Senior manga fan Jin, a school fighting comic from the 1990s, the name of the comic in my impression is xxx academy

[Author: Transferred from Jilin Animation College]

During my conversations, some friends expressed that they wanted to make a living from comics, but they didn’t know how to become a professional. Let me talk about my own experience. Let me explain first that this is just my personal experience and it cannot be suitable for everyone.

By making comics as a career, I mean people who make a living purely from comics and have no other profession. The most important thing is how to make a profit from comic creation, which is what everyone who wants to go professional is concerned about. Don’t be too busy. Before talking about how to make a profit, let’s first check whether you have the qualifications to be a professional cartoonist.

1. Conditions for professional cartoonists:

1. Drawing skills: whether they meet the general standards of comic magazines on the market. If not, let’s practice it for a few years first. The reason why painting skills are put first does not mean that skills are the most important, but because painting skills are the first prerequisite for entering the industry, such as the height to play basketball and the body shape to be a model.

2. Independent screenwriting ability: No matter how good your skills are, they are all about expressing the storyline. Painting skills can be mass-produced through training, but the ability to write stories is something that most painters cannot do. Many people who could be "cartoonists" are "comic writers". Therefore, the difference between cartoonists and cartoonists is whether they can weave wonderful stories. This is the most important "soul" quality of a cartoonist.

3. Work ability: This includes output, speed, work passion, etc. Comics are mostly a fast food culture. Unlike oil paintings, the creation cycle of prints is long. Comics must be published in large quantities and quickly, otherwise you cannot make a living. Therefore, you are required to have the ability to be productive and the perseverance to work long hours. Also, the most important thing to ensure that you achieve the above two points - work passion. Because comics are creation, not production.

If you meet the above conditions or are close to it, don't hesitate and get ready to join the fire pit of professional cartoonists!

2. The establishment of a small personal cartoon studio

Many professional cartoonists start their work alone. Some people worked in large studios established by others, and eventually went it alone. The tangible investment in a comic Soho is very small - in addition to regular pen and paper desks and chairs, you also need a well-equipped computer. Computers can help you process images. It goes without saying that the power of computers goes without saying. (But this does not mean that you cannot be a professional cartoonist without a computer. For example, Jimmy, who is currently popular, is drawn by hand.) You need a broadband to access the Internet. You can’t afford to waste time using a cat to access the Internet. You can submit articles to the media through the Internet, eliminating the inconvenience of mailing them. You can also get a lot of information and communicate with peers. If your work is mature, you can also establish a personal website, which is extremely helpful for promoting yourself.

Other equipment should also include a scanner. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have a printer. You must have a burner. I have already eliminated the use of 3-inch disks. It is best to have a handwriting pressure-sensitive pen, which can greatly improve work efficiency.

3. About the types of works

There are many types of comics, and not all of them are suitable for professional comics.

When I first started working as a professional, I identified with comic books. Because the number of serial works is large, the royalties are high, and serialization is possible. It is a fixed project and life is guaranteed. Single-frame works are only auxiliary - many comic fans currently focus on single-frame works, which is high investment and low output in terms of economic benefits. Most professional cartoonists draw comic strips. Let me make it clear that this is not a judgment on a single picture or a series from the artistic value, but from the perspective of survival.

Let me say a few more words here. Nowadays, some painting friends who are good at drawing look down on comic strips, thinking that they are a pair of boring cultural garbage and a way to cheat royalties. It is true that some comic strips are indeed bad, but that does not mean that this form is bad. Because of this, more masters are needed to draw comic strips. Our country is currently lacking excellent comic book artists.

More importantly: if comics are to be industrialized like those in Europe, America, Japan and South Korea, comic strips must play the leading role. Only serial works can be published in large quantities, images can be released, and cartoons can be made... The author can also make a lot of profits from a large number of works.

Some friends who paint single paintings can also get certain benefits by submitting a large number of works and using them multiple times, which is also a way.

But it is obvious that this path is to plant extensively and reap little, and spend as you earn, which lacks stamina. This needs to be pointed out. So, if you are not good at comic strips, you should think twice about becoming a professional comic.

4. Some issues to pay attention to in creation

1. Originality is the soul.

Creating stories is the hardest. Therefore, some painting friends are "lazy" in rewriting jokes and adapting stories. This is the best way to seek quick success and lose their own reputation. If you can't make it up, don't draw it - that's my advice. You have to make up your own stories, even if they are not good, they are your own creations. I think this is one of the few big-picture issues in comics.

2. Long-term planning and careful planning.

When I first submitted my manuscript, I was very blind. I could decide on a topic within a few hours. Later I struggled to reverse my hasty decision. The main purpose of a comic strip is to introduce an image. So you have to design a promising comic image, support several supporting characters, and make them act out episode after episode with continuity. Only connected tomes have power in the market. Many comic masters only have one or two masterpieces in their lifetime. This shows the value of single-mindedness. So don’t make a lot of complex serials. Make one refined, high-quality, and quantitative, and hit the market as a missile, not as a piece of sand. (I am working hard to correct this aspect)

3. About classical themes

Many people like to paint classical themes. Funny Three Kingdoms, Funny Water Margin, Journey to the West, West Chamber, Red Mansions... Ancient poems and idioms are very attractive at first, but become boring after too many. Too much nonsense no longer arouses people's interest. This is the so-called "badly painted" subject matter. So I advise everyone not to go into this troubled water again. From a certain perspective, this type of comics is a "theme-adhering comic", which is attached to an existing well-known theme, and many of the effects produced are derived from the original theme itself. So I think such works are not 100% original. I used to paint a lot, but that has faded away now. I still think originality in the true sense is the most vital.

One more thing; I think funny classical themes can easily lead to misunderstandings about classical culture. This is not the original intention of the cartoonists, but it is indeed a regrettable fact.

5. Submission

Many comic fans have been rejected repeatedly (most of them have fallen into disuse, which is annoying), and they suffer from not knowing how to be adopted. In addition to level issues, there are also some skills that need to be paid attention to.

First of all, you must carefully study the newspapers and magazines you submit. You need to understand the tone, style, and length of the media... and you need to tailor it to it. Observe what types of topics and types of works are still lacking in the media. If you can fill this gap, the editor's eyes will shine.

Secondly, we must give the editor confidence. When planning a work, don’t just draw one or two pages and rush to take action after one or two issues. Keep your head down and draw more, and show it to the editor at once. Prove you have the ability to serialize.

The ideal way to submit a manuscript is to meet the editor in person, but taking a train is not an option. Nowadays, most media only write articles but don’t recognize people. Don’t think that building relationships will work. As long as the work is good, it will be published.

It is best to use electronic files for submission. Firstly, it is convenient for the media to create layouts. Secondly, you can keep the file in your computer and copy it repeatedly. Small electronic files can be sent by e-mail, while larger ones can be burned on CDs or couriered by the post office.

6. Way out

When I first submitted my article, my motivation was very simple - to earn manuscript fees to support my family, but now I don’t think so.

Where is the way out for cartoonists? in industrialization. At present, most professional cartoonists are in the early stages of publishing their works in the media to earn royalties. This is by no means the ultimate goal of cartoonists. This kind of royalties are just the first step, and later there will be royalties from the collection and publication of online comics. Nowadays, many cartoonists are going towards publishing - only by publishing a complete series of books can it be possible for the authors to make a lot of money. Of course, the premise is that the work must be good and popular. We should learn from Taiwanese cartoonists on this point.

A friend asked me, "How much did it cost you to publish your book?" I was confused: "How much did I pay for it? I also get royalties." It turns out that some comic book friends publish books at their own expense.

In this way, the author has to pay some money to publish a book, and he also has to underwrite several copies, and the commercial value is not great (some even have no). Why bother? Comfort yourself? (I heard that publishing books and winning awards can lead to promotions to professional titles...surprising!)

Therefore, in creative operations, exploring commercial potential must always be the first priority.

The options for cartoonists are not limited to free publishing. If the work is so popular that we can make cartoons, toys, and advertisements... that will be our dream goal.

7. Obstacles

Comics is an emerging industry and will definitely be a profitable industry. But comics also have high demands on practitioners. A successful cartoonist always combines various strengths into one. The following are some "blocking stones" that hinder the development of cartoonists

1. Eager for quick success. Performance: Making jokes, high production but low quality.

2. Low cultural quality. Don't think that painting skills represent level. In fact, the skills lie outside the painting. Cartoonists are all cultured and well-educated.

3. Break away from life. Especially some young painting friends are keen on expressing some gods, demons, ghosts, or ethereal themes, and most of them come from foreign cultural backgrounds. This is a kind of self-absorbed creation.

4. Follow the trend with performance techniques. Many Japanese cartoon fans draw pictures that look exactly like Japanese people, without any individuality, and they are very self-absorbed.

5. The thinking and interests are stuck and old-fashioned. Cartoons should express the ever-changing social life. Lack of inspired perception and certain judgment. It is impossible to create vivid works. That is to say; an excellent cartoonist must be very trendy, fashionable and popular.

8. Professional learning

When we see the high level, high output and high income of foreign cartoonists, we can’t help but sigh in admiration and envy - what about foreigners? So powerful? And it’s not just one or two, it’s a large number! In fact, it's not that foreigners are smarter than us, but that their environment is better: comics have a long history of development, there are many masters, and the industry's high income is attractive... These are all things that our environment does not have. We are developing under various unfavorable conditions, and of course it is impossible to reach other people's standards in a short time. But the current environment is already developing in a favorable direction, which is our luck. The development of domestic comics has begun to move towards joint operations, and many large studios and companies have trained many outstanding comic talents - this illustrates the need for training. What a cartoonist has been trying to figure out for 10 years on his own may be able to acquire in just a few months if he receives professional training. If possible, it is best to study at a professional place! After all, exploring on your own is not the best way.

The last point: It is recommended that friends who are strong independent screenwriters and have good painting skills work on their own and work towards being a cartoonist; friends who are unable to write independently and have good painting skills go to companies or studios and work towards professionals. effort.