Keep in mind that comic books are a storytelling medium; samples should demonstrate your ability to tell a story in a sequence of pictures. Make up a story or buy a comic script from your local comic shop. Draw four to six pages of it. Break down each scene into the optimal number of panels to tell the story visually.

Samples should show your knowledge of foreshortening, perspective, environments and backgrounds. The art should demonstrate your ability to illustrate the human figure engaged in a variety of activities, from a simple conversation to a highly dynamic fight scene. Concentrate on individual panel layout, not the overall design of the page. Complicated layouts, figures breaking through borders and other visual gimmicks usually detract from the story. Keep it simple.

Presentation is important. Send professional looking pages only. Make sure the copies are clean and the detail is sharp. You can send in 8.5 X 11 inch samples but full size samples (11 X 17 inch) are recommended.

Equipment and Supplies used
Most comic artist works on a 10-by-15 area floating within an 11-by-17 artboard. Artboards are generally Strathmore 2-ply coldpress with a slightly rough finish. A surface that's too small, like mechanical drawing paper, can cause pencil lines to smudge. Pencilers usually use HB pencils (or non-repro blue pencils) to sketch and lay out a page, and 2H to 5H pencils for final drawing and finishing. Painting materials vary depending on the artist.

Inkers
Do not ink over your own pencils. Have someone else pencil some pages for you or buy sample pencils from your local comic shop and ink over those. Make sure you include copies of the pencils with your package. You don't want us to think that ugly 3rd panel was your fault do you?

Send art submissions via mail to:

    Art Submissions
    PO Box 710451
    San Diego, CA 92171

Submission can be sent via email but ONLY AS HYPERLINKS. Once again presentation is important. Use the "Contact Us" button below and enter "Art submission" in the subject line. It will be forwarded to the appropriate editor.

Tips:
• Email attached submissions are not accepted and the files will be deleted without review!!
• Embedded HTML emails will not be accepted. Send us the URL and we will visit the site.
• Don't send pin-up art, because it doesn't demonstrate your storytelling ability.
• Don't forget to add your contact info to your package, email and/or web site. We advise that you put your contact info on the back of every page.
• Make sure your website is well designed and that the link you send is as direct to the art sample you want reviewed as possible. The editors have better things to do than trying to navigate confusing sites and hunting for your art.
• Send only your best stuff! Send 4-6 pages of sequential story.

Good Luck.