How to start a jam... some help please

[SC in SC]

I completed my first (and so far only) jam at HeroesCon 2011. It's a Green Lantern jam and featured artists such as Darwyn Cooke, Cully Hamner, Irwin Hasen, and Neal Adams.

 

In planning this piece, I wanted to get artists who had worked on the GL books over the years. That plan changed somewhat and I had artists who had nothing to do with GL work on the piece, but there are a number of artists who made major contributions to the GL story over the decades as well. I started with the center piece and had artists work their way around it. I had a disappointment or two, but nonetheless this was one of my most favorite projects that I've ever worked on because I had the opportunity to meet many great artists and got to enjoy talking with them and seeing many of them work.

 

The biggest question I hear is about cost. My answer is this: It cost what it cost, but figure around $30- $50 per sketch at a minimum if you want to do something similar. It cost a good bit of money, a LOT of pain (my legs HURT for two weeks afterward), and was worth every spasm, ache, and penny.

 

Would I part with it if I needed the money? I believe I would, but only if I got $1500 or better for it.

 

Here is a picture of the jam.

 

http://cdn.comicartfans.com/Images/Category_57010/subcat_120686/GLjam.jpg

 

[Greedo]

I like it alot. I think that Neal Adams steals the show!

 

I think, in general, that nobody should expect to make money off a Jam Peice. By its nature it is made from characters and by artists that you like. And will cost alot more than a single Peice by a single artist.

 

Thanks for sharing the GL Peice.

[joel mangrum-migration]

I just got a scan of the first figure on my FF jam piece done by Chrissie Zullo and it looks sweet. Next up is Ruben Martinez doing The Thing. I don't want to post the unfinished piece on CAF so does anyone know how to put a picture into a post on here? It's gotta be easy but I'm kinda slow.

 

 

[Greedo]

You have to put it up on a site like photobucket, then put the URL into the picture button. It is the 3rd icon from the left on the full reply screen.

 

It may take a few tries to figure out the 1st time.

[SC in SC]

I like it alot. I think that Neal Adams steals the show!

 

I think, in general, that nobody should expect to make money off a Jam Peice. By its nature it is made from characters and by artists that you like. And will cost alot more than a single Peice by a single artist.

 

Yeah, I agree with you 100%. A jam piece is a personal project that reflects the preferences and interests of the person directing the piece. As such, it's a pretty specialized and personal piece of art.

 

I don't plan to ever sell mine, but like I said, fo the right amount I wouldn't be able to say no.

 

 

[doughnut42]

Got my first jam this weekend at Wizard World New Orleans:

 

JLA jam piece

 

Art by Derec Donovan, Andy Kuhn, Rob Guillory, Kody Chamberlain, Dan Panosian, Mike McKone & Norm Breyfogle.

[Greedo]

Got my first jam this weekend at Wizard World New Orleans:

 

JLA jam piece

 

Art by Derec Donovan, Andy Kuhn, Rob Guillory, Kody Chamberlain, Dan Panosian, Mike McKone & Norm Breyfogle.

 

This turn out great. And I am glad I got to see it in person! Congrats on a great Jam. My favorite part is Rob's Manhunter.

 

 

I got started on mine this weekend and will post it with a full report next week, after I get a good scan of it.

[Dave Aikins]

Jam pieces are cool, but in terms of resale, it seems rare to me that they have "all killer and no filler", because they have so many artists. They start reflecting more individual tastes. Ultimately, you're left looking at someone else's jam pice thinking "I love that guy, and that guy... but who the hell did those?"

 

Actually wanting someone else's jam piece is like winning a slot machine.

But they are very cool to see!

[yellow954]

Can anyone recommend someone to do layouts

[joel mangrum-migration]

Just got in the first part of my Fantastic Four jam piece from Chrissie Zullo. She did The Invisible Woman and a rough layout for the other characters. I'll be dropping it off to Ruben Martinez later this week to do The Thing. I just need to find 2 more people to do Mr Fantastic and The Human Torch.

[Bird]

BTW, I have sold 3 or 4 of my jams in the past and made nice $ doing so. Especially head sketch jams, which I used to commission at cons together with bigger pieces. Now I negotiate a head sketch for my kids instead, but artists often are willing to add a head sketch to a jam if paid for something bigger, and I have gotten some nice jams that way. Some I keep and a few I sold. But I agree that full figure jams will be more expensive than the market will pay, but the same goes for most larger commissions.

[gooch]

Good Advices by all.

 

I've done my fair jams over the years. Working on my last jam now.

 

Now for artists for layouts it all depends on how much you want to spend. Jim Cheung did for me and also rendered a charachter for me.

 

Ale Garza did very loose layouts for my New Avengers piece.

 

Mike

http://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryDetail.asp?GCat=157

[wolverinehurdler]

Good Advices by all.

 

I've done my fair jams over the years. Working on my last jam now.

 

Now for artists for layouts it all depends on how much you want to spend. Jim Cheung did for me and also rendered a charachter for me.

 

Ale Garza did very loose layouts for my New Avengers piece.

 

Mike

http://www.comicartfans.com/GalleryDetail.asp?GCat=157

 

How long did it take for Cheung to do it though? Seems it would take a long time based on his workload.

[gooch]

It didn't take long. However mine was recreation of an Arthur Adams FF cover box. He only had to render one full figure and layout the other three. It was at megacon and in between people getting autographs a day I think.

 

 

[resnbike-migration]

here's a crazy jam i did on a 2 x 3 foot board WITHOUT

[resnbike-migration]

sorry sent too soon.

here a caszy jam i had artist add to without a layout. so it shows you dont need artist to do layouts beforehand as long as you expalin wnat you want clearly.

 

[alxjhnsn]

 

Blinding, but very cool!

[wolverinehurdler]

Thats a pretty epic piece. How long it take to get that done?

[resnbike-migration]

about three years and 11 conventions. some of the inks were done at the inkers homes.

 

 

[Greedo]

That's awesome!

 

Do you a list of which artist did which characters?