Art Direction

What is Art Direction?

Art direction is a CONFIDENTIAL assessment and commentary prepared by a comics industry specialist on the visual components of your submitted comic book, graphic novel or webcomic story. The assessment provides information on:

• Refining page layout so it looks professional and captures your readers’ attention,
• Improving the positioning of lettering elements so they flow seamlessly and integrate with the art, and
• Enhancing the visual variety of your angles and panel points-of-view to create dynamic sequential art.

Who Are You?

• An aspiring comics artist (ie. somebody who is interested in making comics yours career, but who has not been published or self-published)
• An emerging comics artist (ie. somebody with one or two published or self-published comics works)
• A developing comics artist (ie. somebody with three or four published or self-published comics works)
• An established comics artist (ie. somebody with five or more published or self-published comics works) who wants to test themselves with new styles and in new genres
• A children’s book illustrator who is interested in transitioning from literary culture to pop culture and becoming a comics artist
• A TV or film writer, storyboard artist or animator who is interested in transitioning to the comics medium and becoming a comics artist.

What Categories of Comics Works Can Be Assessed?

If you are illustrating a comics work, we recommend sending in the artwork in either thumbnails, roughs or pencils stage. It is easier for you to make corrections or amendments in the early stages of the art process rather than when you have committed to full inked or coloured art that is ready to go to press.

You can have an art direction assessment for the following comics categories and formats:

• Comic books (US or European style short stories, one-shots, comic book series or mini-series)
• Graphic novels (US or European style original works or adaptations from other literary sources)
• Webcomics (serialised stories or self-contained stories).

Currently, Comics Mastermind™ does not assess Manga or zines. If you are interested in having those works assessed, please email us at admin@comicsmastermind.com and we find an appropriate independent assessor for your work.

What is the Turn-Around Time?

The turn-around times for submissions from the day we receive your material is:

• Comic books / graphic novels / webcomics – up to six weeks.

Comics Mastermind™ assessors will endeavour to honour these deadlines unless prevented by circumstances beyond their control.

Who Are We?

Comics Mastermind™ art directors and portfolio assessors are Australian professionals who have been widely published both nationally and internationally, and who have extensive teaching, graphic design and art editing experience. All art directors and portfolio assessors sign a confidentiality agreement to ensure they do not disclose any information about your assessment or review, except for internal training purposes or to the Comics Mastermind™ administrators who process the assessment.

To read the assessors’ biographies, please visit The Team page.

What Are the Fees?

The fee for art direction is:

• $247 for up to eight pages of thumbnails, roughs or pencils with or without lettering, and then $10 a page thereafter
• $247 for up to eight pages of inked or coloured pages with or without lettering, and then $15 a page thereafter.

All fees must be paid upfront.

How Do I Submit My Work?

Just email admin@comicsmastermind.com with the following information:

• EMAIL SUBJECT LINE: Comics Art Direction Required
• Name of Work
• Genre
• Submission Format (ie. thumbnails, roughs or pencils)
• No of pages
• Your name
• Your contact details (mobile phone and email).

A Comics Mastermind™ team member will reach out to you to understand your goals, and to provide you with information on how to submit your work.

Further Information

Phone: (02) 9606 4728 or 0412 445 511

Email: admin@comicsmastermind.com

DISCLAIMER: Comics Mastermind™ does not:

• Publish your work
• Find you a publisher
• Find you a literary agent
• Negotiate your contract
• Create a bestseller.

* The above fees apply as of January 2021. Fees are subject to change.
** All prices are in Australian (AUD) dollars.