Why you should be a guest artist for Galaxy Zento

Elkhorn by Joe Garcia

Recently, I posted to several groups on Facebook and Google+ that I am seeking guest artists to write about and interview. The feedback showed me that I  need to explain what is involved a bit deeper. The purpose of this post is help that out. So what's in it for you to be guest artist? Here's what happens:

You visit Galaxy Zento and browse it's characters (or just browse my photos if you are seeing this on Google+). Draw any one of them that catches your fancy and submit it to me on Facebook or at Galaxyzento.gmail.com. In return I will do an article on you, your talents/business in an effort to gain you exposure and basically advertise YOU and your skills. Now, lets dispel a misunderstanding:

Question: Do you just want people to draw your characters for free?:  Absolutely not! What I'm offering is to advertise and showcase YOU on MY page. The name of the blog is Galaxy Zento and you have to admit that keeping with the theme is sound business practice for anyone. So you drawing one of my characters is just keeping in theme and giving me the kick off to start an article on you.  Heck, if I really needed anyone to draw my characters, you wouldn't have access to over 200 illustrations already. Now ask yourself this, what is advertising your talent worth to you?

Nyhtwulf by Robert Mead

Okay, so how good does it have to be? It should show your level of talent accurately. You can just do a pencil sketch if you want. Just make it look as good as your other work because I will want other examples of your work to post right after it. This is about YOU and YOUR talent after all.

Do I have to be professional? Nope. You can be a ten year old beginner and I'll still give you a good write up based on your efforts. Of course, there may be a different category for that eventually. I would love to showcase artists with special talents in the face of disability!

What else will you use the pics for? Nothing. Well, they'll be posted in my guest artist folders on social media so people can always check them out. See HERE. But past that, I won't use your pic for anything else unless you want me to. The only purpose is to be a guest artist (repostings are possible for example purposes or to remind readers of you and others). You are not donating art to me for use in any other way. So I won't use it for the cover of my next book or as illustrations in any other professional works. You have permission to post them where ever you wish. YOU are the artist after all! All I ask is that you post links just like I will for you.

Victor Darksong by
Brian Rogers

What does Galaxy Zento get out of this? A successful blog needs constant material to stay successful. You will help me increase that material and keep me writing. The writing of the post serves us both equally. You could think of it as a colab with me as the writer and you the artist. If you make sure to share your article you'll give us both extra exposure. We both get the same results.

Finally: My work supports a cause: I want to show youth with disabilities that being disabled is not the end. I have multiple sclerosis and Asperger's syndrome (high function autism) and my son has autism as well. Every time I publish a book I show it to him to show him that Dad being disabled doesn't stop success. I point it out to show that we can always go forward in some way. The more writing I get to do, the more that's supported. So if you have a disability, tell me! I have a special category for that and you can help this cause.

Deadline: There is none. Get to me anytime and just let me know you'd like to be a guest artist with your submission. First come first serve! Timing of your article will be based on how many I have ahead of you and my posting schedule that I intend to increase.

For those of you who are already taking this on THANKS! For those of you who added GZ on  Facebook, THANKS!

See the work of the guest artists above at:

Joe Garcia
Robert Mead
Brian Rogers

Guest Artist: Brian Rogers!

Known best as Labguyinwa on Deviantart.com, Brian is my first official guest artist for Galaxy Zento. He perused my characters and something about Victor Darksong said, "hey, try me!". And let me tell you, you can see the result. We have hopes of another artist jumping in to do inks, but that's for another time. Brian did a great job of making Victor look grim and gruesome. Victor is also one of the villains from my Chessmen novel. How fitting a first is that?

But enough about that, more about Brian! Brian is an artist of many talents. He's been doing the art thing since 1980 and been on Deviantart for two years.

He does professional caricatures, comic strips, and various other comic art. He writes a strip called "North by Northwest". You can check out his work HERE (there is one naked elf so mature notice just to be on the proper side). As you can see, Brian is a family guy with a dedication on page to his lovely wife, Michelle. His favorite part of doing his art is any inspiration he can give to youth.

Now, I'm going to hand out hint and promo here. As I write this, he's doing a sale on black and white caricatures for ten bucks each! You can contact him at labguyinwa@gmail.com! So, if you would like to get one for your loved ones this holiday, now's your chance! Here's the link to his caricatures folder HERE!

Now, finally, I post my version of Victor Darksong so you can see both of them. Big thanks to Brian for being the first guest artist!

Now, how about you? Can you do my characters? Pencils? Inks? Colors? Waterpaint? What ever you got, show me! Whether you want to get in for fun or show me how it's done, the guest artist project remains open! Any medium is fine from crayons to acrylics! I only ask that there are no adult themes. Contact me about any character info you want to know. Just peruse through my characters and see which one challenges you to draw him or her! Dirty secret: I have the most trouble drawing the ladies *shrug*. See my characters at the facebook fan page or my Deviantart page.

Who will I get to write about next? Will it be you?