Introduction and some art (big images)

[Ulaliya]

Hi! I've been a lurker here for a while and I thought I'd register and post some of my stuff. I want to hear some opinions. My name is Bethany Culp and I do 3D sculpture. I consider the photos to be the art, not the sculptures. I haven't seen much of this kind of stuff in the industry, is it viable? Here are some samples of what I do:

I did these as part of a series for my honors thesis:

I did this one to promote my stuff at Origins:

Some of my 2D stuff; this is a little older:

This is a sketch from a book I'm working on. It'll be done in the 3D style of the above stuff eventually:

(I have more stuff on my web site, I don't know I can post it, I don't want to seem like I'm advertising. Can I post it without giving the wrong impression?)

So, what do you guys think? Is there a market for this stuff in the RPG industry? What can I do to promote myself or get seen?

EDIT
I just sigged my site.

 

[Jdvn1]

Hi! I've been a lurker here for a while and I thought I'd register and post some of my stuff. I want to hear some opinions. My name is Bethany Culp and I do 3D sculpture. I consider the photos to be the art, not the sculptures. I haven't seen much of this kind of stuff in the industry, is it viable?

Seeing as how this stuff is awesome, I'd say it's definitely viable!

 

[Ulaliya]

Thank you! I've been working at combining sculpture and photography for a while now. I'm just waiting for my big break.

 

[Xyanthon]

Wow! I definitely think that your work is viable. I'm sure that you could find a welcome artistic home in any industry that you set your sights on.

 

[Lalato]

I agree with others. I could see myself buying either the sculptures or the prints if I saw them at an art show/gallery. This stuff reminds me of a couple of things I saw at the Winter Park Art Festival a couple of years ago... though less darkly themed.

I'll be checking out your site soon to see more.
--sam

 

[Turanil]

The "sculpture-photos" are great! Nice job. I think they are 100% viable but more in advertising - commercials, etc. than in the RPG industry*. You should ask to see a couple of agents. I am pretty certain you will get positive feedback. (If you already didn't do it, that is ).

(* which doesn't pay well for what I know...)

 

[Drew Baker]

(* which doesn't pay well for what I know...)

You too can make tens of dollars in the game industry!

When people at conventions ask me about working in the game industry that's what I tell them. I forget which freelance writer I got that from (Jim Keiley? Zach Bush? Ken Hite? Geoff Grabowski?), but it applies to illustrators just as well.

I started freelancing for RPGs in 1998, fresh out of art school. The first job I got was $130 per page (mainly 1/4 page illustrations and 1/8 page mugshots, mind you), paid after publication, Work For Hire. A terrible, terrible arrangement and I knew it, but it was something I wanted to work on so I went ahead any way. After I sent in my drawings the company went under. Compared to other people who'd worked for them I was lucky since they actually sent back my originals. Also, I was only out fees for a single project, not multiple books. Years later, during the heady days of the d20 boom, I had worked my way up to $120 per page for All Rights. But at least I was getting paid... eventually. Most of the time.

I got into CCGs late in 2002 or 2003. They're better, but that clearly didn't take much. Most non-Magic card games pay between $100 and $300 per card, and again, typically All Rights to WFH. Anachronism promises/promised more than twice that but, in true game industry form, hasn't paid for the last two published sets.

I know I'm not a trusted regular around here like Storn, but I'm sure he'll back me up that these are pretty typical stories for the hobby game industry. I think it's important for Bethany -- or anyone else thinking about doing rpg freelancing -- to have an idea of what it's really like. Understand freelancing is not at all the same as working on things you're interested in for yourself. How often do you try to cram a scene of clashing armies, including 4 recognizable characters and a particular geographic location, into a 4"x8" rectangle? Now imagine they're characters you don't care about and you're being offered $60, but not for at least two months after you're finished (publication +30 days). I know it made me pretty miserable to work under those conditions.

Bethany, your work is really excellent and fun to look at. You'll be much better off doing portfolio pieces and self promotion in pursuit of a bountiful career than getting into anything I've seen in RPGs.


--Drew (who really isn't as grumpy an old man as it sounds.)

 

[Sialia]

Very excellent work and I'd like to see a lot more of it.

 

[Lalato]

Drew, I really like the Anachronism game. Shame that they aren't paying for the last two sets. I hope things start picking up for you. (oh... and purely for selfish reasons, do you have a link to your artwork)?

--sam

 

[Jdvn1]

The "sculpture-photos" are great! Nice job. I think they are 100% viable but more in advertising - commercials, etc. than in the RPG industry*. You should ask to see a couple of agents. I am pretty certain you will get positive feedback. (If you already didn't do it, that is ).

(* which doesn't pay well for what I know...)

These particular shots may be less viable in the RPG industry since they don't cover any fantasy creatures/concepts that I know of, but the right subjects would be very viable for the RPG industry, I think.

She just could make a lot more money elsewhere.