The title
of this webpage is something of a lie (sorry), as I don't get
asked questions all that often, much less frequently. But those
questions that DO come tend to be asked over and over by different
people, so I thought it was time to finally save myself the trouble
of having to repeat my answers in multiple emails.
Q: Are
you the comic book artist? Why don't you have any of your comics
stuff featured here?
A: That's
a question I get asked all the time. It turns out there is another
artist by the name of Adam McDaniel, a talented fellow who works
in the comic book industry. I don't know which of us was born
first -- and, by gentlemen's tradition, would therefore hold favored
standing for the commercial use of our name -- but I do know that
I was the first one to register adammcdaniel.com
as a domain name. Ha Ha.
I did contribute
some artwork for an independent comic book some years ago (long
since defunct), and I have recently interviewed with two comic
book publishers about the possibility of working as a cover artist.
But should you see the name appear under a prominent comic book
title, alas it is almost certainly the product of my namesake
and not me.
Q: Where
did you learn to draw? Did you study it at school?
A: No --
I largely taught myself, and had no formal art education. A part
of me regrets this, as every now and then I fancy the idea of
going back to get a MFA in illustration or graphic design. I think
I might have been more successful by now, artistically at least,
had I gone through such a program. I also feel that I still have
much to learn, and am trying to improve day by day. But then again,
the best learning has always been by doing -- art school or no.
Q: Do
you actually paint all your pictures, or are they made using Photoshop?
A: Unless
I state otherwise, everything is done by hand, either on paper
or canvas. I list the given medium in captions under the pictures.
There are times when I might use Photoshop to adjust or enhance
an image, but that's rare.
Q: Are
any original pieces on your site for sale?
A: Yes!
You can see what's available on the ART
FOR SALE page.
Q: An
original is out of my price range. Can I buy a print instead?
A: I've
had high resolution scans made from some of my better paintings,
and from them glicee prints can be made. I use Imagekind
for all
my prints -- they offer a wide selection of sizes, papers, mattes
and frames at a very reasonable price. They can even print artwork
on canvas!
Q: How
much do prints cost?
A: It varies
according to the size you want, and the type and quality of the
paper or canvas used. Basic matte surface papers are very affordable,
though prints made with them tend to look a bit dark and muddy,
and some colors (especially reds and oranges) become oversaturated.
Higher quality, acid-free papers and canvases of a heavier stock
are more expensive, but they offer much more faithful color reproduction
and durability over time. Email
me for more information.
Q: Why
don't you advertise the sale of prints on your site?
A: Much
of my artwork features trademarked or copyrighted characters,
and as I'm not a licensee I can't advertise or commercially promote
the sale of prints in which such characters are featured. It's
a sensitive issue, and I look to err on the side of caution.
Q: Can
I hire you to do a painting for me? How much do you charge?
A: I do
accept commissions, and am happy to say that in recent months
I've been receiving more of them! You can find out more on my
COMMISSIONS page.
Q: Can
you create digital artwork?
A: Yes,
though I prefer using "old school" pen and paper. I'm
still trying to get used to my drawing tablet, even though I've
owned it for years.
Q: I
have some old photos that are in bad condition. Do you do photo
restoration? How much would it cost?
A: Yes!
I've actually had a lot of practice with it, too, as I've been
working on restoring hundreds of personal family photos this past
year, and recently have been hired to help restore others' photos.
Some samples:
