Why I don't (normally) sell art.

Hey everyone,

Besides "Why don't you go to conventions?", the second most asked question I get is "Why don't you sell art?". I'm always flattered that anyone wants to buy my work, and appreciate it more than I can say in words, but more often than not I'm just not ready to let the work go.

Now, I should say that I have sold some art before. Just here and there, mostly around the time I was on Comic Twart. I like seeing the art go to good homes, but I almost always regretted letting them go at all. The reason is simple: I don't know what the hell I'm doing.

I'm pretty good at making a comic, but I'm no genius. I can't absorb work the way some artists seem to be able to. I have to live with it a bit, soak it in. Thing is, working in comics is grueling. I imagine it's like being a stand up comic. You tell a good joke, awesome. Now, tell another. Now another. Now ANOTHER. No more jokes? F&*k you, get off the stage! 





That's how I have to draw day to day. I remember, before I could get work, the thrill of finishing a new page. I was sure that page would be THE ONE to get my foot in some imaginary door at some publisher. I'd enjoy the page, study it, tell myself how awesome and clever I was for drawing it. Thing was, I was stupid then. I didn't know I was stupid, which is magic. I wish I could be stupid like that again. ... but I digress.

As you get better you start to see the misses, the goofs. You see the dumb, avoidable mistakes in the art that you SHOULD have seen while making it. Problem was that once I started to get work I was moving fast all the time so I wasn't seeing the mistakes in the art, I was seeing them in the finished books. That kills you. Well, it kills me anyway. But even then I'm not really seeing the mistakes. I'm seeing the shrunk down, colored, printed, lettered versions of my bullshit. To really learn I need to see the pages.


All I really want out of life is to tell a story with pictures better than every person who ever drew from now till the end of time (That, and to play the harmonica. Maybe speak French better... but that's it). Thing is, for me to get better I need time to see where I went wrong. So, I keep my pages. This way I can study them later. See where I went wrong, show them to smart people who can show me the stuff I missed.

This is why I don't sell pages very often. It's not you, it's me. I have the problem. I just want to draw really, really well. To do that I have to have the pages to go back to.

That's not to say I'll NEVER sell pages. In fact, I will. Some day.... when I can finally draw well or when the need for dough trumps my desire to draw better. Which ever comes first.

Thanks for understanding.

You're pal,
Mike

PS - I actually did sell the page above. "Hypocrisy" you say? No, no, It was for a charity thing. 


Tweet

Advice to a fellow artist - "Don't give it away!"

As you guys know, I've been teaching at the Pennsylvania College of Art and Design. I love it there, and will be returning in the Fall. I have had some great students, dedicated artists who are ready to learn. As you can imagine they're eager to get working, which some time makes them ripe for people trying to take advantage of them. Recently one of my students asked my advice about a company asking for free illustrations for a "non-profit" project. I wish I could say this kind of request was uncommon, but I've heard versions of it time and time again. I'm going to post my response to this artist here because I think it may be helpful to anyone trying to make a career illustration: 

***

 Dear XXXXX

I think you already know my answer. IF they WERE looking to hire illustrators then they would HIRE them, not ask for freebies.

 Please bear in mind that a non-profit does NOT mean no one is making money. When people write up business plans for an actual non-profit company they include plans for people's salaries, costs of services, etc. No one would fund a non-profit that did not plan for paying salaries to people working at the company. So people running a non-profit get paid. IF they want to hire an illustrator, they should pay him/her too. Maybe not top rates, but they should offer something other than dreams of potential future gigs.

Let me ask you something. Let's say one of this company's toilets clogged and they were thinking of "hiring" a plumber. Let's say they called a plumber and asked him or her to fix this toilet for free then if the plumber did a good job he or she could fix their pipes in the future should the need arise. How many plumbers do you think would be taking that job?

By working for free you're saying your time is worthless. Is your time worthless? Aren't you investing a tremendous amount of time and money in seeking an education in art? I get paid to teach you because you're paying into the college, right? How long do you think I'd stay at the school if they said "Hey, teach this class for free and if we like how it goes we'll maybe pay you for the next one."?

Try this. Go to a pizza place and tell them you want to try out a whole pizza and if you like it you'll start buying pizzas from them in the future. See what they say.

You're a talented, dedicated artist. But every time you give it away you not only short change yourself, but you short change every artist that comes after you. Simple as that.

Do what you're comfortable with, but please value your time and abilities. Don't give it away.

Best,
Mike  

***

 I'm not sharing this to embarrass anyone, nor do I intend to come off preachy. I'm hoping to do one thing; show fellow artist they are valuable.


Please, don't forget that.

Good luck.

You're frien,
Mike

Tweet