Pin-up answers:

Virtually every artist starts with old fashioned pencil & paper and then scans their work into a computer for coloring and retouching.

Typically, an artist will create a rough draft, then a finished drawing, then create a full-color version with paint&ink or a black & white picture where the pencil outline is redone in ink (the difference between a pencil sketch and an inked version is very striking).

In your case, it would be a good idea to draw some pencil sketches and then scan them to your computer. You can them color them very quickly and easily using whatever paint/photo editing program you like.

Start with “Paint” in Windows to get used to the process, then download a copy of Photofiltre for more advanced options.

For yet more sophisticated effects you could try GIMP, but it’s difficult to learn.

You might also want to invest in a Graphics Tablet which allows you to draw directly onto the computer screen and an associated drawing program.

Pin-up answers:

Try deviantart.com. But you should start a gallery with some sample works to generate interest and show the types of art you do. Networking there is pretty good, too.

Pin-up answers:

Alan Lee is certainly well known for his illustrations for the Lord of the Rings, but I imagine other artists have done illustrations – at least, cover paintings for the various printed versions of Tolkien’s works…

There have been calendars and other publications beyond the books featuring artwork inspired by the Lord of the Rings. There are some LOTR artists like John Howe, Ted Nasmith and Greg & Tim Hildebrandt…

Pin-up answers:

Depends on, both, the magazine and the artist.

Some magazine publishers set their own standard rates for illustration, often depending on the size of the image (the original, not the magazine page size). Publications with smaller circulations will, of course only be able to pay a lot less than one with a larger circulation.

On the other hand, artists can charge what they want for their work. A more well known illustrator can ask a LOT more than another, who is not so well known. The quality of the artwork is NOT a significant factor.

So, it should be clear that some artists can price themselves beyond what some magazines can pay.

To help you figure out where you might stand in this hierarchy, I suggest you find a copy of a book titled “Artists Market.” It is published annually and can be found in bookstores and public libraries. It offers a pretty substantial list of publishers and agencies that are know for buying from freelance artists. Find a listing that compares to your magazine, and, if the listing does not show their rate, then it WILL give you contact information so you can ask their art director, directly, how much they offer.

Pin-up answers:

Just cite them in the same way that you would credit them, if they were done by some other illustrator.