Advice from the Pros

 

Yesterday (and bleeding over into today) the internet exploded with reactions to some professional advice offered on the First Second blog. I agreed with Callista's post. I also agreed with everyone's reactions/advice against it.

Thought today I'd offer a sampling of some of the advice/criticism I've gotten from pros over the years, good and bad. All of it's paraphrased (though I have an annoying talent for recalling conversations), and I've given credit when I could remember who said it (I have an annoying habit of forgetting names). Corrections welcome.

I can't not write. If you don't have to, then please don't, because I don't need the competition- Bill Ransom (a lot of people have said something similar to this, but he was the first I heard it from)

Your art is either too cartoony or too realistic. Pick one-James Sturm

I like the art, but the story is too thin-an editor

I like the story, but the art is too spare-a different editor, on the same book

Use the colors as they come out of the box. Stick to bright tones, don't mix your own colors- Color designer Jenny Hansen

Try to use subtle pastels as much as possible. Gray is a great color- Bill Griffiths

Colors looks best when you muddy them up a bit- Seth

Use the colors as they come out of the box. Stick to bright tones, don't mix your own colors- Color designer Jenny Hansen

You should always dress for work. We are professionals. -Seth

The best thing about being a cartoonist is you can wear pajamas to work- Everyone else

AND SO ON. Guess my point is, almost everything I've been told at one point in my career has been contradicted someone else further down the line. And they're both right! They're just telling you what has worked for them. So, do whatever makes you happy.

Drawing Prince as a superhero makes me happy.