Originally Posted by Clough
Hello, tuxedo123!
You have just posted a really tough question! And, I'm not sure that this is the type of forum/board that can help you to answer it because of my knowledge of who we have here who are real artists on this site and making a living (at least in part) drawing or producing other types of art in order to make some kind of income doing it.
Part of how I make my living is in the music end of things. But, I also have a very high appreciation and understanding for other kinds of art and do produce some things in art other than music, myself. I know that grammadidi and jrebel7 make some income by producing works of art of various kinds. But, I don't know that we have anyone else here who is fluent in drawing Manga who is also making money doing it. As such, I don't think that it's possible to find on any forum or board on the Internet as to what someone might earn doing Manga because there are so many variables to why and how someone might be producing the Manga and also making some income by doing so.
Being an artist of any kind is a "tough row to hoe" in terms of making any money at it. As artists, we all take our chances as to how much we would like to get paid and how much we really get paid. There are many variables to that also...
Depending on how good you are at drawing the Manga, I'm sure that it would be possible to make many thousands of dollars at it depending on what and who you are drawing it for. There would be the share in the profits of the selling of the magazines in which the Manga drawings have been printed as well as commissions that might be made in drawing custom ones for customers that you might be doing work for.
All you have to do is do a Google search for Manga and see that it is all over the place on the Internet. Some of those people drawing it have to be making some pretty good bucks doing what they are doing. I am sure of that. It is a very popular style in which to draw. There is some truly great Manga art out there!
The bottom line for me is, and I'm sure that I'm not alone in thinking this way, if it is a persons' dream to make a living or at least some money from doing what they do artistically and they just love producing the art that they are doing, then I think that they should just go for it, practice, improve, get their stuff out there, advertise, submit their works to the appropriate places and see if someone wants to hire them or pay them for what they do.
I have been witness to your drive, excitement and exuberance in trying to do what you are trying to do! I have also been very impressed with your fortitude in this endeavor of yours!
If you love what you do, and are good at what you are doing, and also know how to market yourself, then I would suggest just going for it and see what happens. If you fail, then try again. The only failure really, is in failing to try. You already have half of the battle won because you have such a strong desire to succeed in this kind of industry. You also love doing this kind of art, and that's the biggest reason to continue striving to do what you want to do by following your dream!
Clough