Submissions

Join our dynamic and innovative creative team.

Hello, folks! As the world’s coolest studio/agency representing talents from all over the world, we are CONSTANTLY looking for new artists, painters, digital designers, and so on. How do you get our attention? It’s easy: Send us your best stuff!

GUIDELINES FOR SAMPLES SENT VIA SNAIL MAIL

You can send your BEST SAMPLES to s ubmissions@glasshousegraphics.com or, for those in brazil,
submissionsbrazil@glasshousegraphics.com! You can also snail mail copies of your samples, along with a self-addressed,
stamped envelope for a reply, to GHG-USA address:

GLASS HOUSE GRAPHICS USA
1060 Glenraven Lane
Clermont, FL 34711

Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope AND an e-mail address if you expect a reply. Even if we E-Mail a response, we may have some material we wish to send to you.

When submitting your artwork or sample remember to send only the PHOTOCOPIES. DON’T SEND THE ORIGINAL ART.

If you want the material returned, make sure your return envelope is BIG enough to accommodate the portfolio and has enough
postage to cover the return plus some goodies from us (art samples, notes, script, whatever we might think will be helpful).

Put your full contact information on the BACK OF EVERY PAGE, unless you don’t want us to know who did the sample.

GUIDELINES FOR SAMPLES SENT VIA EMAIL

Send copies of artwork in JPEG format, 75dpi resolution.

Grayscale color depth for penciled, inked or tonal illustrations.

RGB Color depth for colored artwork.

(RGB color format is preferred for samples submitted because the files are smaller in size and are intended for viewing and evaluation
only. CMYK color mode is used for COLORING the artworks and for print.)

FILE NAMING

Art files sent via email or any electronic means should have UNIQUE names.

Avoid using generic filenames like image01.jpg, It will be hard for us to search for files when you make inquiries.

Try sending files named like these:

Lui01Lara0929.jpg

where Lui is the name of the Artist,
where 01 is the page number of sequenced art submitted by the artist,
where Lara is the description of the artwork,
where 0929 is the month and date the artwork was submitted.

Avoid having filenames longer than 16 characters. file extensions should be in LOWERCASE.

DON’Ts

Don’t send examples that aren’t representative of your best work at this stage of your career.
Don’t send poor photocopies of your artwork OR extremely low resolution artwork. (below 72dpi)
DON’T SEND YOUR ORIGINAL ARTWORK.

DOs

DO send enough so we know the RANGE of things you can do.
If you’re trying to submit comic-book style art, then draw some comics pages. See below to obtain sample plots to work from if you don’t have any professional stories to use.
Artwork should be done in 11 x 17 Bristol Board paper.
If you’re wanting to submit INKS, also remember to show us copies of the pencils from BEFORE they were inked.

Here are helpful tips for aspiring artists, writers, colorists, letterers and graphic designers in gearing their portfolio for preparation in breaking in the industry.

WHAT MAKES FOR STIFF POSES?

(FOR STARTERS)

1. What makes for stiff poses?

Poses that look unnatural. Even if you draw a pose that seems normal, just like real life, it may come off as stiff — so if you exaggerate the pose — it helps. I’m not talking changing proportions. I’m talking about, for example, if two characters would, in “real life,” be arguing and gesturing five feet apart, in the comiic you pull them in to five INCHES apart, lean bodies inward, maybe have one grab the other by the shirt. If one’s a girl, her hair’s flying out, indicating how quickly she moved in. Never have characters standing around like mannequins; give them something to do. Use every opportunity to indicate movement, life.

Is “stiff” different from “pasted” faces?
I don’t know what a pasted face is.
Does the term “stiff” apply to “camera” angles as well?
No. But camera angles can be boring. The “sitcom shot” — long, medium, or close-up that is straight-on — can be dull.

2. Besides perspective, how else do I make a big scene – a big scene?

Pull back. Lots of convincing detail.

3. When would you say a background is “wonky”?

When perspective is off. Or when the people don’t seem to interact with the background because of lack of shadows.

4. A character?

When a character’s pose seems twisted, wrong, unnatural on the page. Or an eye is floating around on the head instead of back in the socket, drawing an accurate consistent face each time.

5. Props?

Same as background.

6. I would really appreciate whatever visual references you may have in the Manila Office, or in your computer.

They were all in my Seminar. There is no “scientific” method to know what’s wrong. But if you can’t look at a drawing and instinctively know it’s off, you won’t know it in your own work.

POINTERS FOR ASPIRING PENCILLERS

Paranoidvin writes: “If you’re going to ask me what I want to be, I’ll answer, ” I want to be a penciller.” But i would rather like to start first as a pin-up artist because I’m still working on my perspective and panelling. I hope that I’ll have a chance to work in the comic book industry.”

Some comments and suggestions for you:

If you want a job doing pin-ups or covers, then DRAW SOME PIN-UPS OR COVERS! It’s that simple. Show the right samples. Take established characters and design clever covers that have a great design or create a SCENE that is so interesting and compelling that the reader HAS to buy that book to find out what’s going on. If yuor heart is set on simply, designy covers, check out the enclosed X-MEN pin-up/cover by Mike Deodato. Although this .jpg is in color, the artwork I’m showing you is PENCILS ONLY. It was not inked; it was darkened and colored, from pencils, in Photoshop.

If you want to be a comic book penciller, then PENCIL SOME COMIC BOOKS! It’s that simple. You get a script of plot with established characters, or make one up, and draw it. Use photo reference for a starting point, but create good storytelling and a saleable commercial style, and draw in on 11 x 17 paper (10 x 15 image area). Do it in pencil. If you want to be a penciller, then DON’T INK THE WORK. Inkers don’t use ball point pen; that is amateurish. They use brushes and dip pens and Rapidograph technical pens, and create a great finished look that establishes texture and depth. We can select more established inkers to inker for you.

THE STATE OF THE COMICS INDUSTRY TODAY

For much of the past 40 years — since the days Stan Lee and Jack Kirby saw Fantastic Four first hit the stands — writers were usually current or former staff people. At Marvel, for example, the “Marvel Age” roster of scripters were Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, Steve Englehart, Gary Friedrich, and so on. They were all on staff as editors or assistants; the biggest exception was writer/artist Larry Lieber, who was the editor-in-chief’s brother.

Today, the situation has changed.

Image Comics (Image Central) welcomes comics with “strong personal version” but requires a completed drawn and lettered first issue for consideration.
Vertigo Press (a division of DC Comics) offers a variety of genres and works with writers all over the world.
Marvel Comics under new editor-in-chief Joe Quesada is opening its doors to edgier talent.
Such smaller companies as Oni Press, Caliber Comics, and even internet-based publishers are openly courting fresh talent.

The love and lure of comics.

Writers who understand that comics are a medium, not a genre, are often invigorated by the notion that they can tell stories in a manner that combines the best from text fiction and from screenwriting. Comics offer their own advantages and disadvantages in storytelling.

Thinking visually: Much as with screenplays, comic book scripts describe establishing shots, and all the major and smaller character “theatrical actions” that go on. The writers has to SHOW, not tell. Dialogue is tight, clever, terse…much like a good movie or TV script.

Introspection: Unlike a TV show or movie, where narration and a character’s THOUGHTS can seem hokey or intrusive, they seem natural in a comic book story — even more so, in some instances, than in a short story or novel. In fact, where a text story might appear confusing revealing the innermost thoughts of seven or eight characters plus a narrator in, say, a 20-page story chapter, such revelations are right at home in a comic book story.

Some advice to would-bes:

Learn the forms for plot format and script format. Some variations exist, but don’t re-invent the wheel here. Editors don’t want to deal with scripts that are hard to decipher.
Be concise — If you submit a proposal for a new project, some visuals help. But mostly, don’t bog down a proposal with too much text. A brief pitch, some quick character info, an outline where the story goes, and out. Leave editors wanting to know more; if they want to see more, they’ll tell you.
Don’t give up — It took me 10 years to break in, and I’ve stayed with it for 19 years. It took a while, but it was worth it.
Don’t compare your work with the worst guy and say, “I can do better than that.” EVERYBODY else they have is better than their worst guy. You don’t want an editor saying, “Congratulations, you don’t suck as badly as my worst guy.” Strive to set your sights for being better than their best guy, because it’s a buyer’s market and you have to bring something to the table the editors can’t get anywhere else.
Read comics and learn from them. Study the limitations and unique opportunities in storytelling. Watch how pacing differs among creative teams; how wide or narrow panels control a reader’s sense of time; what to put in and what to leave out, to tell a coherent story beginning to end in 22 or so pages, or how to serialize a story over several issues while understanding that every issue is a first issue to somebody.

A comment on any or all of the above, plus whatever else you might have to say.

Never, ever assume comics are “just” a children’s medium. They’re no more so than TV, or film, or novels, or short stories, or audiodrama. Anne Rice, Stephen King, Andrew Vachss, and many other bigtime novelists have had their work appear in comics. Comics have won Pulitzers. This year’s Pulitzer Prize winner was a novel ABOUT comics.

The next time you see some reviewer claim, “This [movie/TV show] is comic book writing,” smile to yourself knowing just how good that CAN be, in the right hands.

— David Campiti
Email David for any questions you may have.

Below are things you NEED to catch editor’s attention and get jobs.

To be a comic book artist, you need to draw comic book pages. The most obvious mistake that we see in most artist’s submission is that they want to be a comic book artist without trying to draw any comic book pages, they draw nothing but pinups.

SEQUENTIAL PAGES

The most important part of your portfolio are your sequential sample pages.

An aspiring comic book artist can get a job from 6 pages of sequential artwork. If they’re the right six pages.

Here you’ll find Sample Scripts:

One of the plots posted is for the X-Men, Although the six-page test plot features X-MEN characters, you don’t have to draw your sample with those Characters. You can use any set of recognizable, established characters from ANY popular comic book universe. You can use Spiderman and Mary Jane, Lois and Superman, Glory and Supreme, Captain America and Scarlet Witch, etc.

This is applicable to almost ALL of the tryout script available here.

Adapt the script on the characters to be used accordingly.

The tryout plot tests the artist to draw a little bit of everything — body language, gesture, expressions, real clothes, real people, buildings, cars, children, pets, wet things, aliens, monsters, super-heroes, babes, space ships, shattering glass, forced perspective, dramatic lighting. — real SCENES that make the artwork reflect LIFE in the real world.

Red Sonja plot sample pages from Caio Reis. Click each to enlarge.

COVERS AND PINUP PAGES

It is also a good idea to include a couple of covers to show how well you can create cover SCENES that are dramatic, compelling situations that draw in the readers. The following are covers done by various artists. Click on each to enlarge.

Do NOT submit drawings of characters standing around doing nothing; no body language, no facial expression, no gestures, nothing that makes it dramatic and interesting.

Do NOT submit poses swiped from artworks done by other comic book artists.

When drawing a pin-up or cover, make it a compelling SCENE, something that would make a reader want to read the book, learn about the story behind the scene, and make an editor want to buy your drawing.

Always try to pick a pose that has your characters doing something, interacting with someone or something, or with their environment.

Many times we see artists draw generic super-heroes. Sometimes made up, sometimes swiped from other art, sometimes referenced from photographs and very often with no background. Drawing a character simply standing and posing in front of the “camera” will not get you work.

Always try to create an environment that will make your scenes interesting, something that will tell a story — crushed buildings, a car wreck, victim of a monster or villain attack or whatever. Adding any of these to a scene makes your art more compelling, never boring. Ask yourself, “How do I make this different from what anyone else would do?”

A comic book artist not only needs to prove he can draw well, he should also show that he has the ability to tell a story with his art.

There are two kinds of great covers and pin-ups. Neither one is characters just standing around doing nothing looking angry or smiling, or posing with fists clenched, or running out at us.

STORY-BASED COVER OR PIN-UP

For this, you imagine a story concept, even one from a book already published, and create a SCENE from a pivotal, dramatic, compelling moment. Even if the exact scene never takes place in the book! — It can be a combination of elements, as long as it gets across the dramatic impact. In the case of pin-ups and a teen hero book, for example, it can also be a character/humor-based scene. The best ones help define personality and/or powers. The more specifically character-oriented they are, the better. Click on each image to enlarge.

DESIGN-BASED COVER OR PINUP

These can ALSO have story concepts, although the design element is the key here. If you do 3 or 4 of each type, you’re set to go. It wouldn’t hurt actually to assemble a couple of them with logos in place, to show you smartly left enough room for the company and book logos, credits, prices, etc. Click on each image to enlarge.

Initial art layouts are usually refined by doing revisions. It is always GOOD to have layouts submitted before doing the final penciled artwork. Examples are shown below to give you an idea how adjustments can be made to improve the quality of the artwork or concept.

Here is a Supergirl pinup done by Michael Jason Paz. Compare the Initial layout to the revised artwork and study the changes done by the artist such as changes on the position of the character, direction of movement, correction in anatomy.

Take a look at the drawing of Wonder Woman below drawn and painted by former Glass House Graphics artist Cris de Lara. On the left is an artist’s initial sketch. Then, adding lines in black, the artist shows with just a few minor adjustments, how to make the art much more beautiful. Click each image to enlarge.

USING PICTURES FOR REFERENCES

Here are a few pages of Spider-Man drawn by superstar artist, Mike Deodato.

LAYOUTS

Layouts submitted by Mike Deodato to Marvel for approval. YES! Mike still shows layouts for Editors to approve even if he doesn’t need to. A HABIT of all GREAT Professional Comic Book Artist. Click each image to enlarge.

PHOTO REFERENCING and PENCILS

After layouts have been approved, Mike searches for photographs of people he can use for the scenes. It’s a tedious task but he does this to give his characters that EXTRA touch of expression that makes them come to life. Deodato uses himself as reference on some of the panels (Example is on the 3rd and 4th image) and necessary adjustments are made to adapt the images. Click each image to enlarge.

Mike Deodato does NOT use publicity photos of actors. He catches more “naturalistic” expressions off from DVD video captures. He also uses his relatives, friends, and the mirror a lot to keep bringing fresh new ideas and visuals in his artwork. Click each image to enlarge.

INKING

Masterfully Inked by veteran inker Joe Pimentel. Characters Mary Jane, Peter Parker and the Green Goblin comes to life in the pages of Amazing Spider-Man! Click each image to enlarge.

BETTER SCANNING AND DIGITAL INKING

Now that you’re done drawing your sample pages, the next thing to do is to scan. There are MANY ways to produce high-quality, scanned artwork, this is a simple way of improving the quality of your scanned pieces. I hope you find this useful.

– Joseph Caesar SD

THINGS YOU WILL NEED:

Computer hardware
Photoshop 6 or higher
Scanner

We’ll skip the TILING of art pieces together when using a small scanner since all of you who can scan know it anyway.

STEP 1. SCANNING THE PENCILLED IMAGE (LINE ART)

IF the penciled image has BLUE NON REPRO PENCILS beneath the leads, you will have to do this step. In PHOTOSHOP, set the scanning resolution to 300d.p.i. , 24 bit colored mode. Select the area to be scanned and scan the image.

STEP 2. CLEANING UP THE BLUE PENCILS IN THE IMAGE

You’ll have something like the raw image on the right. Blue pencils showing on top of the lead pencil.

Go to the IMAGE menu > adjust > HUE/SATURATION.

Select CYAN and set the slider LIGHTNESS to 100. select BLUES and set the slider LIGHTNESS to 100.

Click OK.

You should have something like this now, blue lines are now removed.Go to the IMAGE menu > mode > GRAYSCALE.

The image is now converted to a much less memory demanding file.

STEP 4. “INKING” THE IMAGE

If the penciling is tight enough and you were able to achieve something like the previous image, then adjustments could be made to “ink” the image on Photoshop.

Here’s what you do:

INCREASE the image resolution to TWICE the original scanned resolution.

This is the FUN part.

This technique, I was able to develop through trial and error. I am sure there are other ways of doing digital inking, but this one works a lot better for me.

Go to FILTERS > blur > GAUSSIAN BLUR.

SET the radius to around 2 PIXELS.

(1 pixel radius per 300 DPI resolution. So 600dpi will need 2 pixels of blur radius, 300 will only need 1 pixel, 150 will need .5, etc.)

This procedure is done to level down imperfections in the pencils strokes and grays and ALSO to eliminate specks of dirt on the image. WHAT this does is it smoothens out pencils so the lines becomes more fluid looking.