BMedrano
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Beesong Artwork Update
🕑 Added 2021-10-26 21:42:56 +0000 UTCRecently I had a pair of polls where I asked what series should get art, then learned that the majority would like artwork of all the protagonists of Beesong Chronicles, which I mentioned would likely require slightly lower quality artwork. It was only after the poll closed that it occurred to me that I could combine the funds for the artwork with funds for an omnibus cover to get better artwork. So I was working toward that, but I ran into a bit of a snag. Or a lot of one.
See, the main problem is that the artist who did the covers of Sting & Song, Webs & Wards, and Hives and Heroism has effectively vanished off the face of the internet. Domina never responded when I had a slot with her back in January, and while I know she's able to access the internet, I've seen no activity from her except for pausing her Patreon every month (which requires you to do it every time, which is why I know she can access it). Honestly, I just wish that she'd told me she had to cancel, but... it is what it is. Mostly it means that I need to find a new artist.
Unfortunately, out of the five artists I've contacted who can do high-quality art able to do Joy and her friends justice, only one has replied. Blondynki Też Grają replied immediately, but while he does great artwork, she's currently scheduling for next March. Just a bit of a wait, that. She's also relatively expensive and I'd have to pay half to reserve my slot, but that part isn't a major concern for me. ...Wow, I've come a long way, to not be that concerned about a cover that could cost $3,000 or more. *shakes head*
Anyway, at this point I have three choices of what to do, and I'd like your opinions.
- Go with what I originally planned, a less photorealistic piece. An example of the quality (I've hired this artist for another piece that's in-progress): https://www.deviantart.com/wooserr/art/Picnic-c-883717504 A word of warning, the artist has some NSFW work in their gallery, but this piece is safe.
- Keep looking for an artist who's good enough to do the full group justice. I might consider Hoang Lap, who did the current cover of Ancient Ruins. (While Crystal Rain is good, I find her character's expressions a bit stiff, which is why I haven't gone with her.)
- Pay for a slot with Blondynki and wait until March for the art piece. Probably the most expensive option.
I'm curious what you all think. I'm more than willing to discuss it!
Comments
Benjamin Medrano
So, pros and cons of each of them, in my mind. Blondynki Pros: - Quick communication (literally got responses within minutes, fluent English) - High quality overall - When she gets to my project, she'd do it in a single week Cons: - High cost (a little hard to estimate, but full-body duos cost $1,200-$2,000, and full-body multiple characters ranges from $1,800-$4,000) - Long lead time Hoang Lap Pros: - Relatively inexpensive (last I worked with him, Marin's Codex cost ~$750) - Generally more available - High quality art Cons: - Communication issues (lost an email for over 6 months then replied, not fluent in English) - Forgets significant parts of the scene (this is why Sistina looks like she has tattoos) - Inconsistent speed (has done a project in three weeks, has done a project in three months, and forgot about a project in the middle of it once... only hit their own deadline once)
Kev
I'm a big fan of Hoang Lap, so I'll probably always push for them. Blondynki is always hit or miss with me personally so I have a hard time wrapping my head around the cost. Very skilled, but they're pieces always feel just a little off.
Benjamin Medrano
Thank you for pointing it out! I'll fix it. I swear I saw her referred to by another gender, but that's how it goes sometimes.
Sergey Kravtsov
Just went diving into their work, and realised Blondynki is a she by dropping by her twitter. Thought I would point it out :3
Benjamin Medrano
Well, I wouldn't say that he's definitely the highest-priced possible. I checked with YanaiDraws, the artist who did the second Destiny picture, but her pricing was higher than when I commissioned Destiny, and it would've run about $3,200 to do this piece. But yeah, it's always possible I'll find someone who's relatively unknown but good enough to do an amazing job.
Archthrene
While I currently really like the current artwork for beesong as it is I can't really say one way or another on how to choose artists but since you have had great work done in the past I believe you will find an artist that can do your work justice. I say getting good work done is worth the wait but at the same time having to wait almost half a year for a spot for the hishest priced option is a bit much in my opinion so I think unless his/her work is really worth waiting that long I would continue to scout other options since you neven know when you might find that diamond in the rough artist that can do even better work than you can get for a higher cost.
Benjamin Medrano
Yeah, I hear you there. I wish Domina was still around... she was an amazing artist.
Ishtar (aka antiproton_com on twitter)
Good luck finding a good artist, for sure! I just hired one for my next book cover and to remake my first 3 novels (so four total). It's SO HARD to find a good artist who is easy to work with and communicates well. When I find a good artist, I stick with them like glue lol
