PAID: Creator hiring artist/assistant/collaborator
I am a writer/artist working on an ambitious story, and I need help.
I'm a mediocre artist at best, but ponderously slow. I'm getting better at color and spotting values, but my final product just doesn't have punch, and my own characters hate my designs.
I'm looking to team up with another artist/creator. I'm open to freelance or an assistant, though I would prefer a co-creator, somebody who is willing to invest as much into the project as me; i.e. not a credit on the back page, but their name next to mine on the cover. It will be a long road.
The Pitch:
Pendric's father is dying. Scouring the remotest parts of the known world for even the most unlikely of cures, he stumbles upon a village of red-skinned goblins. They are gentle pacifists in commune with the land, but wary of outsiders. Their two greatest treasures are the Eixa, a silver flower with astonishing properties, and an orphaned elf they call their queen, pale as hemlock from crown to toe, but with eyes like fiery sunset.
While Pendric tries to befriend the Zela and learn their peculiar ways, word of the Eixa returns to civilization. Soon the Zela are beset by humans, armed to the teeth and unquenchable in their thirst for the flower. The little village tries to resist, but the humans retaliate with ever more power than the goblins could fathom.
How does a tiny village of tiny folk with nary a blade to hand stand against the might of a vast, battle-hardened army? Neither the entire human empire nor even the Zela themselves were prepared for the fury their queen would unleash.
The Project:
Sew a Shroud of Silver is an ambitious fantasy story, with themes of love, race, and socio-political injustice; its world is a refraction of our own. To date, I've written roughly a hundred pages of background material surrounding characters, plot, and world-building. The story is not world building, however, it is character-driven, viewing the world and sharing the stories of varying personalities and cultures.
I know the beginning, I know the ending, and I have perhaps 25% of the entire story bullet-pointed. The first issue is written, I sketched the first 8 pages (these are color, the rest is black and white), and I have layout and dialogue for about half. I've also created 3d models in Blender for almost all of the main characters for reference, with modular outfits, fully rigged and posable in Clip Studio Paint.
I expect this to be a single volume, probably around 20 issues, but ultimately length is TBD. It'll be as long as it needs to tell the story.
The Partner:
You must be able to deliver a monthly installment of about 20 pages. I hate deadlines too, and quality is king, so maybe that's 5 weeks between, or even 6. We'll work that out together.
You should be able to create a finished page from a blank page. Layout, sketch, dialogue, ink, tone and sometimes color, including covers. I will be contributing as much as possible, so while you shouldn't have to do a single page by yourself, you should be able to work on any part of it.
You are friendly to inclusive, anarchist sociological themes. Straight, queer, trans, white, brown, et al. You are comfortable with romance, and know the difference between a sex scene and a love scene, between a pretty character design and fan service. The story, while hopefully subtle, is definitely political and anti-capitalist, bonus points if you know Kropotkin.
I use Blender and Clip Studio Paint on Ubuntu and Mac/iPad. CSP is the only requirement, you don't need to be able to model and don't have to use them if you don't want to.
Are We a Good Fit?
Start with: show me your work. I don't care what it is, I'll know it when I see it.
Bonus points: trees. Most of the story takes place in the wild, so you gotta be able to draw trees and grass and water and squirrels.
More Bonus points: the first and last images attached are my failed design at the Zela queen. If you can do it better, please do!
Do you have your own art style? Awesome! I would love a unique, recognizable look.
I'm a fan of Frieren, Lodoss War, Goblin Slayer, Nana, To Your Eternity. I'm not interested in Berserk, Dragonball, or fan service. This is low fantasy look-and-feel: armor is heavy and clunky and is held on with straps and buckles, villagers don't wear silk and gold, magic is ephemeral, no fireballs or floating circles.
BTW, I'm a 50 year old cishet white dude writing about counter-culture and love and lifestyles of which I can only offer third-person perspective, and I'm aware of that shortcoming. I have people whom I can ask for opinions about my content and story, but if you can bring Own Voice, all the better.
Pay: Tell me What You Need
If you prefer to freelance and get paid per page, that's ok. Just understand that if I'm buying your work, I'm buying the rights, of course. I'll credit you in a way that we both agree to, but I will own all rights and intellectual property. I'm open to other arrangements; my intention is to be fair to both of us, and as generous as I can.
If you're interested in co-creating, we'll work out an agreement that we're both happy with before a single panel is even begun.
Deadline for submissions: Fri, Jun 26
Let me know any questions!
Peace and love, JP