothing to do with your craft. Thank God for those personal projects because it's probably the only thing that's keeping me sane right now. Well, that and Netflix. I'm grateful for my creativity, but sometimes I wish that a paying client would show up. I'm no longer caught up in the hype of New Years Resolutions, but I'm working towards a more professional Kenny for 2012. A professional Kenny means he'll actually have some money.

  The bottom line is: No more pro bono art. That's it. No more, absolutely under no circumstances.

  Unless...

  a. it fits into my plans. I'll more than willing to collaborate on a comic or anything that'll raise my stock.
  b. I f'n love you. There's only a handful of people this applies to. It's basically a personal gift from me to a dear friend.
  c. it's for charity or a good cause. Example: There's Women of Wonder Day, a charity that auctions off original art of their name sake in an effort to fight against domestic violence (they take submissions from dudes, á la Adam Hughes). Another example would be Comic Creators for Freedom, an organization spreading awareness of Human Trafficking.

  Last year, or maybe it was late in 2010, I worked as a concept artist for an independent film. I went in knowing that I wasn't going to get any money unless the film acquired the proper funding. "Category A" was in effect, meaning that I was getting some much needed exposure. Sometimes exposure can lead to paying gigs, so I was game. The downside to that arrangement: I was supposed to receive a bloody contract containing the deal. A non-disclosure agreement was another document that was never mailed to me, so that made me uncomfortable. Verbal agreements don't go as far as print. The initial arrangement would have worked like a charm if my employers would have provided all the essentials.

  Categories B and C are pretty simple. No need to explain those.

  I fixate on Category A because I'm planning to be knee-deep in the movie and television business, so things like contracts and other documents are extremely important. It's a rotten business sometimes and, unfortunately, the thought of getting screwed over lingers in my head. Having someone's word isn't going to help me sleep at night. From now on, I need all of that sweet, flowery goodness on paper.

  I'm no longer in the business of taking request because it doesn't go past a "thank you." I know that sounds a bit harsh, but at the same time, I'm the one investing time, skill, and (believe it or not) energy into the art. The main thing is time. I happen to draw realistically, which means the process takes longer than the average doodle. The other day, my hand was hurting like a punched a wall. Turns out, I was working a comic for a crazy amount of hours and this went on for days. I ended up getting a slight case of carpal and had to be sidelined from my desk. The overall gist is that art is work---hard work that takes time out of my life. Much like anyone that works hard, I want to get paid for it.

  Here's to 2012.

  The year of the professional.

  Currently Tron: Legacy By Daft Punk see related

   

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