The mainstream publishers break down production into a series of distinct tasks with page rates for each task. I think most veteran comic book writers could finish a script in under, say, 100 hoursfast enough that quite a few authors write for 23 comic book series each month. A comic book artist, or comic book illustrator, is a member of a team composed of editors, writers, and artists that creates comic books. Mainstream comic book companies such as marvel, dc and darkhorse pay per project at an agreed upon page rate. This 36yearold began his career in filmmaking school but found fortuitous luck when he presented his drawing portfolio to a few publishers at the san diego comic book convention in 1996. How much does a comic book artist make hourly in the united states. The artist reserves the right to reproduce selected work from the project for use in portfolios, web pages, comic book conventions, etc.
Storyboard artists fall under the category of craft and fine artists through the bureau of labor statistics. Get a quick view of the requirements as well as details. Jul, 2018 the survey aims to build a resource about standard rates in the comic book industry for comic creators. Top rates can vary greatly depending on the sales of the individual project that an artist works on. The artist drew amazing spiderman for broad swaths of the 1960s and. How much does a selfemployed comic artist make a year. The 25 greatest comic book artists from the last 25 years. Apply to artist, comic book art class, freelancer and more.
The wacky adventures of a comic book artist are just moments away. A cartoonist also comic strip creator, comic book artist, graphic novel artist, or comic book illustrator is a visual artist who specializes in drawing cartoons individual images or comics sequential images. Cartoonists include the artists who handle all aspects of the work and those who contribute only part of the production. Visit payscale to research comic book artist salaries by city, experience, skill, employer and more. Employment growth for artists depends largely on the overall state of the economy and whether people are willing to spend money on art, because people usually buy art. Comic book artist requirements salary jobs the art. Dec 14, 2011 this is a useful article for both artists, and people looking to commissionbuy art, specifically in the realm of comics. Education and career roadmap found the following related articles, links, and information useful.
Filter by location to see comic artist salaries in your area. Individuals searching for become a comic book artist. John romita sits on exalted perch in the comic book industry today as an elder and beloved statesman. Nov 16, 2007 in this salary story, youll learn how to be a comic book artist and about the factors that affect a comic book artist salary. Small press childrens book here, small press comic book there, commissions, print sales at conventions, and my own comic book which just about breaks even but only because i can do all of it myself. Tips on how to become a comic book artist freelancewriting. Also, comic book art careers generally fall under the broad category of illustration careers. Comic book artist salary and career advice chegg careermatch. Once i start hiring out parts of it, the story changes.
Comic book artist david cassaday is one of the most wellknown names in the comic book industry today. In this salary story, youll learn how to be a comic book artist and about the factors that affect a comic book artist salary. Salary estimates are based on 1,965 salaries submitted anonymously to glassdoor by comic artist employees. The artist does not employ an agent, thus being the only party capable of coming to an agreement with the client. But pay and benefits, if any, vary widely based on the company and terms of employment. The survey responses are gathered from comics professionals who choose to take the survey. In most cases, the artist is entitled to 810% of the pretax price of all of the printed copies of the book for the first run. That figure is hard to apply to individuals since it does not. This book took a year to draw and nobody read it secret. Comic book artist salary, how to become, job description. While its true that adults are expected to read textheavy tomes like novels and biographies, even the most erudite reader has an inner child, and. Aug 09, 20 though he wont reveal what he makes, his page rate the amount an artist charges per page drawnis among the highest in the business. If you happen to be a writer looking to hire an artist, or perhaps you are an artist whos been approached by someone looking to hire, its good to know what the sort of baseline is when you are deciding on how much to charge, or conversely, how much you can expect to pay. How much does a comic book artist make per project.
Additionally, we hope that this data will encourage professionals not to accept work that pays below a living wage. Salaries posted anonymously by dc comics employees. Comic book artist salary the united states salaryexpert. Salary ranges can vary widely depending on many important factors, including education, certifications, additional skills, the number of years you have spent in your profession. Salary estimates based on salary survey data collected directly from employers and anonymous employees in united states. Graphic novelists working for mainstream comics publishers like marvel and dc create material using characters owned by the publisher on a work for hire basis. Sep 25, 2019 learn about the education and preparation needed to become a cartoonist. Look no further, comic book artist dustin evans has come to the rescue. But its rare for a comic book artist to land a salaried position and its far more common for these gigs to be projectbased. Overall employment of craft and fine artists is projected to show little or no change from 2018 to 2028. Some creators can, of course, but again, theyre the exception.
Personally i find myself hustling non stop to make a living as an artist. Everything is different for everyone of course, but these rates are pretty standard for the big three. How much you can earn in the comic book industry money. Click a salary below to compare with comic book store salaries. What is the average salary for a comic book artist. Comic book writer salary the united states salaryexpert. A free inside look at dc comics salary trends based on 30 salaries wages for 25 jobs at dc comics. How much, on average, do top comic book artists earn in.