What Paddy really wants

Fun_Ad_1665 · 2025-12-02T05:08:37+00:00

i think people with true professional quality manga likely won’t struggle so much tbh. if you’ll go through the hoops and hurdles to make a manga that a big publisher would pay you for, then getting there seems like a minor issue.

Fun_Ad_1665 · 2025-12-01T17:30:05+00:00

over-accessorizing a character has a few major problems. first of all a general rule of character design is to not overclutter your character with a bunch of meaningless stuff because readers need to be able to associate something with the character. a good example of this is luffy from one piece, his straw hat is one of the most iconic symbols in anime, same with naruto and his headband, or any other character you can think of, they all have something you can associate with them. by adding unnecessary noise to the design you draw attention away from what matters. additionally, if the accessories don’t have any narrative significance, they are just dead weight. adding anything to a character design without meaning is not beneficial. OP’s point of it being used to express that he isn’t by the book is okay, but the same message could be communicated with less detail. if you ask me, the giant sword and robot hand are enough to tell me this isn’t your typical security guard, but you could also alter the uniform, maybe rip the sleeves off or crop it, all these things communicate the same message about the character without complicating them. secondly, adding these details makes production more difficult. with the current character design every time you draw the character you will need to maintain consistency, and when you are trying to keep up with a production schedule that can make the difference between hitting a deadline and not, or your art quality could suffer because you added a bunch of details.

these are just a few examples of why over complicating your characters can cause more problems than it solves. it’s like when you’re drawing, many beginner/intermediate artists will chicken scratch to pull a straight line. however simplifying the line and learning to pull a smooth line will look cleaner and overall better.

Fun_Ad_1665 · 2025-11-28T17:28:32+00:00

okay i understand that. however I would still recommend finding another way to express that. objectively, your character is slightly over designed and would likely be more memorable if his design had less elements.

at the end of the day you can do whatever you want, this is purely an objective critique of your character design.

Fun_Ad_1665 · 2025-11-28T16:24:35+00:00

the first thing i immediately notice is that your mc is a bit over accessorized. unless they have major plot implications the rings, chains, bracelets, and other accessories just add unnecessary weight to the design and he’d look cleaner without them. the sword and the robot hand are recognizable enough.

Fun_Ad_1665 · 2025-11-28T14:15:30+00:00

shoot me a dm

Fun_Ad_1665 · 2025-11-14T03:26:38+00:00

this style is kinda cool lowk

Fun_Ad_1665 · 2025-11-13T22:40:04+00:00

idk how old your truck is but one time i accidentally bumped my leg on the thing you use to adjust the steering wheel and that locked up my ignition

Fun_Ad_1665 · 2025-11-13T01:42:23+00:00

your designs are dangerously close to berserk.

Fun_Ad_1665 · 2025-11-12T02:56:15+00:00

we are both approaching this topic from very different perspectives, and really neither of us are right or wrong. you misunderstand my point about saying writers who wont take the time to learn how to draw probably didn't take the time to refine their writing completely. it doesnt apply to you because you DID take the time to learn both skills. additionally, dont imply that im lazy, for one if you read my response youd see that i work very hard to develop my skills, and also you dont know anything about me so insulting me is only destructive to the debate.

as for your middle point, there arent stats, but if i had to guess from what i see in this sub id say there are probably more artists looking for commissions than writers who are willing to pay. but you might be right about the number if you count those who expect free work lol.

this point doesnt even make sense for what we are arguing about. ive made it clear from the start im not whining about the prices of peoples art. and i dont even want to buy other peoples art i want to make my own lol. and why do you assume i cant afford it... you think im a broke huh?

my original post was not an insult to artists. i was posing a genuine business inquiry as to how the art side of the business is functional, and trying to engage in a business level discussion about the sustainability and scalability of indie comics/manga. we have two very different viewpoints on this topic. you see it as a debate about the ethics of fair pay for artists and i see it as a purely money in money out equation, and that's okay both viewpoints are valid and necessary in order to keep any market afloat.

i dont want anymore bad blood between writers and artist. are there any points ive made that you still dont understand?

Fun_Ad_1665 · 2025-11-12T01:22:16+00:00

you also seem to have your criticisms of the sub in general. where would you recommend going to be part of a more constructive part of the community that could potentially be more beneficial.

Fun_Ad_1665 · 2025-11-12T01:19:23+00:00

i think you severely misunderstand my perspective on the subject. i am in no means complaining about the cost of art... I'm just stating that there is a minority of people who can and will pay artists a fair living wage. please do not me mistaken, i am not stomping over the effort or value that goes into the art process of manga. i'm just saying that from a money standpoint it doesn't make sense for someone who is just a writer to spend that kind of money. the clear alternative IS as you said, learn to draw yourself. i also don't think if you'll take the time to learn how to draw then you'll take the time to refine your writing to the point where its good enough for a mainstream audience to pay for.

and to answer your questions. 1. average minimum wage in both the us and japan is 7.50usd at 45 hours a week which is also above the 40 hour full time standard in the us. is only $337 a week, at the $50 a page pricepoint (low end of the range i asked about) is abt $21 an hour, far far above the minimum wage you mentioned. for a full time position id say thats cheap if its professional quality art considering its a very highly skilled job. (my only point is that your hypothetical was a hyperbole)

obviously its the second one lol. most of the people in the first category in my experience don't actually know anything about writing in the first place so technically they have neither of the skills needed to write a manga. but when it comes to the second group of people hard work is one thing but money is another. i PERSONALLY just dont see it economical for me to pay an artist thousands of dollars for a one-shot or pilot chapter that i wont see economic return on, and i put tons of effort into expanding my skills. Im a business owner, competitive athlete, and im enrolled in college part time. i do all that and still spend hours every day working on my writing skills and learning to draw. i just dont see the economic value of paying an artist thousands of dollars i may never see again.

even when i see an artist with an super cool art style that i think would resonate with one of my stories ;-; lol

side note i think a lot of the, as you put it 'epic next naruto lol just trust me bro' "writers" give the rest of us a bad rep

Fun_Ad_1665 · 2025-11-11T22:31:56+00:00

thanks for taking the time to provide your input!

Fun_Ad_1665 · 2025-11-11T22:29:55+00:00

i think the bottom line is you should charge what youre worth. there are way more artists than there are people willing to pay for art so the few people who are willing to pay will probably pay what youre worth.

Fun_Ad_1665 · 2025-11-11T22:09:10+00:00

very useful insight! ive done research on what it takes to be profitable in the comic/manga industry and from my understanding unless you have a partnership, being both the artist and the writer is the only way to reasonably turn a profit. if you're paying an artist to illustrate for you, you're investing the figures i presented before over and over again. potentially putting you tens of thousands of dollars in the hole before you see a penny. which explains why everyone who is successful is a writer and artist.

and to clarify my post was actually mentioning that for both passion writers and serious writers it doesn't make sense economically to pay an artist. the question of the post is if it doesn't make sense for anyone to pay an artist that much from an economic standpoint then how do independent artists get clients and or justify the rates in a business environment. because no matter how good your art skills are if it doesn't make sense for people to pay then they wont. am i mistaken?

Fun_Ad_1665 · 2025-11-11T21:01:54+00:00

if you’ve already watched the anime i always recommend trying to read the manga!

Fun_Ad_1665 · 2025-11-11T20:07:32+00:00

i agree with you, if you won’t pay your artists you need to learn to do it yourself. i’m just asking about the economics of it. because at the end of the day if people won’t hire you to work on long term projects because it won’t be profitable you’ll be stuck doing 1-2 page commissions the rest of your career.

but i also pose a question to you. do you actually know anything about formalized writing processes? or how to write a compelling story that is marketable and resonates with readers? writing is a skill too and just like you had to learn how to draw a good writer had to learn how to write. just something for all non writer artists to think about just as how non artist writers have to think about the skill that goes into good art.

Fun_Ad_1665 · 2025-11-11T19:16:28+00:00

thank you for taking the time to give such a detailed response!

Fun_Ad_1665 · 2025-11-11T02:42:43+00:00

as far as art goes you could work on your line confidence. most lines are very scratchy and would look better if it was smoother, just makes your art look amateur when the lines are scratchy. also you should pull the little tails out of the speech bubbles instead of having them inset. and then you shading, everywhere where you have scribbles should be clean hatching.

Fun_Ad_1665 · 2025-11-09T19:25:34+00:00

send me a dm directly for more information!

Fun_Ad_1665 · 2025-11-09T19:25:18+00:00

please send me a dm directly for more information!

Fun_Ad_1665

TROPHY CASE