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We decided that I would design the site, but we would find other artists to do the illustrations.

To make a long story short, we found an artist with the perfect style.  The artist declined to join the project. We happened to see his work on another site and discovered that he tried to write his own absurdist stories.  They're simply horrible.  Absurdism is like Jazz, it might sound like random notes, but some do it better than others. 

I see so much amazing art, graphic novels, comics etc--and the stories are so lame it's sad.  

Is it an ego thing?  A greed thing? An anti-social thing?  

• you can find my friend on Deviantart under dead-genre-revival.  Or check the special projects section of my blog:  olio.slaughterart.com/hiresindex.php

I'll ask him if I can post some of his work here... if the TOS and all the rules will permit.

I really don't know why this sort of thing happens but I suspect from past experience that some artists feel they are equally strong in all areas of publication. Before the digital age, I wrote some children's books and felt I wanted to also illustrate them since I knew what parts of the story would be best for illustratons (I thought).  I learned early on that my strength was developing the story, the publishing house had a staff of illustrators available they used, and the editor and illustrators were the experts on deciding what passages were illustrated. :-)

I even tried to step out of the box - a dear friend of the family was the well-known equestrian artist, George Booth. I asked if he would consider illustrating one of my books and he declined saying he was a painter, not an illustrator and I'd be better off letting the publishing house handle illustrations.

Frankly, I thought my scribbles and stick people were pretty good - after all, I was illustrating kids' books for ages 3-5.  You've seen how they draw...does anyone really think they'd point a finger? LOLOL

I think its probably a time vs money thing. I can only really talk for myself but I imagine most artists do it all for fun and to relax and inspiration comes from out of the blue. To suddenly be expected to just produce pictures is pretty hard (even if I were being paid). Its a huge commitment if its more than a few images. I still need to work so to spend time illustrating a book that I will very likely not make me a penny doesn't make any sense as I would be better drawing something that I want to with no pressure.

That said I illustrated a book not long ago as a collab as the story was just up my street and it got to No 1. bestseller on the kindle (its now about 76, its here if your interested :- http://www.amazon.co.uk/Crackly-Bones-ebook/dp/B004VWXR6W/ref=zg_bs_362230031_73) even then its made next to nothing in any financial way, which is not a problem as I did it for fun.

I always wanted the opposite for someone to write a poem or short to go with one of my images. I am illustrating a couple of others at the moment for the same guy. But it is a unique situation. I went to him with a couple of ideas for short stories that I would have liked to have written if I had the skills ( I could see the pictures in my head) and he loved the ideas and other a few beers we fleshed out the plot and bingo he is writing what I could only visualise.

I think the upshot is if an artist reads something and it rings their bell so to speak they will fall over themselves to be the one to illustrate it, if it doesn't then even with good payment they more than likely won't want to know.

I could of course be completly wrong, I was once before LOL

Hi Simon,

My slow brain is pondering this:  "If you succeed at being wrong all the time, does that make you right?"

Logic should always give way to the opposite, for thus resides excitement.

Cliff.

Ah well the thing is I wasn't wrong I just thought I was so I was right but I was wrong about being wrong and ruined my record . ;)

Ah Simon.

All records are there to be broken, so wrongness becomes an achievement - whether for the best is another matter?

Congrats!

Cliff.

Why thanks Cliff, I feel a whole lot better now. Can I also count the time I accidently stood on my Chaz and Dave album and snapped it as an achievement ;)

It depends.  The memory becomes substitute if you buy not a replacement, and it has value.  You also reaffirm the power of cause and effect, and this brings greater confidence in outcomes as you venture into the unknown. But  the real achievements arise if you are inviegled into buying new to sustain the roundedness of the collection. Thus you  place more dosh into the hands of retailer, publisher, artists, and so contribute to their well-being.  You place your "stamp" on their lives so to say.

Now can you cope with the puffed-out chest, and wear and tear on strained shirt?