Can we hear a little a little more about the project?
Are you wanting black and white? Color?
Is there a specific timeframe/deadline for each page?
Do these demos have completed scripts?
Do you have completed character references or is concept art involved?
Are the artists in charge of everything from storyboards to word bubbles?
What method of contact will be used?
Thank you for the interest in my offer.
The project will be 5 opening chapters for stories that take place in the same world, but vastly different places so they will not impact each other. These stories are:
The Devil of Murkwood - A father/daughter story diving into the divine and profane influences on their world.
The Iron Bear - A rescue story that looks into the Spiritual aspects of the world.
The Knight of Stone - A finding strength story focused more on the learned/acquired magics of the world.
The Deadman's Search for Redemption - A revenge story looking at the relationships between species of the world.
The Star Trader - A debt repayment story diving into the nondivine outside forces that impact the world.
As for Black and White vs Color, that depends more on the artists. If they are more comfortable with manga styles then Black and White is fine as there are typically different things being emphasized with manga. If they prefer more of a Comic style of drawing, then color is preferred.
As for a timeframe/deadline per page, obviously I would like faster results, but I know this stuff takes time for quality. Faster completion means the artists get paid faster, and I can find out if there is any interest for the project sooner. Ideally, I would like to see about 1 page per week, but as long as at least 2 high quality pages are done per month, I can live with that.
I have posted some of the story ideas in the manga ideas section of the forum, but I do have scripts for the demos.
Unfortunately I do not have any completed references. However, I can provide images for reference/jumping off points.
The story boards can be done by the artists if they choose, but I know the beats and main points that I would like to hit with the stories. The word bubbles will be up to the artists.
Contact methods will be based off of whatever works best for all parties, so that all can be included in discussions and possible meetings. Voice calls over things like discord or skype and email are preferred.
I second those questions and add my own:
- How/when will the payment be sorted/will there be an "official" contract etc?
Especially as you mention "several" manga one-shots that you're after.
i.e. paid per page every time a page is completed, or what. - And also, what exactly is the expected workload difference between main artist and assistant? I assume that will vary somewhat on their specific skillset and what they want/are comfortable doing. (Hence your mention of co-artists as an option)
- As a second option, can an artist be both main and assistant? as someone who has single handedly worked on a comic and also worked in a team, solo is much more preferable. (Also extra pay for doing 2 jobs
) - Do snacks count as (disposable single-use performance enhancing) equipment? (semi-serious)
Thank you for your expressed interest as well.
Payment will sent as soon as the completed page is received, and the reimbursement is paid at the end of the month based on any receipts sent during the month. There will not be an official contract, but the artwork is not to be sold by the artists. However, the artwork can be used as reference or included in the artists' portfolio after the project is completed and presented.
The workload difference for manga between the primary and assistant should be the primary artist does the base drawings while the assistant does things like touching up, cleaning up lines, adding effects, or generally adding on the finishing touches to the work. For comics the primary artist does the base drawings while the assistant focuses on the coloring, touch ups, and other finishing touches.
If you are confident in your skills to be able to do it all yourself, I am more than happy to pay you $150 per page, as long as the quality is still there.
Snacks unfortunately do not count as equipment as it needs to be directly used when working on the project. However, if you need something like coffee or an energy drink to help you maintain focus while you work, then I will consider that as something directly involved in the project.
Any other questions please feel free to let me know.