Looking out to hire a comic artist for your team? Need to know how and where to find the best candidates? Here is a comprehensive guide to finding the best comic artists. Read on!
How to hire a Comic Artist?
Creating a comic book from script to print can be quite complicated. There are lots of moving parts involved in the process. Comic book creation makes use of illustration to tell a story. Comic books are never out of style. There are different genres of comic books like action, Science fiction, comedy, and romance.
No matter if you own a publishing house or you have a marketing company, hiring a comic artist will enable you to get maximum advantage. Comic artists are a vital part of publishing. These days lots of freelance comic book artists are making their mark in the independent market. To hire the best comic artists, it is important to keep certain points in mind.
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Hiring market for Comic Artist
The comic book, graphic novels, and anime industries are some of the fastest-growing industries. The demand for the best comic artists is rising continuously. Most people like to read comic magazines like Peanuts and the Hulk, Tank Girl, and Scott Pilgrim.
In the year 2010, most comic artists for hire were paid $100 per page. But, at the present age, the annual salary of a comic book artist is $53,080. As per research by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, it was found that the job outlook for comic book illustrators and comic book designers is expected to grow by 6% in the year 2014-2024.
The average annual salary of a comic book artist is $54,170 or $26 per hour. This makes it one of the best career opportunities. Even for beginners, the average salary is $29,250 or $14 an hour. In terms of job growth, a 3% annual employment growth rate can be seen for people working as a comic artist.
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Top 15 job titles that companies are hiring for Comic Artist
Following are some of the best job titles that companies look to find a comic book artist.
1. Comic book illustrator
comic book illustrators are the most coveted job titles on the list. It is one of the best competitive fields. The main role of a comic book illustrator is to create illustrations for comic strips, books, and cartoons. The average salary of a comic book illustrator is $41,187.
2. Cartoonist
The main task of a cartoonist is to draw advertising, political, social, and sports cartoons. A certain freelance comic artist can also create the idea of the story and write captions. The average salary expected by a cartoonist in the USA is $69,168.
3. Animators
The main task of an animator is to produce multiple images that are called the frames. These farmers, when sequenced together, create an illusion of movement. The images by animators can be hand-drawn pictures, models, and puppets.
4. Character Artist
The main task of a character artist is to create and draw visual elements of a computer game like characters, environment, vehicles, and other props. The average salary that freelance comic book artists expect is $100-$1000, depending upon the type of illustrations.
5. Art Director
The main task of an art director is to oversee the visual art created by comic illustrators. They oversee all visual illustrations that are used on different platforms like websites, newspapers, magazines, and packaging.
6. Art Gallery Curator
If you own an art gallery, hiring an art gallery curator can be quite helpful. The main task of an art gallery curator or graphic novel illustrator is to build up collections in specialist areas.
7. Courtroom Illustrator
The media outlets demand a high level of accuracy when it comes to sketches of victims or the culprits. If you own a media house or a publishing house, hiring a person who can create realistic comic art can be the best option.
8. Forensic Artist
The job of a forensic artist is limited to law establishments, judiciary, and administrative fields. Hiring a comic illustrator is the need of the hour for the judiciary. Psychological qualifications are an added bonus.
9. Film Storyboarding
Comic book designs are also needed for film storyboarding. If you are involved in film making business, it is important to look for candidates with good illustration skills and proficiency in 3D modeling software.
10. Medical Illustrator
The career in medical illustration dates back to the 18th century. The main task of a medical illustrator is to demonstrate the body parts and human anatomy. You need to hire a comic book artist so that they can help you with the best medical illustration.
11. Fashion Illustration
The medical illustration sector has cut-throat competition. Comic book illustration skills are also needed for fashion illustration. A fashion illustrator can help you earn at least $50,000.
12. Fine Arts Illustrator
This is the most creative field within realistic comic book art. Fine arts illustrators and comic illustrators for hire to hone their skills to the level necessary to enter the marketplace. Comic book illustrator for hire and fine arts illustrator may demand $53200.
13. Senior Concept Artist
graphic novel illustrators and senior concept artists are responsible for creating original as well as imaginative concept art for characters, environments, and different types of games. Senior concept artists and comic artists for hire may demand an amount of $64,961.
14. Graphic Designer
You can also hire a graphic designer who has adequate knowledge about the creation of comic sketches and watercolor comic art. When you look out for graphic novel artists or a graphic artist, you need to pay at least $45,000.
15. Manga Artists
You can also look for Manga artists if you are involved in creating cartoons and comics for Japan and surrounding areas. The average salary that a Manga artist may expect is $38,363 per annum.
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Qualifications to look for in Comic Artist
When you want to look for comic book artists for hire, you don’t need to pay too much attention to the educational qualification of the graphic novel artist. Creativity is much more important as compared to the educational qualification of the candidate.
Make sure to look for the best comic artist who has the needed training and certification in the field. In most certifications related to hiring comic book artists, creative techniques and certificate programs are important. You can look for candidates who have completed degree and certification from the following colleges and universities,
| College/University | City |
| Arizona state university | Arizona |
| California Baptist University | California |
| Columbia College Chicago | Illinois |
| George Washington University | Washington DC |
| Indiana University South Bend | Indiana |
| Minneapolis College of Design | Minnesota |
| Montclair State University | New Jersey |
| Pace University | New York |
| Rochester Institute of Technology | New York |
| University of North Texas | Dallas |
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Skills to look for in a comic artist
If you are looking for a comic book artist, you need to pay attention to certain skills. Following are the prominent skills that must be present in comic artists,
- Drawing of human anatomy – Writers are looking for artists who have the ability to draw human artists. Thus, the artists need to draw human anatomy with complete accuracy and style. Most comics have too many human characters, and it is important to hire comic book artists who can draw human anatomy that can look funny as well as real.
- Storytelling – Comics is all about storytelling. Loosely connected pictures won’t give the best results to the reader. Thus, it is important to look for graphic novel artists for hire who can create a single fantastic panel that can convey the main story to the reader. The art should convey the story without any dialogue.
- Room for text – It is important to look for comic book illustrators for hire who can consider text placement. There is no point in having an expressive face of the comic characters in the absence of proper text placement. Thus, it is important to choose a comic artist who has the necessary skills of text placement.
- Communication skill – It is important to choose a comic artist who has the necessary skills. Better communication skills will enable the comic artists to explain concepts and artistic choices.
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Certifications to look for in Comic Artist
Following are some of the major certifications for comic artists,
- Gesture and construction drawing by Coursera – The course lays emphasis on the first two steps of building the figure, i.e. gesture and construction. The certification enables students to understand these two concepts and also how they can be used in designing different comic figures.
- Comics and graphic novel by CG Master Academy – This is an 8-week course that focuses on developing a story idea and turning it into a short or long-form visual story for comic artist creation.
- Learn digital coloring by Udemy – The certification enables students to learn the art of comic book coloring. Students can also learn about setting up tools, flatting, rendering, and special effects by getting this certification.
- Creation of Manga characters by Domestika – The certificate curriculum covers the introduction, the ABC of Manga, and the techniques of creating characters, datasheets, and final projects. Students will learn about the creation of male as well as female prototypes.
- Maya fundamentals by Pluralsight – The course starts with an interface tour. Then the course enables students to learn about selecting and transforming objects, accessing scene objects, and basic modeling.
So, try to look for a comic artist who has any of these certifications and training.
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Rate per hour of Comic Artist
Hiring comic book artists may cost you almost $20 per hour as of December 2020. But, the salary range falls between $16 and $24. The hourly rate can also vary depending on different factors like education, certifications, additional skills, and the experience in years.
If you are looking to find the best graphic novel illustrators for hire, you need to pay at least $20 per hour to the comic artists. The minimum wage expected by comic artists in the USA is $7.5 per hour.
Thus, if you are looking to hire a beginner comic artist, you need to pay an amount under $10. On the other hand, experienced comic artists can demand up to $25 an hour in the USA. The average salary demanded by comic artists in Europe is slightly higher as compared to the USA.
You need to pay an amount of $80-$100 per hour to comic artists in Europe. Comic artists from Asian nations are in huge demand all over the world. They expect an hourly charge of $23 per hour.
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Top 10 job boards to find best Comic Artist
If you don’t know how to find comic book artists, try to check these ten job boards to find candidates of your choice.
- Jorgen’s list – All candidates that you will find on this platform are well-qualified. The platform has more than 100 genres of job postings that are related to creative areas.
- ProductionHUB – This is an entertainment and creativity specific platform, where you can choose comic artists as per the need of your business and organization.
- Behance – Anyone who is related to the creative field must know about Behance. This is a social media portfolio platform that can help you get in touch with the best candidates for comic artists.
- Upwork – If you want to choose candidates at an affordable rate, try to check the Upwork platform.
- People Per Hour – At this platform, you can find candidates who can work for you on an hourly basis.
- Mandy – Mandy can help you choose creative artists as per your needs. You can hire comic artists who have experience working in the film and entertainment industry.
- Dribbble – Just like Behance, Dribbble also offers a diverse community of designers and artists of all sizes.
- Facebook – You may not believe it, but Facebook pages are one of the best platforms that can help you in hiring the best candidates for comic artists.
- unremot.com – unremot is a newly launched platform that can help people to hire well-qualified people for the task of comic illustration making.
- Linkedin – If you are looking for comic book artists for hire, Linkedin can be one of the renowned platforms that can help you to connect with the best comic artists.
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Top 10 companies hiring Comic Artist and salaries offered
Following are some of the best companies that have job openings for comic artists. Check this list if you want to hire experienced candidates.
| Company | Salary Offered |
| Subway | $7K |
| Sephora | $5.5K |
| MAC Cosmetics | $1.6K |
| Microsoft | $67.6K |
| Trader Joe’s | $4.1K |
| Apple | $62.4K |
| Riot Games | $1.1K |
| DreamWorks Animation | $1.12K |
| Zynga | $1.4K |
| Rockstar Games | $4.2K |
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Top 10 interview questions for Comic Artist
1. Tell me about yourself
Rationale: This is a beginner level question, but it can also be asked to senior comic artists. This question will enable you to know about the candidate, and you will get an idea of whether you should hire the candidate or not.
Sample Answer: My name is <First Name, Last Name>. I am a comic artist with more than 5 years of experience in the field. I look forward to working with your organization and helping you publish the best cartoon books and magazines.
2. Why did you leave your last job?
Rationale: This question will help you to test the honesty of the candidate and it will help you know if you can rely on them or not.
Sample Answer: My last job helped me get exposure to the industry and it also helped me to know the nitty-gritty of working as a comic artist. I left my last job, as I wanted to explore further so that I can get a boost in my career.
3. What kind of design projects interest you the most?
Rationale: This question will enable you to know, if the candidate can be a good choice for your company and brand or not?
Sample Answer: I like designs that demand illustrations. It helps me to show my illustration skills in a better way.
4. What type of software are you familiar with?
Rationale: This is a technical question that will help you know if the candidate is technically sound.
Sample Answer: I am familiar with software like adobe illustrator, Canva, and Photoshop.
5. How do you learn from your mistake?
Rationale: This behavioral question will let you know the behavior as well as nature of the candidate.
Sample Answer: I have learned a lot from my mistakes in my professional capacity. Last year I was working with a client who wanted comic designs for children. I was adamant about bright colors and I felt bad when the client ridiculed me. But, after looking at the situation now, I guess as an artist, it is important to get viewpoints of the client as well.
6. What are your career goals?
Rationale: This is a futuristic question that will help you to know if the candidate is reliable or not.
Sample Answer: I want to get senior positions in your organization and I want to improve my artistic skills in the long run.
7. Can you handle a big team?
Rationale: This question will enable you to know if the candidate can work in a team and if the candidate has leadership skills or not?
Sample Answer: Yes, I can work within a team. I have handled a team of almost 8 comic artists in the last organization working with.
8. What are your strengths?
Rationale: This question will enable you to know if the candidate can be relied upon and if he/she has the qualities needed to help your organization reach the ladder of success.
Sample Answer: I believe in maintaining consistency in every task that I do. I feel consistency along with positivity is my biggest strength.
9. Have you worked for print media or only digital media?
Rationale: This question will enable you to know the suitability of the candidate for your organization.
Sample Answer: Yes, I have worked for print media as well as digital media. Both these mediums are suitable for me.
10. How do you manage stress at work?
Rationale: This question will help you to know if the candidate is capable enough to handle the responsibilities.
Sample Answer: I meditate and practice classical songs every day. These two tasks help me to manage stress appropriately.
11. What type of tools and equipment do you use for your work?
Rationale: The answer to this question will enable you to know if the candidate can work with the resources your company and organization have.
Sample Answer: I don’t use too many fancy tools and equipment. In terms of equipment, I have a Microsoft Surface Pro computer. For brushes, I use the hallowed Windsor Newton series 7. I also use a Pentel pocket brush with Pentel ink.
12. What type of cartoon building software are you familiar with?
Rationale: This is a technical question that will help you know if the candidate is technically sound.
Sample Answer: I am familiar with software like adobe illustrator, Canva, and Photoshop.
13. How do you get started with a new comic series?
Rationale: The answer to this question will enable you to understand the basic process and procedure the comic artist follows to complete his/her work.
Sample Answer: I never start any new project before understanding the intent behind the work. Thus, I try to get as much information about the project I can before I start putting up ideas. Once the goal of the project is known, it becomes easier to draw characters around it.
14. What has been the major highlight of your career as a comic artist?
Rationale: You can ask this question to a senior-level comic artist. The answer to this question will enable you to understand the journey of the comic artist in a better way.
Sample Answer: Having strangers congratulate me and appreciate me for the cartoon characters I have created has been the major highlight of my career.
15. How do you interpret comic art?
Rationale: This is a basic level question that you can ask a comic artist who has arrived for a beginner-level job. The answer to this question will help you know if the candidate understands the work he/she is doing.
Sample Answer: For me, comic art is a fun and easy way to express what we feel. It is also a simple way to show that even the most serious communication can happen in an easy-going way. For me, comics are all about expressing one’s ideas by using visual images.
16. What are your influences?
Rationale: The answer to this question will enable you to know the basic approach and inspiration behind the work done by a comic artist.
Sample Answer: I really loved Don Heck’s, Iron Man. When I saw his works, I was amazed at how one can derive such an amazing idea. Thus, Don Heck would be my biggest influence as a comic artist.
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