Amateur to Pro?

Kris X · Post by **Kris X** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 7:33 am

When would you say, for yourself, you go from just an amateur webcomic to a professional level?

Is it the quality? Quantity? Merchandising? Aceepting the $$$? Publishing?

Bekka · Post by **Bekka** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 7:36 am

When you do it for a living, I'd say. Which is probably something that sucks all the fun out of it.

Kris X · Post by **Kris X** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 7:36 am

Probably. Cause then you have to beg for meals on your site.

War · Post by **War** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 7:40 am

It's when I stop missing updates all the time and do two full comics a day like the professional artists do

.

Coyotzin · Post by **Coyotzin** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 8:30 am

I don't think going pro in doing something you love would suck the fun out of it; sure, you get burned out sometimes, but it's still something you love, and you get your energy back eventually.

And you're making your living out of it. It sure beats working at something you hate or are apathetic about.

CJBurgandy · Post by **CJBurgandy** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 8:52 am

I'd say it's when you can support yourself on it. I mean, I sell art work locally (other than webcomic related stuff) but I barely make any money off it yet. I make enough to pay for art supplies and that's about it. still have to have a full time job to pay bills and rent and a part time job to buy food.

Rkolter · Post by **Rkolter** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 8:58 am

I never intended to make a living off my comic. Nor do I think I ever seriously could.

I'll consider myself professional when one of the science-for-the-public type magazines asks if they can use my comic in their magazine. Even if it only happens once.

Jim North · Post by **Jim North** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 9:11 am

When I get invited to one of the big RPG conventions, or when RotD gets published in an RPG magazine.

Psiogen · Post by **Psiogen** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 9:33 am

I'll consider myself a pro only when I've gotten rich enough off my comics to buy Australia, evict all the current residents, and convert Sydney into a giant palace. (Y'all can be my concubines if you want!)

War · Post by **War** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 9:47 am

I'll sell it to ya for a dollar.

G-Lode · Post by **G-Lode** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 10:37 am

I think it would be very stressful to turn professional in this field. I have my own timelines that I try to abide to, and sometimes even that puts a little bit of pressure behind my work.

It's more fun knowing that I can choose when or how I want to do it and not worry if my drawing is going to pay the bills.

Sippan · Post by **Sippan** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 11:52 am

I believe that you per definition become a professional cartoonist when it's a regular income, when you make a living off it...

Dutch! · Post by **Dutch!** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 1:04 pm

Doubt any money will be made from School Spirit...I'm not even getting paid for the school play the comic was based on...

But I don't have to pay for tickets to see it I guess...

McDuffies · Post by **McDuffies** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 1:14 pm

*waits for money to roll in*

RandomActs · Post by **RandomActs** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 3:05 pm

Well, I've got the durn Paypal donate button on my homepage so as far as I am concerned, as soon as cash hits my bank account I'm changing my introduction to "Hello, I'm Ben, the Professional Cartoonist..."

Ratbert · Post by **Ratbert** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 7:05 pm

When more than 1000 people see it?
Or when it's published? Hell, even my comic's published, so that can't be it.

It's just a label. It's like saying, "when do you think that you're a good webcomic artist?"

But I guess that making a living off of it is really the only way to fit the technical definition.

Tim · Post by **Tim** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 7:53 pm

I gotta work on becoming popular first. Then I'll worry about becoming a professional.

And even then, I probably won't, because I'm not really in this for the art or anything like that.

BloodKnight · Post by **BloodKnight** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 8:31 pm

When I buy the Playboy mansion

Faub · Post by **Faub** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 8:41 pm

I will be a professional comic artist when my comic not only pays for itself but pays for my house, my car, my DSL, my cell phone. When programming is my hobby and I can finish an entire issue and get it to the printer in 20 days. Of course, this would require me to make around $1200 a month in spendable money. A comic artist might make $0.05 or less per book sold (printing costs, Diamond's draconian policies, expenses, editors, etc) and considering that no more than 30,000 books GET sold per issue it's very difficult to imaging this happening.

Now, as an indie comic artist, I could get books printed for change and sell them for significant profits. I wouldn't be able to sell anywhere near 30000 issues. However, even if I were to make $1 per book after expenses I would still have to sell 1200 books a month to make a living. Considering some more established artists could only sell 30 books per appearance at a convention, it's hard to believe I could do that either. $30 profit doesn't even pay for the dealer's room table, much less a room for 3 nights and conventions are places of concentrated selling! People go to these things to spend money.

Rkolter · Post by **Rkolter** » Thu Oct 14, 2004 3:40 am

faub wrote:I will be a professional comic artist when my comic not only pays for itself but pays for my house, my car, my DSL, my cell phone.

This would be easier for you if you'd start accepting commissions, you jerk. (you are a jerk only because you do not accept commissions and I want one from you).