Artist Alley Thread

You forgot something.

>Resources
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1l-9tZn_PaqsZWkb5SB_aqwh7uvURyoLgdsQiuz_Ty08/edit#gid=0
>Taobao/Alibaba services
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/14zGSegr0b-429wZq5_xdMbE9hpLcXg8fqqe0OxnU2Yo/edit#gid=0
>Artist Spreadsheet
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ESQ-1h4IRUivbGNaxJFxXyDU1lSv26xTmMdH0sDX7sU/edit?usp=sharing
>How to order from Vograce
https://docs.google.com/document/d/18UxKnpgrmeb82NnW5e4YIEX-eZ3zHt178Mp6i0A5gME/edit?usp=sharing

Girls and guys please tell me about your experience with other metchants on the Alibaba google docs list apart from Vograce!
PUHLEAaaSE!!

First for Metrocon being shit at AA.

>>8849673
the first three links are the same spread sheet.. when did this happen..

>>8849836
Check again, anon. They're all reading separately for me.

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>>8849838
can't tell if i'm going crazy or blind

>>8849841
*whoa.

try clearing your cache? they are separate for me.

>>8849673
I'm OP and I didn't do the spreadsheets>>8849673

>>8849900

Yes and? Every artist alley thread is supposed to have the spreadsheets on the first post. Not sure what your comment is supposed to signify.

>>8849813
can you name some you're interested in? there's quite a variety in what they offer and as someone who has used the other merchants, begging for vague information about any number of a variety of merchants isn't exactly convincing me to share my experience.

Anyone else worried about copyright issues if TPP goes through?

>>8850159
no.

>>8849848
wow i never new cache could affect text links o_o, ty

>>8850159
I'm worried about copyright issues even without it

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What search term would I use for looking for the little stars/hearts/etc. that a lot of people attach to their charms?

I know you can get them on aliexpress or ebay but I don't have a clue on what terms to use.

>>8850356
acrylic beads?

>>8850363

I can't believe it didn't occur to me that they were just beads, I totally thought that they were some specific cell phone strap add on. Thanks!

This is probably a stupid question but I'm a newbie and I'm confused. For Akon, they are telling people to put the hotel address on their sales permits. Is this only for people who have no texas address? I live in texas and I recently got a sales tax permit with my home address for my online store. I'm not certain if my sales tax permit is basically what Akon is asking for. Thank you in advance.

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Rather odd question. If you worked AA and a BJD owner; have you ever brought your doll and display then on your AA table?

What do people do when they see your doll? Advice on security and cleanliness? etc?

>>8850489
I see a lot of people bring them, it's very important to put a sign to not touch (or photograph if you don't want them photographed) idk how ot prevent them beign stolen other than putting thme behind something, or off the top of my head, add a bell to them or strap them down

>>8850507
I was thinking of doing an FAQ thing on an acrylic frame so it's not so repetitive as well as my AA partner don't know anything about them.

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So I managed to scrounge up a single review for jimi acrylic charms.

http://abba-senpai.tumblr.com/post/136199418781/ai-charm-review

This could easily be an isolated experience because as far as I have found, nobody else has remarked at all about the quality of their acrylic, but wow that is not a vote of confidence.

>>8850488
the address for a sales permit is wherever you're going to be selling your goods, so the convention's location is what you'd put.

>>8850488
That's weird because for my San Japan permit I have it under my home address. I live in California.

>>8850489
Put it behind something. I've seen people shriek at the kawaii and try to grab them, I've seen people pawing at the doll's clothes and hair, and I've seen a sad amount of people ask if the doll was for sale when there was a huge 'NOT FOR SALE' sign just by the doll.
However, I think that if you're going to bring a doll to a con you should make use of it. Dress it in cosplay, pose it next to small easily missed items, put a table of prices next to it, etc. It's attention grabbing, use it to your advantage.

>>8849646
Are charm makers on holiday or something...? contacted chillypig and acornpress about a charm order about a week ago and still not reply. Has anybody ordered off them and gotten similar delays in communication...?

>>8850827
It's Chinese new year yo

>>8850862
yeah, and that's why i'm going for american based charm makers.....? neither of them have anything on their sites or social media about being close for chinese new year.

>>8850489
I use to bring mine to sit at my table with me, but it got annoying FAST. People tried to touch her and kept asking to buy her and some people wouldn't take "she's not for sale" for an answer and kept pressuring me. Then people would only stop to see the doll and not what was actually for sale because they "want one but can't afford it".

Mine was dressed up as my mascot that was my on my banner. Security was an issue too. I didn't want to leave her alone even with my helpers so I started taking her to the bathroom with me. It was just a hassle...

>>8850681
Woah, so even if you have a tx sales permit already, you have to get a temporary sales permit? Damn I'm screwed...

>>8850827
you get what you pay for, product and service it seems lol

>>8850827
Haha.. what if they're actually just resellers of vograce and charging people to be a middleman service.

>>8851108
while it might not be vograce, they're basically the middle man for some other korean or chinese service so... i mean no one thought they actually made the things right? the whole point was they're the middle man?

>>8850827
Ahhh I've been busy with Katsucon rush orders. Can you toss me another email? Or did you place an order? There's actually a few people who placed orders who haven't been responding to my emails so.. I'm wondering if they accidentally put the wrong address.

>>8851113
I.. absolutely print our charms. Don't know about the other companies!

>>8851216
Oop, should've clarified that I'm Acorn Press I guess.

>>8851220
So, I fucked up and need charms by the 23rd. Is that within the timeframe of making/shipping? Or am I just SOL?

>>8851300
It's.. pushing it pretty close, I wouldn't want to guarantee anything at that rate. But, there's still a possibility. It all depends on the size of your order and what other orders come in this weekend and where you end up on the queue and so forth. Remember, we can save a few days by shipping directly to the hotel, if that helps. (This is all assuming you're US; if you're international then.. yeah, SOL. International shipping is an unpredictable mess.)

I have a question for resin anons as I know some of you sell resin jewelry on AA.
I was about to buy the Pebeo Crystal Resin Kit as it's the easiest to get my hands on for now. But I live in a small flat with no good ventilation, no workshop is available. My (super safety conscious) Dad who has been fibreglassing for years insists I'll need a respirator or at least a face mask to use resin in doors. Is this true?

>>8851313
Thanks bunches! It should be a relatively small order. I'll probably just go ahead and place it and try my luck. I'm staying with some friends so I'll see if they're cool with that possibility. Appreciate it!

>>8851331

Not saying that nobody will have an answer for you here, but there's actually a resin thread already up that you'll probably get more answers in.

>>8846859

>>8851336
Ahh thanks anon, silly me not looking past page 1.

>>8850866
My bad, I don't use them and I didn't know they were American. Maybe they're just busy...?

>>8851216
(Original OP) I have realize I give wrong email address for my order. I will be sending a new order soon (I have also just realized I need to update my designs.) I am sorry.

where's the best place to order print outs of my shitty artwork.
I'm a newfag at all this pls dont kill me

>>8851441
newfag or not you should have the braincells to actually read the thread before you post. literally first reply to this thread is a link to resources, including where to print.

>>8851441
i was going to yell at you for not checking the resources link in the second post, but i realized it doesn't specifically mention prints

someone should fix that

i personally recommend catprint

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>>8851445
?

What do you guys think about 'kawaii' artists? I feel like every convention has at least one, usually multiple, who seem to all be selling the exact same fucking stop (everything has a :3 face, food x animal hybrids galore, maybe if they're a little edgy some pantsu or shit)

Obviously they sell well or there wouldn't be so many of them, but do they annoy you? do you buy from them?

>>8851463
I think they have cute and usually decently-made items, but they really do blend in after a while. None of them seem to do anything different. Having said that, if one of them offered something that wasn't kawaii doughnuts uwuing at me, I'd be interested and would probably end up buying it. Something like a towel, or something similarly useful, would be a massive draw. I buy from them sometimes, but only if I think the work is decent and/or it's their first con and they could do with the encouragement (provided the craftsmanship is good enough for me to justify the price). They only really annoy me when the vendors try to shill their products and throw in 'Nyaaa~' and other weeby shit to draw in the crowd, or make a point of mentioning how much cheaper their X is to someone's Y. It never works, so you'd think they'd learn, but I guess not.

>>8851463
They really just blend together to me. The only one I can even remember the name of is Hip Hop Candy (since I will usually buy their perfumes). I mean if it works for them good for them but its like the perler epidemic.

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Who else just realized mycons lists all our addresses publicly through their system?

>>8850985
I don't think you have to get a second one? I'm pretty sure the posting your originally referring to was intended for people who didn't have a permit already. Not sure if you just need to update your current one or something but I think as long as you have one that's fine. I'm not from TX but hopefully some other anons might know.

>>8851463
I'm actually getting really tired of this animal/food hybrid stuff.

>>8851600
My hatred for myconsonline only ever grows with time.

>>8851683
It's the cheap and easy way to be kawaii

>>8851450
Not OP, but I do think this part of the spreadsheet should be updated. Can some anons add some reviews to the services without pros and cons?

>>8851697
i'm surprised there isn't MORE drama ala sea bunny over 'you stole my totally original design!!'. the number of icecream narwhales, coffee cats, and 'bun' bunnies....

>>8851698
I would like this too, and I am wondering if It would be okay to add services for other regions (i.e australia).

>>8850489
just don't bring it

Just got back from a one day con. I expected there to be, maybe, 500 max.
There were about 2,000

It is so great when you bet on a small con, and it ends up being huge.

>>8851710
People like animals, and everyone eats, it's an easy way to appeal to the masses.

I've seen at least 4 different narwhale/food designs released in the past two years. Oh well, more for MoogleGurl to bitch about.

>>8851220
Did you guys fix the see through in your double sided charms yet?

>>8851851
I want to make really bad animalxfood mashups just to fuck with this trend. Like, a spider with french fry legs or a kawaii panda tub of mayonnaise. Shit no one wants.

>>8851902
>a spider with french fry legs
I want that.

>>8851946
>>8851902
burger spider with french fry legs. and its face is ::::3

Could someone give me advice on where to buy buttons? What do you guys use for ordering?
I would buy my own machine but I don't think I can afford that right now since I have to get printing for it as well.

>>8851503
Didn't hhcandy close down? I loved her scents as well.

>>8851473
I'm so tired of the :3 food and food/animal trend. It looks so lazy to me.

>>8851984
I don't mind stupid questions, but stupid and entitled questions are annoying. read the thread and the resource doc before you ask for generic advice. In addition to the ones on the doc, vograce also does buttons (but they're closed for chinese new year, if you needed them before mid march)

>>8851848
Was this FusionCon?

Question for people with button makers - what kind of paper yields the best results, matte or glossy? It's going to have the Mylar over it anyway, but if it's printed on glossy, would that be way too much gloss? I could really appreciate some input!

>>8852175
Nope, Annicon.

Is Akon not a very good con for a first timer? I asked some people if I should apply and they basically told me to stop taking experienced and more deserving people's tables. It's jury so my chance of getting in is slim anyway but I'm scared to even apply for a table haha.

I was at ALA and the AA was awesome. One thing though, I went with fujoshit friends and they had their pick of any yaoi sports/jojo/shounen shit. I wanted to pick up waifu merch (homuhomu) but I only found a couple artists who drew madoka magica and the few who did had really low skill. Do fujoshits really spend more money than neckbeards in AA? I always figured neckbeards would blow tons of cash on waifu art/gear.

Another suggestion, though I'm sure it's been said before, I love printed novelties!! I have plenty of prints and phone charms but I adore the different novelties like microfiber clothes, underwear, tiny statues or whatever they're called.

>>8852570
That just sounds really bitchy. If it's jury then you'll get chosen if they think you deserve it. You just have to be prepared and be confident in what you're selling.

Sent application for AKON, that was much more stressful than I really needed it to be.

>>8852570
Jesus christ, who says that to a person's face?
I don't know anything about it not being good for a first timer, but it's hardly a juried alley, anon. They're still taking the first few second applicants, and just throwing out any that don't meet the requirements. MAYBE they might exclude a couple in order to get variety this year, but even that isn't a guarantee. I'd hardly consider it a jury.
If you haven't applied by now, it's too late. IIRC last year they sold out in under 10 seconds.

>>8852226
Go with matte paper.

>>8852580
There's just more fujoshit at cons then there are neckbeard or /a/ types, especially at a con like ALA.
Generally, the latter would do the majority of their purchasing online, and directly from Japan, so they're less likely to show up at a con to buy things.
Fujoshits tend to love tumblr fanart and cosplaying and surrounding themselves with other fujoshits, so they're more likely to be at a con and more likely to spend.

>and the few who did had really low skill
S-sorry

>>8851953
>::::3
Kek, I'd buy that in a heartbeat.
>>8852580
I think that it's partly because of the popular animes now, which are mostly boy-heavy sports animes that involve shirts being taken off. There's going to be another Madoka film, so when we get more news about that there'll be another surge in popularity.
And I tend to see neckbeards going more for official (or official-looking bootlegs) merch of their waifus, though that might just be the ones I've run into at cons. Maybe their waifus just aren't fanservicey enough in fan merch, idk.

>>8852591
That is a really good point about the differing level of social activity. Curse these elitist fanboys for not supporting independent artists.

Ahh Pixel, did you have Madoka merch at ALA? I really liked your style but got too shy to say hello and browse your merch. I would have totally bought something!

>>8852594
You're right, hopefully the movie attracts more attention to the franchise.

>>8851902
>>8851946
>>8851953
Anon if you ever go through with this, please let us know.

I'll be tabling at a con that provides a backdrop/wall for us, but I won't know how the backdrop looks until I get there. I'm afraid it'll be an ugly old thing with old tape stuck all over it. Anyone know of a decent way to cover it (preferably in black)? Fabric is the only easy way I can think of but how do you even attach prints to that?

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>>8852626
>>8852594
>>8851953
kawaii

One more question for people with button makers what is a good paper for button, as in weight wise. I tried 100lb to experiment but that was way too thick, I'm thinking 20lb paper will suffice but I want to hear other's input before I fuck up anymore buttons

>>8852697
Omg anon that was MY idea!
How. Dare. You.

But in all seriousness that actually is pretty cute...

>>8852697
I hate spiders so much but this is so cute, I need it.

i don't see it on the google doc but i remember a bunch of you were getting your displays from a certain website? like they offered acrylic, wire, and wooden display cases / shelving stuff?

i have small figures so i wanted a wooden, tiered shelving thing for displaying

also! do any of you go anywhere to have pouches made or do you mostly just get fabric printed with your design and make the pouches yourself?

thanks!

I want to sell some stuff at a local con next year. Would I need a business license?

>>8852754
If by pouches you mean the cosmetic bags / zippered bags they're from arts bovine.

>>8852761
this is so vague and therefore incredibly unhelpful for anyone who might try to be helpful. i'm assuming by 'local' you mean 'american' and 3 seconds of googling tells me certain states require sellers permits for artist alleys. You're unlikely to be the first person ever to sell at this particular con, so I would ask directly for advice from people who have tabled there before (or at cons in the same state).

>>8852722
Ah, but I added the french fry legs.... (I joke, full credit to you, It just sounded like a fun idea for a doodle)

>>8852730
haha, I do too, but it's hard for anything with a (:::) :3 to be scary.

>>8852769I want to sell lolita headpieces, accessories, and maybe a few jsks. It's asmall convention here in florida, the dealer'sroom is only open on Saturday. I tried to Google some information and ask around, including a friend that is the art director of another local con, and I keep getting mixed answers.

>>8852793
Did you make these things yourself, or are you reselling? Secondhand JSKs or brand new?

>>8852761
You are suppose to, but don't really need to. You don't have to worry about it unless you plan on going big.

>>8852793
What Florida con only has dealers for one day?

>>8852801
The accessories are mostly handmade, aside from some necklaces and bracelets from japan. The jsks would be second hand.

>>8852805
Some small thing that's only been around for a year or so. I went last year, but I'm not going this year due to other plans. Not sure if it'll be different or not.

>>8852830
Can you tell me the name please?

>>8852754
Might be http://cleardisplays.com/

Friend of mine who does figures/plush made their own collapsible cardboard stands for portability, might be worth considering depending on your situation too.

>>8851902
Clump of ramen noodles with :3 face, no visible form just a clump, instant ramen octopus.

>>8852754
It's incredibly easy to make zippered pouches at home, you don't need to order those in bulk.

>>8852706
Use presentation matte paper. The Epson 27 lb of it is pretty great.

>>8852830
Is it Amelia con?

>>8853310
No, I've never heard of that one. Where in florida is that?

Why?

>>8853351
It's was this weekend off Amelia Island. It's also a three day con but they only have the dealers up on Saturday. It's actually a pretty decent small con.

Is 120gsm paper too thin to make A3 prints from?

>>8853703
assuming you mean text, that's roughly 80lb. It'd say that's borderline. I once got a bunch of prints misprinted at 80lb text instead of 100lb and i couldn't bring myself to give it to customers. it's basically one step above printer paper and if it were an a4 it might be okay, but a3 it's very.. borderline imo.

Hi guys, me again with my weird-lookin' OPM chibis. I finished Tatsumaki and Mumen Rider, and took in all your feedback and made the colours softer and varied some line depth.

Feedback please? Also, I'd like to actually make an A3 print of these to sell altogether because they're really cute, do you think it might work?

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>>8853756
Aaaand dropped my pic, sorry!

>>8853762
There's a lack of fundamental understanding of depth going on here. The colors look a lot better, but your lines still leave a lot left to be desired. Line weight goes beyond arbitrarily making some places thicker than others. They should (usually) be thicker where shadows are deeper.

I guess for what it is it isn't bad, and I know people will eat these up, so maybe I'm being too harsh.

>>8851895
We've definitely improved, but I honestly don't know how we compare to other companies at this point since.. I've always printed my own stuff! There's still visibility when held up to the light and with extremely high contrast colors.

I wish it was as simple as "just pile on more white ink until it looks good" but that brings other problems, namely that white ink is thicker and has more texture to it and b-side printing onto that texture can lose some crispness/quality.

>>8853756
I really think these work better as charms or stickers. If you were to make them into prints, I think it could look cute as an A3 one, or as a postcard. I wouldn't go any bigger than that though.
Congrats on the improvement, btw! I agree with >>8853803 but you're getting there, trace over your chibis and vary the line weight to see what makes them stand out.

>>8853762
I think these are very well drawn and cute! I'd definitely buy these as stickers or a postcard. It would be best if you did a postcard if you want to do a print.

>>8853762
Consider coloring in your lines so that they match the color underneath (like making the lines on Tatsumaki's hair and Mumen rider's beanie a dark shade of green). It'll take away the harshness of the lines that isn't seen on other areas of the characters that are darker.

Anyone have an idea on where to get these that won't cost $15 to ship to the US? http://www.ebay.com/itm/Clear-Self-Adhesive-Peel-Seal-Plastic-Display-Bags-Jewellery-Craft-9-x-6cm-/121188168929

>>8849646
I've been absent from these threads for a while so I hope what I'm asking hasn't already been answered.

I'm applying for the Disney College Program and am wondering if I should put artist alley in my work experience, knowing how Disney is with copyrights. I don't sell anything Disney and the only Western thing I have fanart of is Avatar. Do you think "selling my own original artwork as well as interpretations of Japanese media for taxable sale" sounds bad to them? Do they care about the copyright well-being of entities that aren't themself?

>tfw I'm still new to AA and have very few original works for sale but still put it first in resumes

Anyone in here have much experience with TorontoComicCon/Fanexpo? I got a table for MTCC, paid, and now suddenly my tablebuddy can't go.... I don't feel comfortable attending without her.

How are they about people asking for their money back and withdrawing from tables?
Am I better off to try and find someone else who'd want it? Anyone want dibs if so?

>>8854181
I had zero work experience and I still got in.

>>8854181
I would leave out the mention of fanart altogether and just focus on the whole producing and monetizing your artwork and selling it in a physical space thing.

Hey, can anyone get in contact with Toby? Saw this guy selling these in the AA at ACC and he recently put these up on his site. http://orangecrows.storenvy.com/

>>8854248
*undertale keychains whoops
http://orangecrows.storenvy.com/collections/263355-all-products/products/15851571-double-sided-keychains-size-2x3-inches

>>8854251
OT, but I have a question. Do double-sised keychains like these sell at all? I want to try these because they seem like less hassle than ordering acrylic charms. For $5 they might sell?

>>8854267
I've seen some people sell the small circle ones on phone straps. They are hella cute. They go for $3-$5. Thought about doing a few myself.

>>8854070
Consider yourself blessed that I'm telling you aliexpress exists.

>>8854181
Disney college program is basically indentured servitude, they don't really care about your background they just want your cheap labor. But I wouldn't even specify when mentioning it unless they actually ask you, just do what >>8854210 says.

>>8854341
Lmao. I used to live next to the housing they put them into at LBV. It's the worst noisy bunch of assholes ever and frequent theft.

>>8854248
>>8854251
I just talked to the owner, and he had no idea that he wasn't allowed to sell Undertale art. I linked him to Toby's tweets, and he agreed to take down the charms and no longer sell them at cons.

>>8854337
I should have clarified that I was hoping for a US seller.

>>8854386
That would have helped, yes. Have you tried hobby stores like Michaels and Hobby Lobby or independently owned at supply stores? I've also found similar things at flea markets.

>>8854406
I have, the closest things I've found were the ziplock type of bags and the regular sealed flap bags - but I'm really needing the type with the holes at the top. I might just settle with the standard flap bags and make due.

>>8854070
This ebay store is where I get mine. Free shipping to the US.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/ghezziky/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=
not sure if they'll have exactly the size you're looking for, but they have quite a few.

>>8852697
So cute!

>>8854341
This. Unless you get to be a face character, Disney is a shithole to work for. And even the face characters have to put up with a lot of crap too.

>>8854418
clearbags dot com

>>8854465
That's actually the ebay seller I use for my print bags, haha! Thanks!

>>8854692
Thanks anon, didn't think of them!

>>8854688
But muh resume. Have any of you anons shitting on it done it or is it all secondhand accounts? I know of secondhand accounts irl that said they loved it and it was the bet thing they've ever done.

>>8854724
I live in Orlando and I have a lot of friends who are still current park employees. It's not a bad experience, especially if you like Disney and really really want to work there, but Disney has been less and less selective over the years so they pretty much accept anyone on a first come first serve basis so long as you're not an openly waving red flags in their face. This means your co-workers might not be as dedicated or professional as you, or as full of cheer or good morals, so don't expect a magical fun land. The college program is honestly just a giant recruitment plan for cheap labor in my opinion. But it's about what you want out of it really so that's not necessarily a bad thing. I'm sure you'll have a good time. Even the people I know who complain about it still do like it.

>>8854755
I'm pretty much just lost when it comes to internships since I'm not crazy about my major, and I actually like labor work relative to office work, so basically I just need something glamorous sounding to compete that with my sister's LA internships (from Ohio) lol so it can't be that bad

>personal problems I know I know

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>>8852697

>>8852697
>>8854829
now we need a lolita print

>>8852697
>>8854829
HOly shit you guys this is actually becoming a great idea stop it

>>8852697
I need blood ketchup.

>>8852697
what about a slug sundae?

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>>8854870
>>8854873
you scream, i scream...

>>8852697
>>8854829
Oh no...this is cute. The goal was to make something uncute, and we completely failed. I really want this in plushie form now. The fucking sesame seed eyes are genius, by the way.

>>8854924
Can you do a crab croissant

>>8854924
What have we done...our mockery has backfired and we have created something marketable...also we need nuggets to round out the trio.

>>8854924
Gullu-Gullu Cafe is a go. We need a screeching seagull in a kawaii diner uniform.

>>8854928
HNGG

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>>8854928
yes

>>8854929
suggest a non-cute nugget animal

>>8854951
Too cute!!!

>>8854951
blobfish or an engorged tick

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>>8854951
Suggesting whatever this is for nuggets

>>8854951
do a horseshoe crab. those things are freaky as hell

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>>8854962
>>8854958
i couldn't decide

>>8855007
Gotta give it to the blobfish. More readable and dem absurd noses.

>>8855021
Agreed

So, who's gonna kickstart these?

>>8855021
>dem absurd noses
b-but there was a reason for dem noses.

http://www.landoverbaptist.org/news0899/jar.html

>>8854951
and a slice of butter on top

>>8854341
This was so true when it first came out, and our instructors even warned us then, told us it's to do menial-labor work at the parks.

Lots of aspiring young artist got suckered into, and when they came back, I'd hear from parents saying some just wore costumes all day.

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>>8855143
>>8855030
i dont have the time or the money, but if someone wants to post them on AANI, preferably with a subtle dig at cliche kawaii food hybrids, they have my blessing

>>8855155
DESU someone's just going to steal this concept and turn it into a shittier form of non-ironic merch.

>>8854925
>>plushie form

I'm on it, be back in 3 days.

>>8855158
looks hilarious, I'd make some just to see what people's reaction would be -

My only minor change on the sea slug would be to put its ass out top of the ice-cream cone (if its an object one can hold, and pulls out a slug) lolololol.. sounds like fun to figure out how to make it, pending my work schedule...

>>8855155
I would seriously buy all of these in charm form they are so good

>>8855296
as far as im concerned they're cgl property LOL if anyone wants to clean em up and make them into charms/stickers/etc idc/idm

Was looking through some art blogs today, and am I the only one who finds it a bit odd when I see people describe themselves as "I'm a black artist"?

I mean nationality is one thing, but I've been spotting quite a few people mentioning they're black on their page.

On a related note, I remember people asking stuff like "omg do you know any lesbian artists I can follow?" I mean I'd feel a bit insulted if the only reason someone would want to buy my stuff or follow me for my art is because I'm gay or something.

>>8855396
That's normal for Tumblr. Some people won't follow or support you because of your sexuality/race but listing their own race, sexuality and even health problems gives them brownie points for those kinds of people.

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>>8853762
maybe this'll help

>>8855396
haha, i remember seeing a post going around encouraging/demanding that white artists show their support and respect of 'artists of color' by reblogging and promoting them and their works....because obviously the reason they weren't getting the notes they 'deserved' was because they weren't white, not because of the merit of their work.

>>8855396
some artists see their blackness as part of their identity which seeps into their artwork, if they do then its worth mentioning

if they just draw food plushies, maybe not

>>8855415
Adding onto this. Line quality is determined by the distribution of weight. Depending on the pose and body type, the more weight being distributed to an area, the heavier the line. So when you have a character sitting, the lines would look better if heavier towards the center of gravity. Aka their ass and thighs. Then light source and such comes into play like anon's picture. It honestly requires practice to get the hang of it.

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>>8853762
You could also make a repeating/tiled image of these chibis, or arrange them cutely and add some kind of other coordinating design, and make them into a pencil pouch? I love buying bags and shit at cons, I can't resist them, and I think your style lends itself to that as well as charms/stickers.

>>8855141
Yeah I know, those fish are absurd in general.

I have a question about artbovine. Someone told me that their products tend to look darker so I should lower the opacity of my work before sending them my order. Is lowering opacity a good idea?

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Do any of you know who made these? Reverse search or keywords on google aren't helping.

Thanks in advanced.

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Almost done, Burgerantula needs lettuce.

>>8856205
Ohhh fuck yes, anon. I can't believe this is happening.

So uh, you got an Etsy?

I apologize if this is a stupid place to ask since it's for personal, not AA, stuff, but what would be the best thing to coat/layer shrinky dink things with? I just want a glossy finish that protects them.

>>8856205
anon this is great

imagine a hot dog maggot in this style

>>8856369
absolute best is clear resin, if you can afford it. Any kind of waterproof gloss varnish, like liquitex or winson &newton would work. You could even use clear nailpolish topcoat, although in my experience that's less than ideal.

>>8856205
i'm so pleased that this is a thing.

>>8856369
Resin

>>8855007
Make a horseshoe crab fish sandwhich

>>8856205
this is such quality A+ I want to buy it.

>>8856205
Please kiss it for me

Ironic foods critters are now a cgl thing, I suppose it's one way to spot each other at AAs.

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>>8855323
Are you sure anon? I can make this happen.
Spiderburgers for all.
(If you change your mind though I won't give these out and I can just send them your way to sell or whatever.)

Animefest said they would get back to people on 2/8 and 2/9 but i still haven't received any email from them. Anyone get accepted already?

>>8856606
want so much

>>8856610
I got an acceptance e-mail, but no one else that I know of has

>>8856606
Need

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I'm this anon >>8852626

And to see the progress pics of the drawings and plush of the monster food is 2cute4me. Will definitely buy if this goes through.

>>8856606
Haha this thread is magical.

I'm guilty of doing an animalXfood mashup, but these are sooo much better.

>>8856606
They could be like the /cgl/ pins, free for seagulls who know the "secret password". Tips encouraged, to pay for the production costs.

>>8856606
HAHA, GLORIOUS. i actually have an order with you at the moment - could I request that you send one along with my charms?

@all anons: you are free to use the art i've posted as charms, stickers, etc. Totally fine with them being used to identify other gulls. if you want i'll even upload the transparent psd versions.

>>8856606
I need to buy one of these now. Maybe set up a secret cgl storenvy?

>>8856721
Awww, you're the best! Thanks so much for doing this!

>>8856683
>>8856683
AHAH SWEATS.. I had no idea. Now I'm staring at all my current orders trying to pinpoint a similar style. I think I got it, but you should give me a hint just in case.

Anyway..
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1AfHsmInFElWIiJulZaD3kHSrEBYR0l3E5PjyQHVNem8/viewform
Boom.

>>8856721
>https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1AfHsmInFElWIiJulZaD3kHSrEBYR0l3E5PjyQHVNem8

Sent a $5 bucks because I need this in my life <3

>>8856683
OH, now I see who you are. I actually already mailed your order out but I'll send some spiderburgers your way.

>>8856721 >>8856725
Go me for thinking I messed up the link and deleting my post and it turned out to be fine anyway.

>>8856725
Ahhh you're amazing, thanks! Threw a little bit your way as well.

>>8856725
Are you okay with shipping internationally?

>>8856740
hoy you got my order done quickly O: (just for total clarification : i was the one doing an SU charm order.) thanks so much <3

>>8856205
This proves there are no bad concepts, just bad executions.

>>8856606
I'm >>8851902
How do I purchase/acquire one of these sweet babies? Also >>8856205 is adorable. I'm excited that this happened.

>>8856772
Woops, nevermind, found out how to get a spiderburg! Thank you so much art anon and Fera!

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>>8856725
Coming out of lurker mode to say thanks for doing this! And thanks to the original anons who came up with it, it's too amazing to pass up

>>8856676
I'm seriously game for that.

I'm showing my age here, but we did something similar on the alt.fan.sailor-moon newsgroup. (Don't laugh, it was pretty much THE place to discuss the series and be general anime nerds back in the 90s). But those of us in the group got special made Luna and Artemis pins. I feel some pride that I own them since they were exclusive to the group.

>>8855740
Not the same anon but I'm trying to make an artsmoo bag with a repeating/tiled design. Does anyone have any tips? I'm afraid of the design being ruined if I have the image go outside the bleed line...

>>8856725
omg Thanks so much for doing this! I'm so glad I was around for this hahaha.

>>8856725
wow thanks! sent a buck as well. you rock.

>>8856354
Yo https://www.etsy.com/shop/StarshinePlush
It's full of sea bunnies and animalxfood mashups.
Spider burger will be finished and listed in under 24 hours.

>>8856676
I'm down for printing up some buttons and handing them out at cons.

>>8856725
Please say you'll ship outside the US as well! I need one of these!

>>8856990
obey the red bleed/safety line. The preview image is nice but it is not your friend.

>>8856725
I threw a couple of bucks and a note via Paypal just in case. You're awesome!

>>8855740
DA
aa can I get the source on those AC pouches?!

Aaa thanks for the donations everyone! I'll be able to send out even more of these than I thought.

>>8856750
>>8857385
Right now a few international shipments doesn't seem like it'll be a problem, so go ahead! I don't know how many more responses I'll get throughout today though.

Also I'm thinking of editing the artwork a bit to up the contrast on the sesame seed eyes, since it's a little hard to read on a 1inch charm and that's my favorite aspect of the design. I hope that sounds okay with everyone?

>>8857553
i bow to your judgement as an artist

>>8855935
Do you mean the artist or the actual charms themselves?

>>8856725
You're the best!! I'll definitely be taking my business to acornpress once I decide to do charms.

>>8857433
Alright thanks! I haven't printed anything before so I was worried that there would be blank space on the outer edge of the bag since my tiled pattern would stop at the bleed line, if that makes sense.

>>8856610
I got accepted too ! I was the very first one to share the link on here tho so it might just be taking them a while to get through everyone.

>>8856610
I first applied to them in Sept. said the result was on Nov 1st waited til the 14th said that the results will be on the week after thanksgiving waited got nothing, emailed them again, replied a week later said the the results will be in January and nothing.

I've given up on them; serious lack of communication on whether you are accepted or not.

Even if I didn't get accepted at least email me saying 'unfortunately you did not get accepted as Artist alley in this con, please try again next year" instead of not answering at all.

>>8857798
The con was last sept? Did you resign up at the con itself? Because they didn't tell those of us who had booths could. D:

Also the live form was just put to the public a week or so ago? I've been back checking since nov/dec to see if it went live. idk x-x
That seriously sucks if you've been waiting this long.

>>8857798
I feel like you're talking about a completely different convention...

>>8857818
>>8857823
It was for Animefest, however the application didn't start til september. It's there first year so there was no resign. and the con is on Valentine's day weekend. It was an up in the air thing cause I wouldn't even know if it's going to be popular.

Though the application was like taking the SAT

>>8857836
I-I think we might be talking about two different animefests? This one has been around for 26+ years? https://animefest.org/

>>8857842
I was talking about CO Animefest

>>8857845
Okay cool. Just a heads up, the Colorado one has no relation with the one in Texas as far as I know.

>>8857856
That's what I think, just shares the same name which can be confusing as hell

My friend just got a button maker and is churning out buttons and now wants to get a booth at a local con. Problem is all she's using is anime magizines, comics and old manga; nothing of her own design. She actually can't draw at all and doesn't believe me when I tell her using official art is a bad idea. The local con doesn't say anything specific about buttons/pins but only prints containing official art.
I wouldn't care but she's my ride to the con and wants me to help with her table in lue of gas money. I've tried to give her cash instead but she refused and said i'd help with the table instead

>>8857901
If they're from her own copies of magazines, it's fine. The copyright laws only go into place when she's printing them off the internet. But if she owned a copy of the original sauce, it's fair game.
Not to say she won't totally flop. It's a horrible idea. But the con will probably let it slide.

>>8857901
dealers will do this, and get away with it, often, but they have more than just the buttons.

it is not going to fly in AA.

>>8857901
Contact the con, and show her the clarifications. If for this con, official art for buttons are fine, then I think you're in the clear. She'll learn from other cons that official art can mean trouble and that's not your problem.

>>8857901
Has she actually gotten the booth yet? Good luck getting accepted with just bootleg buttons as her portfolio.
(Unless it's not a juried con, in which case fuck your friend for grabbing and wasting a table.)

My advice, Anon- just get an Uber and have fun at the con. Unless you like sitting at a table while barely making sales and getting nasty glares from legit artists/crafters.

>>8857703
Aw, thanks anon I appreciate the sentiment but don't base your decision just on that! We're small and independent so there's definitely some advantages and.. disadvantages that come with that. We definitely screwed up a bunch early on when we first opened and quality-wise there's still more improvements to be made. (Which is why I try to compensate the best I can with low cost and minimums but.. there's no way I can beat outsourcing to china on that front.)

I recommend talking to other artists that have placed orders with us and seeing what their experience has been like.

I have a question about cutting circles of odd sizes, for example like 36mm. I looked through alibaba and ebay and nobody is selling 36mm circle cutters. Is handcutting the only choice?

>>8857730
This is confusing. The bleed line is to make sure your image extends PAST IT. Never stop your image AT the bleed line.

>>8858155
pretty sure fiskars does an adjustable circle cutter, so you could also look into that.

for those of you who sell figures or toys, how do you display them? i want something small that i can keep in front of me to make sure nothing gets stolen, which i can't really do if i put them in wire cubes, etc.

is there a place that prints sheets of stickers that i can cut out?

>>8858443
seconded?

>>8858443
>>8858447
do you mean like kisscut stickersheets or like...just on sticker paper?

>>8858440
plastic cases/boxes (or you could use clear cellophone stretched over the sides to emphasize 'no touching' if you wanted to use wire cubes)

>>8858464
just on sticker paper so i can cut them!

>>8858492
Literally anywhere that lets you print. Just buy the sticker paper and ask them to feed that into the machine...

Any Aussies here self-print their stuff? I'm looking to buy ink for my Epson 1430 and wondering where the cheapest ink is since the USD isn't playing too nice these days

So I've looked at the links in OP but I don't see anything about book printing. Does anyone have any site recommendations for these? I'd like saddle stitch with around 20ish pages. I would prefer to buy in small quantities since I'm still testing the waters. I've been looking at overnightprints if anyone has any experience with them

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checking in to see work in the AANI FB pg. WTH is this? this is the worst decoden I've ever seen..

does anyone here have OPM merch? i just got super into the show and want to buy stuff but on etsy it looks like its mostly people stealing the official art & i don't want to wade through the shit.

>>8858762
Kakimari (storenvy) has been making OPM merch for ages. Quite a bit has been retired due to age already, but she still has some things in her store.

>>8858763

this is exactly the kind of stuff i was looking for, thank you!

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so....

>>8858895
there is nothing new under the sun

So I remembered that people always ask how well other people do with online sales. I never really kept track and I was curious so I finally sat down and number crunched.

I was super surprised but apparently after Paypal fees and the like I made close to $1600 in January alone?

It's definitely not reflective of how much online sales I make per month but I had to redo the math several times to make sure I didn't fuck up. Thanks for motivating me to actually start keeping track of monthly online sales! I think I'm gonna be more careful about recording at-con sales this year too. Does anyone have any advice for keeping track of art finances?

>>8858895
the whole point of the animal/food hybrids is that they're tired and overdone, anon. you're not exactly breaking news here.

>>8858952
i'm doing this too...and also keeping much more detailed records about what i invest in my products (time and actual physical materials).

I'm designing some keychains but I feel like they need some "oomph" so I want to put some cute little deco things around the characters, but I can't think of anything besides stars, flowers, kira kira sparkles, leaves, etc... does anyone have any ideas? D:

>>8858993
I've seen some that used some iconic food relating to the characters theme that were super cute.

>>8857548
sorry anon, I was out all day but here!

http://yosb.storenvy.com/products/11330241-assassins-creed-zipper-pouch-cosmetic-pencil-bag

>>8858952
I keep a spreadsheet and keep track of spending and profits. Stuff like hotel+badge cost, materials, printing, etc all get recorded. Really helps when it's time to do taxes.

>>8858952
I second making the spreadsheet. I use a google doc. It's kind of a hassle updating it all the time, but it really helps me keep track and is a lifesaver for when it comes to calculating fees+profits etc.

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Finished spiderburger plush

>>8859106
This is so beautiful.

>>8858952
>I never really kept track and I was curious so I finally sat down and number crunched.
We call this a daily sales report, good if your sales is constant - sad to look at if daily is slow at a regular business shop.
>>8858952
>Does anyone have any advice for keeping track of art finances?
Quickbooks... categorize everything asap, you'd be surprise once the reciepts pile up and forgetting what an item purchase was for, but if an individual should be straightforward, categorize products, sub-categorizing supplies needed for said products (tracks what you ended spending more one - helpful if need to look for items/projects to cutback if need to budget expenses etc

I want to apply for Acen or Akon next year but they are so close together that I can only choose one. Unlikely, but if I get into both, which con is better in terms of sales or general atmosphere? I would have to fly to both so not much of an expense difference is there.

>>8859106
i want to hug it

>>8859344
I suggest going to Acen? I hear it's pretty friendly and has a good turn out. A-kon is getting smaller in terms of people coming back and although it's slowly trying to get better in terms of layout, badge and general lines and staff, it hasn't improved much over it's almost 30 years being around and makes nothing but excuses for slow progress or no progress. >: idk

I'm curious how people transport their merch to far away cons?? I have a table for AX (first timer here) and I'm absolutely baffled on how to transport my prints. Is it easier to store them in a portfolio case and take it on the plane? or to put it in the luggage as well as pvc pipe, etc?

>>8858895
Yeah, but ours is *KAWAII*
::::3

Out of curiosity, those of you making holographic stickers, bookmarks, etc and applying the film yourself... where have you been buying your film from? I found one seller on ebay, nothing see-through on Amazon. I see that Alibaba has some sellers, just curious if there's anything available closer by.

>>8857612
artist.

>>8858443
>>8858447
You can make stickers at home if you have a printer. You literally just need sticker paper, the image you want printed, and a printer. Try it out at home before you get it done to see if you need to change the colours or opacity.

>>8858952
Spreadsheet. Put in everything you buy that you use for the products, including packaging. Put in postage fees, Paypal/site fees, and, if you had help from a friend, put that down too in a separate column. Taxes are scary and a pain in the ass, but as soon as you start obsessively tracking literally everything, you'll be amazed at how much you end up saving. You can claim raw materials as a business expense, as well as several other helpful things, so writing down what you've spent is super helpful. It's even more helpful on the off chance that someone wants to make sure you're actually spending that much on materials and you have things neatly logged for them to go through.
Also, I like to put down where I got materials from, how fast shipping was if I bought them online, and what they were like. Nothing to do with money, it's just helpful in general.

>>8859759
I'd rather them printed professionally to make sure they're good quality. I don't like self-printing.

>>8858993
Do whatever the fandom associates with the character. If you're doing Jean from AOT, add something related to horses. If you're doing Saitama from OPM, add eggs. It doesn't have to be clever or original, because people will get the reference and feel included.
As for making them stand out, you could add little beads to the chain, or make interesting packaging. If the designs are simple and clean you're good, you can jazz them up in other ways if you're stuck on deco things.

> forgets name for spiderburger-chan
This is my hell

>>8858653
I know RA Comics Direct offers saddle stitching, here's a list of a few others.
http://indie-comic-resource.tumblr.com/post/125090831531/digital-printers

Anyone got any AA neighbor horror stories?

>>8860676
most are just minor annoyances like their products would be in my space. but overall, artist alley neighbours are great ! :) I'm actually scared I might be the shit neighbour because of my large booth but I do keep everything in my space.

1. one time I had a neighbour that brought their 3 very very young kids and their friends to sit with them at the con. The kids used my seat as a back seat which was kind of dangerous because i slide my seat a lot to get posters and there was a fear of sliding on their fingers. I told the parent but he was very frustrated at how I told him to move his kids ( i kept on saying sorry..) I'm sure it's because he is having a stressful weekend but I feel like he should be more considerate of his neighbours. he also kept on using my extra seat without asking.

2. My friend was sitting beside me but person A really wanted that spot, saying that she requested it but there's misunderstanding between her and the coordinator. I don't want my friend to move nor does my friend as that's our location on the map and it is our problem that Person A can't read a map correctly. Person B, my neighbour on the other side heard what happened from Person A and instantly started to judge my friend and I. saying to me and I quote
" if you don't move, you will make a bad name for yourself in the community"
We were literally told this after we were starting to set up.
my friend and I both moved. I can't deal with being around two shit heads for the whole weekend. person A also tried to bargain saying shit like 3D>2D. also moving her all her things in our booths before we agreed to the move.

>>8860689
opps, I meant it is not our problem*

>>8860676
Once had a table next to some weird LotR knock-off fantasy artists who smelled really bad and were super loud, we kept having to ask them to make sure their backstock stayed in their space too and they would get super pissy about it. They would also call people over who were browsing our booth in order to get them to stop looking at our stuff (which wasn't even remotely similar and could've have been considered competition). Not anything super crazy but they were hella rude.

>>8860676
i once had a guy sing for 4 straight hours a little diddy asking people to buy his stuff and would yell at people who walked by to look at his things.. they zoomed away right past my table to escape him :,)

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I'm currently using the top pic for my print display, and I'm wondering if anyone has and suggestions as to how to make sides to display prints on as well and/or if it's even doable with what I have.

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>>8859511
I tend to minimize my inventory and only take best-sellers and popular stuff. I put them in those big collapsible folders (they sell them at office supply stores, usually in packs of two- pic related) and put those folders in suitcases.

Meeting the 50lb limit is a bitch, but if you're good with consolidating stuff, you can manage. Otherwise just take on more suitcases.

>>8860676
>go to set up, first con, very excite
>space is smaller than advertised, our display won't fit as planned
>convention provides a cloth backdrop, at least
>but table behind us has encroached their display well into ours, distorting the backdrop, and the artist is nowhere to be found
>probably planned their display to the wrong dimensions, but why push their display into our area when the backdrop is an extremely clear division between spaces we paid the same amount of money for?
>try to set up but their tables are jutting too far into our space
>my partner straight up pulls their tables out of our space, carefully so as not to disturb their cubes, banner, etc.
>be terrified the absent artist will hold a grudge
>weekend goes fine

not too bad.

>next con
>arrive to set up
>neighbor is using my extra chair and my actual table for storage and display space
>am able to ask him directly to move it over

also not so bad, but why do people do that kind of thing?

>same con
>neighbor on my other side is around a corner, at the "foot" of the aisle
>all along the rest of the aisle, tables are set up side by side against each other, no space between, with breaks now and then to get behind the tables
>the two main breaks for our area are on each side of the artist at the "foot" of the aisle corner"
>ideally these breaks between tables would be used for artists to access their spaces
>nope, these fuckers block the entry points with their merch and displays
>have to walk around to another point, squeezing between artists, to enter and exit with my shit
>it's too much trouble for them to move it, they paid extra for a good spot, whatever
>at least their giant corkboard wall prevents me from having to look at them, even if it means i have to walk all around the outside of the aisle to adjust my own display

please respect the spaces of other arists. i plan to be more firmly assertive next time such a situation occurs.

Does anyone have any experience making designs for print that are basically only dark colors? I wanted to make a cute Darth Vader charm but seeing as he's all black, I don't think the printing would work out too well lol...Even if I use varying shades of grey I feel it'd be a bit iffy. Should I just give it up?

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>>8860763
Use variations in hues. I tend to use cooler colors for my blacks (i.e really dark teal, navy blue, etc.) and contrast that with another cool color (dark purple, maybe forest green) to make the shading dimensional, but not too muddy with all the grey.

In my experience, staying with blues is best. If you go too teal/green, it can look weird depending on the printer. For something like Vader, I'd also rely on highlights a lot to distinguish certain shapes

Do chibi stickers always have to be $1? I see very simple chibis with no line variation and no shading go for $1, and I also see very detailed chibis go for $1 as well. Will con attendees not buy $2 or $3 stickers? It just doesn't seem fair that very nice chibis are priced the same as very simple ones.

Not sure if this is AA-related, but I want to print some sweatshirts with glitter on them.

Will I have to diy it? I didn't see much on the spreadsheet.

>>8860676
Surprisingly not any truly horrific ones. One anext a few years ago some person took up almost half an island's worth of behind table space for their bins of crappy plushies, to the point where they got rid of our in island trash can to make more space for their shit. I couldn't scoot my chair back at all and they their table was 12 feet away, but their stuff extended all the way to my space...

>>8861043
It's what they go for, so unless you have something else to justify the price raise (bigger size, holographic film, two characters instead of one, etc) it'll be harder to shift. People don't really pay that much attention to detail in AAs, they do that later, so you can't rely on detail to sell your smaller pieces.

>>8861148
Oh I see! What size would you say is a standard $1? My stickers are usually 2 - 4". If nobody is willing to pay more than $1 for stickers, I guess I should just make mine smaller. Also, if it's a 4" sticker with 2 characters, would people pay $2?

>>8860689
who brings 3 toddlers to a con? that'd be shit even if you were an attendee instead of a seller

>>8861057
Jakprints does glitter screen printing, and they have swestshirts. Someone on DA did glitter tees with them.

I have a question for people who have ordered from Vograce. Is the color border around your charms colored acrylic or is it the print itself? What colors of acrylic do they offer and is there any impact on the print quality/hues/saturation if colored acrylic is used? Thanks!

>>8861043
I sell somewhat detailed chibi stickers around 2" to 3" for $2 each and 2 for $5 and they fly off my table. As a buyer I'd buy any sticker I liked that was 2" inches or bigger for the same price, anything smaller than that I'd expect to be a $1. Your stickers sound like they are fairly big so I'd try the $2 each and 3 for $5 deal, unless you've had them already at that price and they didn't move or something? I've seen artists with stickers similar to mine selling them for a dollar and I feel like they are under pricing but the final price is up to the artist.

>>8861270
>2 dollars each
>or 2 for 5 dollars

i sincerely hope you meant 3 for 5 dollars

>>8861273
Yeah 3 for $5. Oops.

>>8860676
not horror, but annoying:

>table with friend
>her sales are not going well
>gets depressed, which is understandable, but then spends 2 days of the con sulking, bitching, complaining, right at the table
>her friends come over and she chats with them as they completely block my display, when i know she knows better
>i have to ask them more than once to please keep clear of my side, or keep their conversation family-friendly

she is too smart and mature to pull this usually. i won't table again with someone who can't stay professional. going to spend the extra cash for my own space for a while.

>>8859438
Is Acen that good? Can't believe I missed the signup this year. I've heard that people make banks at Akon though.

>>8861159
Sell that for $5. And raise your prices a little, sell the 3-4" ones for $3 each/2 for $5, they're pretty big so that justifies the price.

Quick question about online printing, as this is my first time not getting prints made in town. I'm just wondering what site would be the best: Catprint or fireballprinting? I've seen a lot of people say they use Catprint but fireball seems so much cheaper. Also one other dumb question since I can't seem to find any info on this, to sell at cons in Canada do I need a vendor/sellers permit?? The only info I can find is for Ontario but I'm looking for British Columbia licences and permits.. The most I've been able to find is for street food vendors in Vancouver..

>>8860695
That's called "poaching customers" and it's heavily frowned upon. Inform AA staff if it happens again, and report his offensive odor.

>>8861503
I use Fireball for all my A4 size and posters because they're cheaper and faster, but they do come out almost like someone applied a slight color burn filter on. This isn't a big deal for dark prints or ones with saturated colors since it helps make them more vibrant, but if your colors are paler/more subtle some of that gets lost. Catprint's colors are more accurate and I use them for my smaller/trickier stuff.

>>8861503
I used to use fireball because it was a smidge cheaper, but i've had one too many orders botched by them. Their colors are just not consistent, and when i complained they said that's just how printing works and gave me like a 15% discount or something. Kinda BS considering i've never had such color variance from cat print.

I only use them if i'm adding a last minute print and someone else is ordering, because their turn around is so short lots of people order like 2 days before a con so they're good for last minute prints, but generally i do all my large print orders (like 150-200+ sheets) via catprint and the prices are as low as FB at that point

>>8861043
i...don't see how art style really impacts how much something is priced? like sure, if it's like a no-detail cat face with the :3 expression vs a super detailed character chibi, but that's content, not style. if they're both full body chibi I don't value one more because the artist added a shitton of sparkles and detail. if you think it's unfair....price yours higher/lower (depending on which of the styles you mentioned is yours, lol) ? no one is stopping you.

>>8860676
no horror stories, but selling next to people who are either unprepared first comers or just....bad/badly marketed artists is always kind of shit. The depressing atmosphere generated by an artist who invested a lot and isn't making any sales is really unfortunate to be sat beside.

>>8861579
Hm I don't think what they are asking is style or content related (sorry if I'm wrong). I think it's the effort that goes in. A detailed chibi obviously takes more time and effort than a simple chibi with no shading and line variation, so I can see why an artist would think it's unfair and wonder if it would be ok to raise their prices. And if it's a sparkly sticker with a shitton of details, shoot I'd definitely pay more. I'm sure it's just me, but I don't buy those simple chibis because they just look lazy and not as pretty.

>>8859438
ACEN is fun

>>8861604
>same A-kon anon.
I might look into it next year then.

>>8861601
the weird thing about artist alleys (and to an extent, online exposure via attention on social media) is that effort doesn't count for shit. Especially because for an experienced artist who has done it many times, they can put a quarter as much effort and time into getting the same result as a learning and developing artist.
in the end the consumer will buy what appeals to them, for some people how much 'effort' they perceive as being put in it will be a factor, for others it will not be.

>>8856725
C-can I still do this or is it too late?

>>8859634
Someone on AANI said they found some at Hobby Lobby, but they didn't remember the actual product name. Apparently it's under the "Paper Studio" brand name, though. It's in the paper crafts section.

It's annoying, I've been searching online for days and I can't seem to find the damn stuff. Sigh. If you live close to a HB though, it might be worth it to go see.

>>8861751
Same, I've been looking this for ages but nobody apparently remembers where they got this...

>>8861751
Never mind, you can't buy it online. Only in store. Someone came and commented on the AANI post in question, ahaha.

I'm creatively bankrupt when it comes to interesting compositions for prints. I only get a good idea for a composition every once in a blue moon, and I can't really just wait around for things to pop into my head. And when it's just a character pin-up, I can't think of any interesting graphics or designs in the background to spice it up. Does anyone have tips for getting better at this sort of thing? I know it sounds vague but damn, man. It's such a huge problem for me and it bums me out.

>>8861683
This. All that matters is perceived value, when it comes to what people are willing to pay for. Sure, as artists, you'll find that the anatomical correct item has more value. But for a typical congoer, if it's huge and colourful, then it has more value. Sometimes it benefits you, such as when you add cheap baubles to keychains to make it seem more 'luxurious', and sometimes it doesn't.

>>8861579
Do first-timers usually do that bad? I always see people talking about how they make a bank at cons, so that's hard to believe! I mean, con goers will basically buy anything. Were those artists really bad?

>>8861270
>>8861495
Thank you for your input. I will try charging $2 or $3 for 3" ones. Hopefully they are colorful and big enough for people to grab haha.

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>>8861814
I should clarify: most prepared, already-skillful-artists, who have done their research, usually do fine at their first time con. I did fine when I was a first-timer. I'm not talking about those people. I'm talking about people who discover what an artist alley is, either online or from their first con, and within two weeks are booked in to a con in one month with literally no merchandise prepared, so they awkwardly crop their work into a4 size and make 30 copies of each print on copier paper. Maybe they're some 14 year old whos mom think their traced anime drawings are sellable or some furry with cat ears hot glued onto $.50 headbands.

My first convention I was tabled next to someone who's art was equivalent to pic related (not theirs, just some random art from dA's newest page...). They had literally dozens of prints in that kind of style, done in ms paint, with :3 faces on copier paper and even some comics stapled together. They were selling each 'print' for .20 cents each and they made one sale the entire day. one.

4 hours into the con and they literally turned their chair to face my table and started crying.

I sold out at that con, but the experience of the most depressing table neighbor meant I didn't try to sell again until I made artist friends who secured tables on either side of me.

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>>8861843
>My first convention I was tabled next to someone who's art was equivalent to pic related (not theirs, just some random art from dA's newest page...). They had literally dozens of prints in that kind of style, done in ms paint, with :3 faces on copier paper and even some comics stapled together. They were selling each 'print' for .20 cents each and they made one sale the entire day. one.
>4 hours into the con and they literally turned their chair to face my table and started crying.
anon your story makes me want to lie down on the floor and die. i think i age 40 years every time i read a story like this. good god. i can't imagine what it must have been like to actually be there next to them.

>>8861843
Oh crap, now I see what you mean. People really try to sell stuff like pic related and expect to make sales? Not everybody can be awesome their first time but that's just...painful.

>>8861855
it was just shitty. a lot of potential customers just rapidly walked past our entire row because they were making such a scene. My boyfriend came when we were all packing up and they tried to have a whinge at him, telling him 'no one had a worse day than i did'. like. holy shit, dude.
The moments when I could ignore their sniffling (usually when they were obstructed by the 5 cosplayers trying to man a single table behind us) were ok, though.

>>8861857
yes. you don't have to invest hundreds upon hundreds in your first con, but at the very least you should be prepared to invest TIME. There are so many things you can do as a first timer both to increase your products appeal AND to limit damage control, it's so frustrating to see newcomers who were too lazy and have done 0 research about artist alleys. This is why even though 'artist alleys are for all skill levels', there's still an unspoken level of quality expected before you start selling. Some people are just oblivious, or willfully ignorant, though.

>>8861843
>Life lesson "humility" learned. Check!

>>8861874
>newcomers who were too lazy and have done 0 research about artist alleys
Some friends wanted to sell all of us together (we were all first-timers), but they didn't bother to research anything and just... So many newbie mistakes that could be avoided... I threw article after tutorial after article at them, but they didn't bother to read it and I ended up having to do all the finance work. I don't know if I want to do AA with one of them again, because they were all mopey when things weren't selling (we did not great, but okay).

did my first con in september and made a few a3 prints, but the problem is ive improved a lot since drawing them, and im not sure if i want to keep selling them? like normally i'd suck it up and sell them but i didnt print them on very nice paper or anything and they have huge margins, and i profited more than enough to cover them, even without selling very many (no one really sold any prints there though) is it better to just make new better ones?

>>8861814
>most prepared, already-skillful-artists, who have done their research, usually do fine at their first time con. I did fine when I was a first-timer.

This this this. This is so important.

You don't even really have to be BAD, just unprepared. A friend of mine tabled at a really REALLY small 18+ con, maybe 100 people, just trying to make some extra money. He's actually a really good artist and has been approached for professional stuff. However, he only had time to do 3 prints and hardly sold any because he didn't have much of a display either and got really depressed about it.

I not considering my art quite as good as his got a little worried. I tabled at a con for the first time that was MAYBE 3x bigger later that year; I had several prints large and small, plus buttons bookmarks and small bags on a small display, I didn't do AMAZING, but for my first time I did okay. I made back the cost of my table twice over in the first day.

Being prepared, especially for your first time is really REALLY important.

>>8862050
If you think people will buy them, keep selling them. At a previous con, I saw an artist selling some older prints at a discount and another using theirs in grab bags.

Where do you all get your minky?

A long time ago I got some swatches from minky delight, matched them up for personal projects, but ended up not having the time do do any of it. They don't seem to be in business anymore. Did they change hands, or completely close down?
Theminkyboutique looks like they have a nice variety but their colors don't quite match up and I don't see an option to buy swatches.

>>8862242
I use Shannon Fabrics, which is sold by many different outlets. It makes it easy for me to NOT worry about color discrepancies when buying from different places.

That being said, I've been forced to buy from Fabric.com recently and I'm thinking of going wholesale and starting to sell Shannon Fabrics minky to, say, AA types at a discount, because fuck Fabric dot com. I use enough of it to warrant it, yknow? I'm just unsure if there would be interest.

Could anyone please recommend a good custom scarves manufacturer (maybe on Alibaba) to make jacquard scarves (like Celesse's)?

>>8856606
ty based anon I donated 5 bucks on paypal and sent a request, hope I'm not too late and even if I am I'm still happy that you are doing this

>>8862050
Stick them in the back of your portfolio at half-off or whatever. That's what I do and I always work through the prints eventually, why trash them when you can make a couple bucks?

Is there a reason why san japan doesn't take tumblr urls on the application? I have specifically an art tumblr, but not yet an online store since I originally wanted to wait till I have a larger stock, but because of this im guessing I am forced to make a store since my FB art page doubles as my cosplay page....

>>8862125
How can you not even do you research though?? Even if your art is mediocre/not good, you can still do well by researching what kind of display stands out, what shows are popular, what kind of items would sell, etc. Seriously, researching is really important.

>>8862986
exactly. even if you aren't terribly skilled, there is so many things that are popular in artist alleys that, to be honest, require very little skill. Not to specifically throw shade on kawaii artists - there is a definitely quality change in those who understand design/color/proportion etc - but the kind of :3 simplified shit /always/ sells, and it requires very little artistic knowledge. Same with minimalistic stuff.

this probably isn't the right thread, but someone mentioned zines a few posts ago so i thought i'd ask

is it natural to feel hideously embarrassed when writing fiction? I just look at the things i'm typing and how bad they sound and liquid cringe pours out of every orifice in my body.

>>8863032
It's normal. You're probably not as bad as you think you are though. If you don't write like a middle-aged serial facebook poster, or like some twelve year old who just discovered the internet, you're already better than a good chunk of published authors. Just spew out the shit, edit it when you're able to, and repeat. You'll cut down on the cringe and on any weird quirks by the third or fourth edit and it honestly doesn't take that long to go through your writing, most of the time you'll only be rewriting a couple of paragraphs and tweaking a few sentences.
What are you writing? I'm really curious now.

>>8863082
thank you!

i really got into a fandom recently so i'm trying to write a fanfiction for the first time since when i was...11-12? when i wrote a one-page teen titans fanfic using notepad and posted it on fanfiction.net
i want to write my own comic books later in life so i need all the writing practice i can get, i'm one of those 'think about what it would be like but never get around to writing it down' people

>>8862870
Because people post spammy shit on their Tumblr beside their art. They don't want to deal with that.

Put up an imgur gallery if you want to be lazy. JFC.

>>8862870
Do they take Deviantart or Pixiv? I have a DA basically just to use as a gallery for Artist Alley shit.

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Does anybody know where to get some collapsible folders or a storage box like this in A3 size for storing prints? I feel like I've looked EVERYWHERE for them and I can't find a single goddamn one. I have a con coming up in April and I am desperate to get something better than a cardboard box to store my prints in. Please help me, fellow artist gulls!

>>8863243
3 seconds of googling gave me like, 6 places to buy them online.

>>8863241
The only thing it says on the site is "no tumblr" so id assume either works?

>>8863262
Sorry anon, I typed like a chunk of text that didn't go through. I meant to add that were bigger, because all the ones I found had a depth of like 60mm and I'd have more prints that would fit that. The only ones I could find were also cheaper manila ones and I was looking for something sturdier? I'm sorry if my googling seems shit, but I have been looking for one for ages and I just wondered if anybody had found any somewhere else that weren't your standard size but bigger.

I know this has probably been asked before, but what's the best place to get a dakimakura printed? Artsbovine was the first thing that google gave me but are there any other options I should be aware of?

>>8863654
you could print at spoonflower and construct them yourself

>>8863172
If you want to write comics you might want to draw them out roughly too. Even if your art is Chris-chan level, it'll give you a good idea of how to lay out text, how to write in a way that gets the point across without being too long, and how to fit different characters' personalities into your writing, which is harder than it sounds if you haven't had much practice.
The thinking stage is pretty important imo, it's how I work through plot holes and things before writing anything. Just make sure you get something down, even if it's a few sentences or an idea or a sketch. Having something solid to work with will make your life a lot easier.

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Do you gulls think that knitted stuff would sell in cons?

I knit cute plushies while I'm watching TV and all my friends are totally bored of me giving them those little creatures. Do you think someone would buy my knittings?

I'm planning to knit characters from Adventure Time, Pokémon, Doctor Who and maybe MLP.

Pic is not mine, but I make pretty similar stuff. Somehow I manage make them always with derping or smiling faces.

>>8864127
They do sell, but i don't know that they sell well enough to justify the time spent. If you were legitimately doing it in free time and don't care that you might not be making minimum wage then go for it. As a legitimate business venture using your own hands is probably.. not going to be too fruitful?

When do artsmoo coupons expire? Do they expire on midnight PST or EST? I'm cutting it close for some merch and was worried about making it in time.

>>8864127
It would sell but you'd have to be either insanely good or very fast at making them for you to pay yourself a fair amount. If you're doing it seriously, it's not worth it. If you just make these things anyway and you want to get money for them, go for it. They'll sell, just slowly and with a lot of bitching about the price. Online might be better.

>>8864031
Yes but please please please don't put calls for shots in your script (unless you've got a specific crazy special panel layout in mind)

And don't be surprised if your artist completely ignores it. The artist is supposed to be calling the shots, you just tell them the actions, setting, and dialogue - the same way a movie script doesn't call for a WS here, RS there, MCU over there.

So many new comics writers get really mad when they write in the camera angles, etc, and the artist ignores it.

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>>8864127
I bought something knitted at a con just last week, pic related.

Knitted stuff sales, you might not get rich from it for how long they take to make, but you should do fairly well.

>>8864127
As the other anons said, it depends on what you make and how fast you are. Some girl at a con I tabled next to sold some cute FNAF knitted plushies, sold out on all the ones she had, she basically did a made to order at the con. Pushing out like 3 a day+ con selling? But she had a table mate from the looks of it doing most of the selling on both their merch. They where decent sized. Maybe a foot long total?

>>8861773
take requests from drawthreads or google thosedrawing cue generators

New thread >>8865560

>>8864528
Lol I know, I said that because people tend to completely overestimate how much they can fit into a panel.