The Art of Panel Drawing: Time Estimations and Industry Standards
The Art of Panel Drawing: Time Estimations and Industry Standards
The time a comic book artist takes to draw one panel can vary widely based on several factors, including the complexity of the artwork, the artist's style, and their level of experience. Here are some general estimates:
Simpler Panels
For a straightforward panel with minimal detail, such as a character standing still or a simple background, an artist might take between 30 minutes to 1 hour. This is considered a simpler panel in the comic book art world, where the focus is on basic composition and layout rather than intricate details.
Moderate Complexity Panels
For panels that require more detail, such as action scenes or intricate backgrounds, the time could range from 1 to 3 hours. These panels involve more elements and require the artist to add depth and complexity to their artwork, often using more shading and textures.
Highly Detailed Panels
For very complex panels that involve multiple characters, dynamic poses, and elaborate settings, an artist might spend anywhere from 3 to 6 hours or more. These are the most demanding panels, requiring significant time and effort to capture the essence of the scene.
Workflow and Workflow Variation
The time taken can also depend on the artist's workflow and whether they are working on pencils, inks, or colors. Additionally, deadlines and project specifications can influence how much time an artist dedicates to each panel. If an artist works on creator-owned indie comics, they may have more flexibility with their time, as these projects often receive less immediate attention.
Back in the 1960s, artists like Jack Kirby could whip out up to six full pages in a day due to the poor printing technology of the time, which discouraged them from putting in a lot of detail. However, as the industry has evolved, more detail is now expected, and printing technology has improved. Today, the average comic book artist works at a rate of a page a day, which is a full-time job, especially when making a 22-page comic book every month.
The classic format for a page is 3x3 or nine panels but a page could be one big panel or even twelve small panels. At the 3x3 design, this would be about an hour per panel. However, the real numbers vary from artist to artist, according to the style of that artist.
Photorealistic Style
Some artists use a very photorealistic style that requires a great deal of time. As a result, those artists often struggle to produce their art at the schedule of a page a day. These artists typically work on covers, mini-series, or other projects that don't have such tight schedules.
Industry Impact and Deadlines
When working for someone else, an artist has to hit deadlines to get paid and have any hope of continued work. However, sometimes creators have to backburner their projects due to other commitments or paid gigs, leading to delays in project releases. There are comics that go years between releases, to the chagrin of everyone involved. Occasionally, there are incomplete comics from decades earlier where the estate hired a second artist to finish them, allowing those characters and stories to be shared with a wider audience.