Four Hundred and Nineteen (419) Ways To Make Money: Comic Artistry/Illustration

Chat with Creative Consultant/Illustrator, Ibrahim Ganiyu

 

Image courtesy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fido_Dido

If you find out that you can draw, that is you draw comics and develop comic characters, it’s not until you publish comic books before you can start making money with it.   There are lots of comic characters that became popular because of their visibility and continuous engagement.  Take Fido Dido for instance, two women created Fido Dido.  They sketched the character out on a tissue paper in a restaurant and started selling to companies for use after it became popular.  All they did initially was to push the character continuously. 

Image courtesy http://a1genius.com/fbf-ads-fido-dido-7up-campaign/

If you have a comic character or comic title, there are options to how you can make money using it without having to spend too much money.

You can make a comic book but only if you really want to, otherwise you can be more creative and try the following options:

Athrice T-shirts by Athrice Clothing Co.

• Get into popular culture. People wear t-shirts all the time. Get your character on t-shirts. T-shirt print with heat transfer will cost you about 1500naira.

Image courtesy ICStudios Limited

• You can get your comic character on exercise books, which are cheaper and easier to print. And it is more practical for people to use. Children will love to see your comic character fighting an evil guy on the cover while they use the pages inside. You can add a page of your comic book at the back of the exercise book so they keep getting something to read. One way or the other, you are promoting your comic title and character

If you really want to go radical:

 

Image Courtesy Ibrahim Ganiyy

• Print Ankara with your character. You can get someone who does textile or you can convert your comic to it.  It becomes so practical that even those who don’t like comic books can wear your fabric because now they have an ankara with a pattern different from what everybody else is wearing

 

Image Courtesy ICStudios

Book Cover design by Ibrahim Ganiyu; Symphony of Becoming writen by Iquo Eke.

• As a comic artist you can illustrate children’s books (Story book cover) and book covers for writers.  Go online, find writer’s groups (on facebook) and tell them you can illustrate their book covers. They will be glad to work with you. All you need is a bank account and internet.

• You can also do story boarding jobs for advertising agencies and movie production houses.

These will provide you with extra income as a comic artist/illustrator.

Profile:

Ibrahim Ganiyu is a creative consultant, renowned Illustrator and professional graphics designer. He is the CEO/Creative Director at Imperial Creations Studios Limited, a creative hot house based in Lagos Nigeria.

 

·