Is my artwork/graphics good enough to subscribe to?

20 replies
Hey Warriors,

A friend suggested that I provide a graphics subscription site that allows marketers to join and use the artwork I put up there for selling their products. It's way cheaper than hiring a cartoonist and new stuff would be added for various niches so no one gets left out.

So far two big marketers told me to do this. I should have listened to Brad Gosse several years ago when he first suggested I do this.

Anyhow, I'm no slouch in the artwork part as many of you may have seen my work in comics, television or on the web.

However, internet marketing is a different venue. Snappy toons and illustrations that attract, retain, and move a surfer to buy are what's needed.

Check out my website galleries to see how I draw just to get an idea of what I'm talking about.

Best,
Greg Boone
boonestoons.com
#artwork or graphics #good #subscribe
  • Profile picture of the author buzilla
    Looking at your site there's no doubt your a talented artist. I would be inclined to test the market first by selling on a site like Design Templates, Photoshop Brushes, and Stock Vectors | GraphicRiver. If your graphics sell well there you can then setup a subscription service.
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  • Profile picture of the author HarrieB
    There is a software called Comic life.

    It can help you design comics much much faster

    plasq.com

    You can cover all the niche.

    All you need is just a story to revolve around the cartoons.
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    • Profile picture of the author Paul Myers
      We've had a couple of people report this as self-promotional. I can see that perspective, but I also think it's an excellent chance for folks to discuss taking proven offline skills and turning them into online assets.

      As a near 50 year Batmaniac, I can say that I am honestly impressed with anyone who's been trusted to even touch the Batman brand in an official, DC-endorsed way.

      Dude has chops.

      So, let's help him out and also point out how folks who really know their stuff can turn traditionally offline skills into online cash.


      Paul

      PS, to HarrieB: Would you teach your grandmother to auto-suck eggs???
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      • Profile picture of the author Richard Van
        So did you draw all the covers on those comics, and the actual comics themselves? I'm very impressed to say the least. I've also been watching with interest the way Brad uses cartoons in all his promotions etc.

        Without knowing too much, I'd be very interested in your idea. Of course I have no idea what you'd charge but in all fairness, with that skill, you could charge whatever you wanted.
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        • Profile picture of the author EvolBaby
          Originally Posted by Richard Van View Post

          So did you draw all the covers on those comics, and the actual comics themselves? I'm very impressed to say the least. I've also been watching with interest the way Brad uses cartoons in all his promotions etc.

          Without knowing too much, I'd be very interested in your idea. Of course I have no idea what you'd charge but in all fairness, with that skill, you could charge whatever you wanted.
          I did most of the covers and some of the comics I wrote and illustrated. If you click on some of the covers you'll see the inside of the comic books.

          I'm back doing comics because right now comic books have taken over Hollywood. I have three optioned for movies but am negotiating for better contracts. Nowadays if you get just one good option you don't have to work again. In my case I've been batting 1000 for 20 years. If I draw the book it usually is the first book from a company to be optioned for film. However, in the old days we didn't get paid a lot but nowadays you can walk away with a seven figure "yeah you can use it" fee and then more for developing the property and if you own the rights like I do on some of my books you get box office money, toy licensing and everything connected to it. That's lots of moolah!
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  • Profile picture of the author EvolBaby
    Thanks for the replies!

    I'm only going on the advice of two top IMers here at WF. Had a lengthy discussion last night about it.

    Paul, if you're a Batmaniac you'll be stunned to know I know a bunch of the people who've written and drawn Batman over the years. My pal Doug Moench actually created the Bane character when he had his long stint as writer on Batman.

    I've been trying to merge this offline aspect with online via IM for a while. This week I hit a milestone and people came in to give me more suggestions.
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  • Profile picture of the author John Romaine
    Brad recently launched a cartoon website and sells simple black and white cartoons for $1 each. I thought the simplicity and accessibility of that was excellent.
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    • Profile picture of the author EvolBaby
      Originally Posted by John Romaine View Post

      Brad recently launched a cartoon website and sells simple black and white cartoons for $1 each. I thought the simplicity and accessibility of that was excellent.
      Brad knows what he's doing. I'll hopefully get to chat with him on this.

      I was thinking just a small monthly subscription, a discount for Warriors. Just stop in, grab the graphics, use the message board to make request/suggestions. I want to be able to do timely graphics for hot niches and keywords so you guys can hit those customers while the getting is good.
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      • Profile picture of the author John Romaine
        Originally Posted by EvolBaby View Post

        Brad knows what he's doing.
        He's also a nice guy
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  • Profile picture of the author Snowclone
    Great work, have you considered putting together a small portfolio specifically geared towards IM and testing the waters accordingly? I'd be very interested to see such a portfolio
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    • Profile picture of the author Paul Myers
      Greg,

      Tell me you studied with Jim Aparo, and I might be surprised. And, from a professional perspective, impressed. But no-one's connections to other people are 'stunning' to me. I know too many people to place that kind of label on such things.

      But, to put it in context... who first told the killing joke? Who survived "Red Rain?" Which genuine genius first cast Carrie as Robin?

      Was Moench's brilliance really revealed in "Holy Terror?" An appropriate question for the times. Would Bruce choose the role of Francis or Benedict? Or would he be tempted to go back to the first John XXIII? Or perhaps take a page from the Medicis?

      Was "Night Cries" the most significant Batman graphic novel to date? (I believe it was.) If so, was Archie Goodwin the most important chronicler of the Batman? Or does it always go back to Miller and Moore?

      Comparing oneself to others is bootless. "There are giants among us," and some things are too big to judge.

      The question isn't "What came before, and how can I beat it?" It is, rather, "What can I do to make things better, here, right now?"


      Paul
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      • Profile picture of the author EvolBaby
        Originally Posted by Paul Myers View Post

        Greg,

        Tell me you studied with Jim Aparo, and I might be surprised. And, from a professional perspective, impressed. But no-one's connections to other people are 'stunning' to me. I know too many people to place that kind of label on such things.

        But, to put it in context... who first told the killing joke? Who survived "Red Rain?" Which genuine genius first cast Carrie as Robin?

        Was Moench's brilliance really revealed in "Holy Terror?" An appropriate question for the times. Would Bruce choose the role of Francis or Benedict? Or would he be tempted to go back to the first John XXIII? Or perhaps take a page from the Medicis?

        Was "Night Cries" the most significant Batman graphic novel to date? (I believe it was.) If so, was Archie Goodwin the most important chronicler of the Batman? Or does it always go back to Miller and Moore?

        Comparing oneself to others is bootless. "There are giants among us," and some things are too big to judge.

        The question isn't "What came before, and how can I beat it?" It is, rather, "What can I do to make things better, here, right now?"


        Paul
        Paul, Jim Aparo I met a lonnnnng time ago. He did such an awesome job on the Batman comics and any comic he touched! I'm glad to see someone appreciate him.

        Batman has been done so much it gets to the point that the writers forget a main principle of him and that is he's supposed to be scary. Parents are the problem here as they chimed in early when Bob Kane and Bill Finger were doing the book in the late 1930s so they had to add Robin and Batmite and the character lost his menace. Frank Miller came along in the 80s and took things back to square one with his "Dark Knight" series. That's how I see Batman. So scary, a modern day Scottish knight dealing out justice via his super detective skills. The story I'm pitching to DC Comics is more along that line.

        Alan Moore and Brian Bolland's "The Killing Joke" is a masterpiece. Bolland's artwork just rules. Did you ever read the story where Batman finally confronts Joe Chill the murderer of his parents?
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    • Profile picture of the author EvolBaby
      Originally Posted by Snowclone View Post

      Great work, have you considered putting together a small portfolio specifically geared towards IM and testing the waters accordingly? I'd be very interested to see such a portfolio
      I'll be doing that!
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  • Profile picture of the author Brad Gosse
    Dude I would LOVE to see you leverage your awesome talents to help all of us make better looking stuff!

    I suggest building a base of buyers with one-time pay products first.

    Get those buyers to help you determine the exact graphics they would need to justify the subscription. Then move in that direction.

    Or come work for me
    I hit you on Skype.
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    • Profile picture of the author EvolBaby
      Originally Posted by Brad Gosse View Post

      Dude I would LOVE to see you leverage your awesome talents to help all of us make better looking stuff!

      I suggest building a base of buyers with one-time pay products first.

      Get those buyers to help you determine the exact graphics they would need to justify the subscription. Then move in that direction.

      Or come work for me
      I hit you on Skype.
      Thanks Brad! I should have listened to you lonnnng ago when you suggested it. I'd work with you any day of the week.

      Right now I'm doing an artbank of images for a client who is paying me awesomely. Great guy too who found me on WF.

      I'll look for you on Skype!
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  • Profile picture of the author mrgoe
    Originally Posted by EvolBaby View Post

    Hey Warriors,

    A friend suggested that I provide a graphics subscription site that allows marketers to join and use the artwork I put up there for selling their products. It's way cheaper than hiring a cartoonist and new stuff would be added for various niches so no one gets left out.

    So far two big marketers told me to do this. I should have listened to Brad Gosse several years ago when he first suggested I do this.

    Anyhow, I'm no slouch in the artwork part as many of you may have seen my work in comics, television or on the web.

    However, internet marketing is a different venue. Snappy toons and illustrations that attract, retain, and move a surfer to buy are what's needed.

    Check out my website galleries to see how I draw just to get an idea of what I'm talking about.

    Best,
    Greg Boone
    boonestoons.com
    Do it. You enjoy it, your work isn`t half bad, you got all it takes to make some dough.
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    Worked as a senior editor on ThePricer.org, experienced in financial topics
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  • Profile picture of the author EvolBaby
    The thing here is I had no real IM knowledge as I had been away for a long time. I started when Cory Rudl was around back in the 90s. He would spend hours chatting with me. I kept looking for a way to do IM with comics/cartoons but it was too primitive back then.

    Nowadays IM has become so streamlined that opportunities are popping up everywhere. I've seen this week alone awesome opportunities come my way to the point I still can't believe it. I know thousands and thousands of cartoonists and animators and damn near none of them has any IM experience and don't want to look into it even though they're getting fired left and right. I've always made money cartooning and have survived at it for over 30 years. Experimenting from listening to seasoned IMers has changed things drastically in just the past 2 days alone. That's why I asked in this thread about this approach. Service the IM community with high quality products for a low price. It's all about the math.
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  • I could say that your artwork/graphics are good enough to subscribe to, however the only people that could really say that with conviction is those who actually subscribe and use your service. To reach those people, this is where the marketing comes in. I'm not sure why folks are talking about "testing" anything. Your creative side shines, just learn to sell online, or build a team to handle the business, marketing and technical aspects of things, and you will do fine.
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  • Profile picture of the author EvolBaby
    Thanks again!

    Just chatted with Brad Gosse. I can see where I could fit in. He's shown me some of his tactics and now I'm going to have to decide on how best to approach it. It's relatively easy to set up a site and sell the graphics. I'm getting more time to build up a portfolio of stuff to buy. Once I have about 100 toons up I'll open up shop. I'll do maybe 10 toons for each niche after surveying which niches marketers need graphics the most.

    I figure hit the evergreen stuff first so that those graphics go a long way then get target specific based on what marketers feel is the hottest thing or will be the hottest thing.
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  • Profile picture of the author John Romaine
    Good stuff man.

    It's nice to know that Brad is still offering his valuable help
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