The Working Artist: Striking the Balance (Part 2)

WORKING SOLO OR WORKING TOGETHER?

Famous anime/manga illustrators you can find online are perfect examples of being "monsters" in the field of going it "Solo". But let's admit, not everyone is like that. There are benefits of working solo that only those willing to go this direction may enjoy. But if an artist is struggling to succeed in the world of anime/manga art, why not work with another artist or group of people sharing the same goals?

"My Strengths plus yours" - You've heard it and you've seen it happen, so why not try it? let me give you an example.

A mangaka nicknamed "One" created the now famous "One Punch Man". The story was great! but the original artwork is probably worse than some independent anime artist who can't even express anatomy and proportion on paper. But once the manga was revised by artist Yusuke Murata when he joined the project, the result was world changing! And the rest was history.

The art on the left side is from the original artist and author "One", The one on the right is Yusuke Murata's Version of the same Panel

If the artist is aware where they excel and where they suck miserably, then working with another artist or group of artists can compensate for that weakness. Don't forget that he other party may benefit from the artists' strengths as well. It is also possible that the other party may not be artists at all, they could a writer, a musician, a teacher, etc…. Extending the artists' awareness about the possibilities of collaboration can open new doors, whether those lead to success or failure no one can say for sure. However, In my experience, the knowledge gained through working with others provides solutions that working solo can not provide. SPECIALIZATION Specialization In different areas usually provides starting freelancers a better chance of getting hired. because the chance of completing the project successfully increases. To elaborate further, If a contract requests for artists specializing in drawing "Realistic" styled characters, all artists interested will submit their application to the client in the hope of getting selected. Having a specialty that will enhance or add-on the requested style can help convince potential clients in their hiring decision. 

Having a specialty in one or more areas will give also the artist a stronger advantage of getting hired on other possible contracts available. Having only one or two specialties may backfire when succeeding contracts posted are not looking for the artists' specific skill sets, forcing the artist to wait for a contract more suitable for them to apply.

CONSISTENT OR DYNAMIC?

Artists are usually recognizable by their distinct art styles which they develop on their own, these styles tend to evolve and improve throughout the artists career, increasing their capability and reputation. But it is not uncommon to come across an artist who can draw in two or more distinct artistic styles. These artists have the ability to be more flexible in their art, sometimes by personal preference, others to cater to a wider variety of clients. Though similar to having different specializations, an artist capable of executing different styles do have an advantage when bidding for contracts, especially for projects which require flexibility and artistic freedom, having more to offer and value to the project. To prevent confusion between specialization and having different styles here's an example: I have specializations in Drawing Anime/Manga and Technical Drawing. In drawing Anime/Manga, I can display different Art styles (ex. Realistic, Cartoony, etc..) In Drawing Technical illustrations,  I can draw in isometric and Multi-point perspective styles. in flat and watercolor styled coloring. However, sticking with a consistent style is not bad at all! I know many artists with god-like skills practicing this. It gives the artist the chance of perfecting their craft by means of focusing on one or two distinct styles. Previous: Striking the Balance (Part 1)