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A C+P from chrisoatley.com. Thought it was worth a repost on the blog...

What Do Bad Clients Look Like?

Many years ago, I was offered what sounded like a nice freelance gig.

An oil painting. A huge portrait of a couple that would be given to them as a gift.

The painting would have taken me about two weeks.

I quoted my hourly rate which was around $35/hr at the time.

2 weeks (80 hours)  x  $35/hr = $2800

If you ask me, for a huge double-portrait in fracking oil paint, 28-hundy is a legitimate steal.

But the man offering the job did not agree. In fact, he was shocked and offended. He had a much lower figure in mind…

He the offered me $25 for the portrait.

I asked him how much he got paid for his job and if it was higher than $12.50 a week.

…and that’s the end of that story.

Granted, the “$25 Portrait” example, although true, is ridiculous. No sane artist would accept that guy’s offer.

My point here is that bad clients usually look bad right from the beginning.

It’s desperation that blinds us.

It is our desperation that gives power to the bad clients.

I'd say this example represents 90+% of the job offers I've had while freelancing. Perhaps not to this extent, but similar. With the huge pool of internet artists for both companies and private individuals to choose from these days, generating the kinda money an artist deserves is no easy task.

A Deviantart meme thingy

I drew the cyberpunk ninja Bengosha a long time ago. He was originally created for a character design contest and then used as a character example in the book 'The Art of Drawing Manga'. This year I started working on a new book about digital techniques due for release in 2014 and decided to include a Bengosha revamp.

I still like a few aspects of the original, even if it is a very old piece, although I hope anyone else agrees that the new art is an improvement! I've never been an amazing artist and probably never will, but I still like to think I'm pretty good at busting out a cool picture here and there when I put in a lot of time and effort 🙂

I've worked as a manga inspired/influenced/style artist for years. Although a large percentage of people I meet don't really know what manga is! Let alone understanding the differences between it an anime. Older relatives, or those completely removed from popular culture often need educating. For most people who are unfamiliar, I'll usually just say I draw "Japanese style comics and cartoons". However, I don't think the answer to "What is manga?" or "What is anime?" is a simple 'one description fits all scenarios' sentence. With a little help from Wikipedia I thought I'd try my best at summing it up these definitions.

What is the difference between Anime and Manga?

Anime is a term to describe animation created in Japan. In the west, the term is “anime” is defined as a style and genre of animation typically originating in Japan, and can often feature detailed, colourful imagery, unique, in-depth characters and action orientated plot lines either set in the past, present, future or often within a fantasy setting. The meaning of the term ‘anime’ can sometimes vary depending on the context it’s used in.

Manga is a term to describe comics created in Japan, or produced by Japanese Manga Ka (artists), primarily for a Japanese audience. The style was developed in Japan though the mid to late 19th century with heavy influences from western and American comics combined with the long and complex history of Japanese art and wood-block prints. In the western world, the term is often defined as a style of drawing originating in Japan and many western artists have adopted this style and refer to themselves as Manga artists.

We could summarize, that typically:

Anime = animation in a typical Japanese cartoon style. Often in full Colour.
Manga = comics in a typical Japanese cartoon style. Often in black & white and with grey tones.

How would you describe anime and manga to the uninformed?

I decided to join up to Amazon Affiliates today. After 12 years later, I came back to this post and removed the affiliate link,

Why? Well, guess how many affiliate buys and commissions this blog post landed me over those 12 years? 0 / zero / nothing. I'm going to just keep this here as a record to self- I naively expected that just posting a link on the internet and asking people who found it to then visit it might actually earn me something over time! I thought, perhaps there are a few people who might want to buy something on Amazon and would visit via my referral link just to help out, since it was at no cost to them. In retrospect, a silly expectation. It makes me laugh 😀

I just want to give a quick overview / review of my work area. Nothing too in-depth, but hope it's useful to get a gist of another digital artist's set up.

Here's my 2014 set up: Upgraded Lenovo Y500 Notebook PC running Photoshop CS6 + a Wacom Cintiq 22HD mounted onto Dual Ergotron LX Arms

The Cintiq 22HD

I've now used it to create three or four recent artworks over the last few months. It's working out well. I use the adjustable Ergotron Arm to have it in a floating, elevated position for day to day use and bring it down to the desk at around a 45 degree angle for art projects (see above). I decided to program the Cintiq buttons from top to bottom (for Photoshop use) as:

• Step Forward
• Step Backward
• x (swap foreground and background colour)
• b (brush tool)
• Touch strip: mostly use for brush size
• Ctl
• Alt
• Shift
• Pan/ Hand tool

These would work great for me. The trouble is I often forget to use the the Cintiq's buttons as I'm so used to keyboard keys. And while, in theory, simply having to shift my right thumb to press the buttons would potentially simplify and speed up work flow, most projects still require me to use several other useful short cut keys so often neglecting the buttons and instead sticking exclusively to the keyboard seems to make sense right now.

The screen size is good. I didn't feel I needed the extra couple of inches from the 24" version, and the lower weight from the 22 incher means the adjustable arm I use doesn't have a problem keeping it suspended off the desk. It's not cutting edge screen tech, but gives a good quality result far greater than my previous monitor set up and I have no complaints. Also glad I didn't pay the extra for the touch version as I doubt I'd make use of those features.

At the moment the pen uses a standard nib, which I'll probably change to a felt nib as I like the added friction and softer tip feel. I'm still wondering if I need to get a 'Smudge-guard' glove to reduce palm friction. So far I've not really found this to be a problem so I'll stick without and see how I get on using it over the coming year.

The Set up

My keyboard [Microsoft Wireless 6000 v3.0] sits to my left (since I'm right handed) and it's pretty comfortable to use while I rest my palm on the desk/palm rest and my elbow on my chair's arm.

I've since extended the Ergotron laptop arm so the screens don't butt up against each other or need to overlap and there's enough space under the tech to clean and dust. All cabling is concealed within the arms themselves.

My printer [Epson 1500W Stylus Photo A3+] fits nicely at the back in the corner typically covered with a custom made cover to keep dust at bay.

My mouse [Microsoft Wireless Mobile 6000] sits on a gel filled mat, which saves me from RSI.

The Cintiq is connected to the laptop via a DVI to HDMI cable. This required opening up the back of the tablet to attach (twice, since I've since extended to cable length from 2m to 3m).

I also bought a Intuos Pen for when I take my laptop elsewhere and obviously the Cintiq has to stay at home. I've used it the Intuos once so far and liking it. I'd better start coming up with some new artworks so I can put this new tech to use.

This one is a bit of a personal post. Outside of the art thing, I've got several other interests. One of which is driving and maintaining my car. A Mazda RX 8 R3.

Mazda rx8

It may not be a Lamborghini or Bugatti, but Mazda RX-8 is renowned for its distinctive design and exceptional driving dynamics, making it a standout sports car in its class. One key feature is its innovative rotary engine. The Wankel rotary engine in the RX-8 delivers smooth power delivery and high rev capabilities, contributing to a thrilling driving experience.

The RX-8's four-door configuration, unusual for a sports car, adds practicality and convenience without compromising its sporty appeal. The unique freestyle rear doors provide easy access to the rear seats, making it a more versatile choice compared to traditional coupes. The well-balanced chassis and precise steering further enhance the car's handling, allowing drivers to navigate corners with confidence.

Moreover, the RX-8 showcases Mazda's commitment to design aesthetics, featuring a sleek and aerodynamic exterior. Inside, the cabin is thoughtfully designed with driver-oriented controls and comfortable seating. While the RX-8 is recognized for its performance, it also offers a level of comfort and functionality suitable for daily use.

In essence, the Mazda RX-8's combination of a distinct rotary engine, striking design, handling prowess, and practicality sets it apart, making it a go-to for enthusiasts seeking a sports car that excels in both performance and everyday usability.

And did I mention, it looks awesome in pearlescent white?

So, what have I been up to?

Including some extensive chip an scuff repair, I gave my RX8 an extensive deep clean and detail which in total totted up to around 40 hours! Most of that was down to removing thousands of tiny black specks from the paintwork. Still not sure if it was tar, tree sap, break dust or carbon dust from the exhaust, but it was a time consuming pain to get rid of them all. Hopefully if I keep it regularly shampooed and waxed it's not going to need so much attention in the future.

Full detail consisted of~

Alloy Kerbing Repair:
- Sand
- Primer
- Sand
- Primer
- Paint
- Blend
- Paint

Stone Chips Repair:
- Chipex Tri-coat

Exterior Clean:
- Pressure Wash
- Fallout Remover
- Shampoo
- Rinse Wash
- Claybar+ Detailer

Polish:
- Resin Polish
- Gloss Sealant
- Wax Layer

Extras:
- Tyres- Black
- Plastics- Black
- Chrome Clean
- Glass Polish

Interior Clean:
- Hoover Floor, boot etc
- Seat & Side Panels
- Leather
- Gloss Plastics
- Matt Plastics
- Glass

Results:

There was a nice sun set while I was driving along so I pulled over into a nearby lane and took these with my 'HTC One' phone. Not ideal, but with a few Photoshop contrast adjustments, they'll do 🙂

During the start of the year I was asked to give 1-1 tuition to a talented 11 year old girl interested in bettering her anime and manga drawing skills. Although being more used to older students working solely with digital media, it worked out well. The tuition consisted of setting small projects, demonstrating, drawing together or sometimes just overseeing with the lessons shifting more towards digital as the weeks went on. Here's a compilation of some of the sketches I'd worked on during our process:
Drawing heads, discussing shading, coloured pencils, inking.

Hands, time limit life drawing from manikins, chibi!

Constructing figures, Posemaniacs time limit reference drawing and adaptation.

Time limit Backgrounds using reference.

Photoshop original character drawing using Intuos Pen & Touch. Student used Intuos Pro & a Cintiq 22HD. Who's Jimmy Jonh?

This one is a bit of a personal post. Outside of the art thing, I’ve got several other interests. One of which is driving and maintaining my car. A Mazda RX 8 R3.

Mazda rx8

It may not be a Lamborghini or Bugatti, but Mazda RX-8 is renowned for its distinctive design and exceptional driving dynamics, making it a standout sports car in its class. One key feature is its innovative rotary engine. The Wankel rotary engine in the RX-8 delivers smooth power delivery and high rev capabilities, contributing to a thrilling driving experience.

The RX-8’s four-door configuration, unusual for a sports car, adds practicality and convenience without compromising its sporty appeal. The unique freestyle rear doors provide easy access to the rear seats, making it a more versatile choice compared to traditional coupes. The well-balanced chassis and precise steering further enhance the car’s handling, allowing drivers to navigate corners with confidence.

Moreover, the RX-8 showcases Mazda’s commitment to design aesthetics, featuring a sleek and aerodynamic exterior. Inside, the cabin is thoughtfully designed with driver-oriented controls and comfortable seating. While the RX-8 is recognized for its performance, it also offers a level of comfort and functionality suitable for daily use.

In essence, the Mazda RX-8’s combination of a distinct rotary engine, striking design, handling prowess, and practicality sets it apart, making it a go-to for enthusiasts seeking a sports car that excels in both performance and everyday usability.

And did I mention, it looks awesome in pearlescent white?

So, what have I been up to?

It's my RX8's 5th birthday in a couple of months time and decided to make it a little prettier by fixing dozens of chips, scuffs and giving it a thorough clean [in progress].

This is one of the more noticeable bodywork scuffs. I fixed up around 30-35 other small chips.

Repaired using the Chipex system. An 'ok' result. Better than it was, at least.

After adding some primer with a brush and a bottle of touch up paint off of eBay for £6 for the wheels, I used some of the Chipex blending solution to help level it out.

These were pretty badly curbed in places so needed a little sanding before repainting. These photos are taken after sanding and priming with the primer filling in some of the curbing gaps.

I'd say these repairs are only 85% perfect, but to professionally recondition and spray the wheels alone might set me back £200-£300, so more than adequate for an interim fix up job before perhaps having them fully restored to perfection by a pro in a few years time.

Waiting until they create a smart phone with enough capacity to house my music collection. In the mean time I've got several thousand ID3 tags to update >_<