CONTRACTING COMMUNICATION
If you ask an artist what skills does he need to master, to become a household name in the comics business, most of them have all the right answers: perspective, proportion, and storytelling; ability to draw consistent faces, animals, buildings and everything else; to know how to make backgrounds a part of the scene; know how move the camera so you have the best angle for said scene; know different textures and the difference between inking skin and stone; to know how to apply textures, shadows and lights when coloring and how to work with your colors palette; the ability to meet deadlines and fine-tune his work when asked by the editor.
All of the above are essential abilities for an artist who wants to make a living out of comics. However, there’s one key ability some artists neglect — and it’s also key when working with comics: the ability to communicate! Being a freelancer or represented by an agency such as Glass House, communication is key when you want to break through the market and make comics your way of life.
When an artist is added to the Glass House ranks, the first thing he has to understand is: for usto pursue jobs for him, he needs to keep the communication line open. The artist can be the next Mike Deodato, but if we don’t get periodic updates to each artist’s portfolio, or inquiries about jobs, or questions about building a better portfolio, or discussion of Con appearances, or something to show the artist is alive, we assume the artist is too busy, or uninterested — and we keep going with the 120 or so artists we have who do communicate.
Most artists are in touch with us at least once or twice a week. Glass House — being myself or my managers — really can’t chase after anyone, with such a large roster and dozens upon dozens of clients. The time we’d spend checking on any artist everyday is a time we’d lose and that time could be used in better ways, such as getting our artists new jobs, better jobs and/or better contracts.
Another question artists ask is about our representation contract. Does it HAVE to be exclusive, or can the artist sign with us and, at the same time, with another agency or even chase jobs by himself? Usually, the exclusivity is the best option for a bunch of reasons, but the main one is: We’re often in a better position than they are to get them jobs and build their careers.
This is another reason: The thing that worries an agent — or editor — most is to hear the artist is available via multiple sources. Imagine this scenario: GHG sends a portfolio to an editor of an artist’s work. A few days later they get a portfolio from the artist directly. Then they get the artist’s portfolio from another agent. WHO does the editor contact? — the agent who made first contact? The second agent? The artist directly? And… Who does the editor pay? Who deserves the commission?
Not only is it confusing for the editor, that editor begins to wonder: Where is the loyalty from the artist? Editors know that a professional agency won’t be thrilled to see the same artist to be represented by another agent in the same field. If an artist bounces around so easily, what does that say to an editor about the trust he can, or can not, have with that artist to stay on the project he’s assigned?
That doesn’t mean the artist can’t have his private clients or commissions but, in any case, again communication with the manager or the agent and, of course, the editor, is key. This is something that happens now and then: an artist will get himself in to a publisher; he’ll inform GHG he’s in, he’ll do everything himself with that client, email me — or his manager — a .pdf or .jpgs of each issue so we can stay abreast of his progressing skills, and keep us informed as to his schedule and availability, and we continue to seek work for them at other publishers.
In a couple of cases, GHG has on our roster painters who we use very little. Terrific guys that are so busy with their own clients, they rarely need us. But if a special job comes in they’ll be thrilled with, we let them know; on the flip side, maybe once or twice a year they call us and say, “Hey, I have a week open at the end of the month, can you line up a cover or a pin-up for me to paint?” And usually we do.
So, as you can see, we try to be as flexible as we can with the many artists who come knocking and join us. They key point with each and every one of them is regular, clear communication. An ability as valuable as being able to deliver astonishing work within deadline but, sometimes, neglected by the artists. Sadly, lack of communication is more responsible for the downfall of an artist than being not able of doing his job. We do understand an artist has a personal life and everything that represents and how that can affect his productivity and ability to work.
If they communicate why they’re late or not able to produce, editors are aware and can search for a solution that will be good for everybody; if they don’t do that, the editor/manager will assume, as said before, that said artist is too busy, or uninterested — and we’ll end up replacing him with somebody else who does communicate.
That’s NOT all, of course. Not only will I have signed copies of STAN LEE’S HOW TO DRAW COMICS available, but Chicago Con is the official premiere of another book I co-wrote, THE MARVEL ART OF MIKE DEODATO. This is the only Convention this summer where Mike Deodato is signing copies of the book, and we’ll have a limited supply on hand for you!
