Artist Alley General: Summer Cons are Coming

What is the worse con you guys have ever attended and why?

Touhoucon is definitely #1 for me. Getting charged 500 for a "free" hotel room (they sent us like 3 emails telling us about their GREAT complimentary hotel rooms that we should get) was pretty fucking lame, and I never got the money back. Not to mention that I sold one print the entire con, like 3 charms, and a few commissions.

>>9439726
anime expo 2016 because of the extremely vast and overcrowded basement location and lack of temperature control
i was perpetually sweating just sitting at my table and my hands kept sticking to my print sleeves and stickers
also a girl in my row had to be carted away by paramedics to be treated for heatstroke

they addressed the issues later in an email saying "we heard your complaints about the temperature and we're gonna work on it for next year!"

>we're gonna work on it!

no thanks

>>9439726
Kaiju-con was a one year con that was so awful. Most of Friday and Sunday, no joke, there where more staff than attendees. An entire hour would pass and not a single attendee would walk through the AA/dealers room.

Rocket City con is a convention held in a local library... during library hours. They have random people and weaboos mixed in the same place. There was nothing to do during the 2 days, very very few people actually came, and homeless people sleeping outside of the library. Oh, and it cost like $30 for a weekend pass. A convention in a public library shouldn't cost $30. You didn't even have to pay either, you could just walk in and say you are there for the library, not the con.

Seishun Con was an ok run convention, but it was completely dead. The AA and game room was in the same room for some reason and the game room stayed opened until midnight, so we have to either pack all our stuff up each night or leave all our things unattended with regular attendees walking around it. The parking was $8 a day, even more if you park there over night.

Made $0 profit at all those cons

>>9439726
Fanboy Expo Knoxville. First year con, had 00 venders. We /maybe/ had 80 attendees there. what an awful show.

I've done a couple cons and fairs. Anime Impulse was slow as fuck sales, but the worse was a fair that didn't even supply us with a table and chairs even though they were in the contract. When I got there, they told me that they don't supply them.

Thank god it was only $25 for the space.

>>9439726
Probably 2016 AOD. The artist and vendor hall was on the first floor and the other events were upstairs, at several points in the day the hall had no foot traffic and all the artists sat around bored. I'm sure I fell asleep at one point. There was one guest I wanted to see so that was something to do but I won't forget how incredibly quiet and boring it was, even if it wasn't fault if the staff.

Wow Vograce got my charms to me in one week after confirming my quote, it showed up at my doorstep today. They didn't notify me that they shipped it though...

>>9439972
>2017
>still doubting vograce
cmon

>>9439726
Saikoucon 2016, no one showed up.
Awa 2015 was pretty bad too, I was in a really bad spot in the back and didn't even break 1k. I'm not sure if I went back now I would do better becouse the attendee to vendor ratio is really bad (too many artists and vendors) and the attendees are pretty cheap.

>>9439967
That was a bizarre con setup, walking past the dance stuff and muscle builders each running their own events between the 2 sections of AoD.

>>9440275
Yeah it was a weird weekend... One day there were a bunch of buff men and women and the next there were a ton of little girls among the con attendees. There was also some company conference upstairs the first day so there were business suit clad people.

Going to sell at a comic convention very soon. Never sold at one before, but I do well at anime conventions. Style is very overtly moe anime, but I cover a fair amount of game-related art and my skill is decent. I figured I should try it, but now I'm worried about doing well. The con itself is pretty huge, but does anyone else out there have experience with comic cons, selling merch that is clearly not western? What should I expect?

>>9440387
Be aware that even if your style was more in line with western interests that sales are likely to be less. I do well at both but the experiences of myself and my friends is that comic con attendees are a little harder to part with their funds. They're also more of a print crowd than charms/buttons etc.

If your style is very cutesy it's likely there will be a portion of crowds that will take one glance and ignore you, but there's decent overlap of anime/comic crowds (in my experience)

>>9440393
It's definitely on the cutesy side, but I do mostly prints so that's a little reassuring. I figure there will be some who will hardly look because it's cute/moe/anime, but I do know there's overlap so I guess I'm counting on that? I guess I just have a dread feeling of nobody being interested in all, even though I know that's silly. Do anime artists get the shaft that bad at comic cons? Like no way, right?

>>9440396
i'm sure you'll be fine, keep in mind other factors like the cons attendance and audience etc. You might get snubbed by some of the more boring and elitist western artists but thats as bad as i've personally gotten at comic cons.

Asking anyone who has ordered charms from Vograce! I placed an order a couple days ago (paid and everything) and I paid for the fastest shipping possible as well for rush order. Is it possible to have it by the end of this month? Totally I am to blame for doing everything so last minute and it's definitely bitten me in the butt..but I'm hoping that the charms will come by the end of the month;;

>>9440498
this has been asked so many fucking times

JUST. ASK. COCO. OR. VICKY.
TELL THEM WHEN YOU NEED THEM
PAY FOR THE SUPER FAST/EXPENSIVE SHIPPING

theyll acknowledge and try their best to accommodate

look at >>9439972
they got theirs in a week

>>9440121
Saikoucon was a nightmare. I did it because the tables were cheap and it was reccommended to me by a friend that's done it before. It was one of my worst cons and i did decently compaired to some of the other venors and artists.

Waku waku was shit. They split the con between 5 different locations that needed shuttle bus service. Vendor hall/artist alley saw very little foot traffic.

Anime fan fest it was rushed and jad a crazy low attendance they should have just waited till the next year and put together a good show.

>get table layout
>sandwiched between two companies with double tables

oh boy. i can't wait.

>>9440387
I've never done well the 3 times I've attempted comic shows, but I just do local small 1 day cons in a low populated state. Here's the difference though. I was make around $500 at anime shows. At the comic shows I've made $200, $45, and $15. The last one made me say no more to them.

I have a very kawaii desu style and I stick out like a sore thumb. All 3 have also never failed to to get me neighbors that I wanted to kick too. I'm a tiny white girl in my 20s and the other artists tend to be 40+ big guys who have this gross superiority complex going on. They want to spend the whole con trying to talk to me like they are my parent that know so much more than me and how I should listen and learn from them etc. because obviously anime art is so much inferior than precious DC art.

I'm about to pull the trigger on ordering a Dymo 4XL label printer but reading through the Amazon reviews has made me uneasy. Do any of you have it? Any words of wisdom?

>>9440662
Ugh that attitude is why I hate doing comic cons. I'm sending my boyfriend to c2e2 this weekend as a proxy because I just can't deal with people like this.

>>9439726
Wondercon this year kind of blew for me. I made less at this con than I did at a local 2nd-year con with 1/20th the attendees. There's way too many vendors at that show and everybody was spread really thin. From what I could tell nobody was really doing great, and I hope they try to fix it for next year. I was told Anaheim was better than LA for this con but at this point I trust no SoCal cons after AX was supremely shitty last year.

>>9439773
You might have been in the same row I was anon, I remember I had a girl in my row needing to be carted away as well. I almost passed the fuck out from a combination of heat exhaustion/hunger before my table partner kicked my ass out of the hall and told me to take a break. Sucked since even outside AA it wasn't much cooler but it was definitely better than in the hall. Was so bad just your standard con BO almost made me lose it (and it's not like anybody could help con BO in that situation; everybody was sweating like a fucking dog). Unless they're better about AC/lower table numbers for next year I'll prob never return.

>>9440387
well, hope you don't expect to make much money, if any. I do amazingly well at anime cons, but never make money at cons that aren't anime focused. Its the same for most people. Few do well in both.

>>9440662
Probably the most obnoxious neighbor I've ever had was at a geek(mainly western geek) convention. Older guy that was very loud, made bad jokes and vaped the entire time.

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I plan on doing clear charms with different designs on each side so I'm doing them with a Western company rather than Vograce.

When I buy with Vograce I almost always get the #6 accessory. I'd like to continue to use something similar for the new charms I'm making but I can't figure out for the life of me what to search for. When I look for similar things I can only find the lobster clasp of key ring by themselves without a chain.

>>9439967
Slow cons are pretty bad but I found AOD 2016 to be enjoyable. I didn't expect it to be very busy to begin with, so I got some nice down time to explore the hall and see other artists, which I usually don't have time to do. Anime Impulse 2016 though? I hated it so much. Not only was it slow, they were playing really loud clubbing music for hours on end - most of the artists I talked to had headaches from the sheer volume of noise. My least favorite con ever.

>>9440387
>>9440393
>>9440662
I do about 4-5 comic cons a year and for the most part my experience has been super pleasant. It's kind of surprising to hear a lot of seagulls don't enjoy them. My style isn't super anime but it's not strictly Western/comic book either and I've had very positive reception to my work. Even older dudes who work in the industry have been super engaging and kind neighbors. The only time I did have a problem was when a lady called my work crap to my face because she was mad I was making more than her husband. I've found that having works that cater to both anime and comic crowds tends to work in your favor.

I think >>9440746 is being way too negative. Don't worry about it too much. It comes down to knowing your audience and catering your work towards them. For example, if you have any work with crossover appeal (video games, Star Wars, various TV shows, etc) and any comic-centric work (Marvel, DC) I would arrange my display to have those featured prominently. And then pick a couple of popular anime prints that do well for you at anime cons and display them below the line of sight. That way, people won't dismiss your work right away since they'll be seeing the stuff they like first, and anime fans who aren't attending will still notice their niche stuff. Contrary to what other anons have said, I've found that comic con attendees, on average, spend more money at my table because they actually have jobs. Anime congoers tend to be younger and have limited spending money.

>>9440811
**anime fans who ARE attending

My bad - forgot to proofread.

>>9440551
Jeez sorry? Not all of us are on the thread 24/7. I kept asking Vograce /Coco about eta and I DID pay for the 'most expensive fastest' shipping and they were telling me in a very roundabout way. I'm just a bit worried and everyone has different experiences with them so I just wanted a bit of feedback. Sorry to have triggered you

>>9440811
Now I'm curious about your style - it sounds like being less "anime" is what's helping comic cons go in your favor. Do you mind posting a sample of your art?

>>9440675
It's a fantastic printer and I'm soooo happy I bought it (I've had mine for a little over a year)

What are the issues you're seeing with it that are making you uneasy?

Anyone who does holographic printing themselves, what color code/hex do you use for the white parts?

>>9440387
Have you thought about knocking out a couple of chibi prints of comic characters? Some popular comic ships like Steve/Bucky or Harley/Ivy would do well, along with things like Guardians (since the new movie comes out soon). Also maybe western franchises like Voltron.

Not sure if you have enough time for this, but it could help attract attention to your table.

>>9440905
I'm seeing a lot of reviews where people are having some mysterious problem with printing so they're wasting yards of blank labels. But I will be getting it from Amazon so the return policy should be pretty good.

>>9440915
I probably would have grinded a few DC/Marvel-related items out but I'm currently hitting a couple cons back to back to back, so I just didn't have the time. It's alright, the con is C2E2, so with that kind of attendance I hope to at least break even.

>>9441061
Definitely a decent amount of anime fans at C2E2. I've never gone, but I have friends who go who sell anime-based items, and while it's not the same bank as an anime con, I don't think any of them have ever lost money.

Good luck!

>>9440883
Sorry! I feel a little weird posting my art in this context but I've posted it before in these AA threads. My art's still anime inspired (obvious in the eyes) but I don't do dot noses. I've noticed that a lot of anime artists have very fine linework and detailed shading. My linework in general is thicker if I do lines - other times I do a lot of lineless work. And I use bright colors w/simple shading which I think appeals to a Western audience because it reminds them of pop art/comics.

>>9440926
I have a 4XL and I have no complaints! That "mysterious problem" is probably them forgetting to set the document size to 4 x 6" before printing. I've done that a couple of times before in the beginning but as long as you double check to make sure your print settings are set to the 4XL instead of your regular printer/letter size, you'll be fine. It's honestly saved me a ton of hours for packing orders.

>>9441061
C2E2 is huge! I'm sure you'll be fine. If anything, comic con-goers LOVE commissions so if you have them open throughout the weekend, you'll be sure to make money. Maybe do something like what the other anon suggested and do some popular comic ships as your commission example. Harley stuff always sells for me.

>>9441149
Regarding the 4XL that's really good to hear! I feel better if its just a "user error problem. I'm probably going to buy it pretty soon, I was getting really tired of cutting out individual labels and taping so I'm pretty excited.

>>9440803
I've been messaging Vicky and she says Vograce does extra white layers now. I hope that helps you out.

>>9440498
Hey anon ! have faith in vograce specially if you've let them know your deadline I've done several last minute orders with them and they have yet to let me down! Good luck!

>>9441399
Thank you so much! I told them and hopefully they will pull through :') If it comes by next week that'd be a dream!

Favorite piece you were commissioned and completed at a con?
Least favorite? (challenge mode, no furry stuff)

Is asking some stuff about selling art online too offtopic for here, should I take it to /ic/ instead? I like you guys better than them though and I think the audiences the artists cater to here are in the same vein as my own.

Also curious about selling off any extra con things that you printed/had made through something like storenvy or tictail and people's experiences with that.

>>9442118
The pieces aren't much, but my favorite commission story is that I was doing cheap sketches and two people asked for Eddsworld characters. There weren't any Eddsworld guests at the con or anything like that, there just happened to be two entirely separate people who wanted extremely similar things. I didn't get to do the same fandom twice for the rest of that con, either.

>>9442118
>Favorite piece
I can't choose one but I had a lot of fun last year offering to draw people as inklings from Splatoon at a couple cons. Interpreting hair as different tentacle styles was fun!


>Least favorite?
Years ago I was sharing a table with a guy that wrote a terrible superhero comic. He paid me to draw his main character "just standing there and looking cool". After completing it he immediately placed it into a binder on his side of the table labelled "fan art from my loyal fans"

>>9442139
>"fan art from my loyal fans"

That is both incredibly funny and horrifying

>>9442118
I like any commission where the commissioner has simple specifications. I guess my favorite was being able to interpret this one girl's description of her DnD character.

My least favorite was having to do this two character full body action shot of this guy from a certain series about devils probably crying fighting a certain anime girl who battles almost-naked. Doing fighting scenes on the spot is hard enough, but when the commissioner came back he was extremely disappointed the picture wasn't full color (even though the sign says sketch) and begrudingly paid me, moping away with his commission.

>>9442123
You can ask here, but be aware a lot of people on this thread hate spoonfeedy stuff. Do some research and ask us about whatever you can't find.

Plenty of AA people sell their leftover stock online with great success.

>>9442118

I'm a fan of ridiculous and hilarious shit so when I was commissioned to draw pre-time skip Usopp in slutty burlesque gear I was fuckin pumped. I loved drawing it so much I bumped it up to a fullbody free of charge.

>>9442118
I've liked all the dickbutts I've done over the years, I always have fun doing them. The only commissions I offer now are cheap crappy marker doodles which are fun and don't take more than a minute or two. A girl asked me to draw a fat Pikachu on a skateboard so I drew an obese hairy lump and she loved it.

I don't have any least favorites that I can think of, but I did have an almost commissioner who wanted the WB frog beating up Pepe the frog, except he went into a tirade about memes and hate speech in front of the table which was very uncomfortable and he was scaring away customers.

>>9442123
I have some experience with selling on etsy but thats about it. I could answer those questions for you if you like !

>mfw I like the artists on cgl better than ic as well

>>9440863
read the fUCKING FAQ

For the people talking about omocat in the previous thread, you know she's obsessed with attention? I had the misfortune of attending a party with her once and all she talked about is how obsessed people are with her and how she loves when people talk about her (good or bad). One of the most narcissistic people I've ever come across.

>>9442118
I have a commissioner who always gives me bara league of legends stuff. I don't play league but the characters are fun to draw and gushing over bara stuff is A+++ he's my favorite customer

>>9442424
That's kind of funny actually.

>>9442424
But all artists are narcissists lol. If there's any artist in here who can't say they love it when people talk about them, I'd eat my hat.

>>9442498
Not that anon but I like it when people talk about my art and all, but it sure as hell wouldn't be the topic of conversation at a party.

Surely she has more interesting to talk about other then "people like and hate me"

>>9442498
There is a massive, massive difference between liking positive attention and being a narcissist. All humans like positive attention and praise. Its not even comparable. The difference is when someone goes "Oh I love your art!" and you reply with "Thank you! I appreciate it!" versus "I know, I have a lot of fans." The latter is a sign of a narcissist.

+If youre refering to /all/ kinds of attention, theres plenty of artists who hate negative attention. Me included.

>>9442118
>Favorite piece
I draw cutesy j-fashion stuff and get asked to draw guys in bunny suits/dresses fairly often. My favourite is probably a guy who wanted to be drawn in the bridal skin of a character he always played in an online game.

Also, this isn't really a favorite but last con someone came up to my table while I was working on a commission and asked me to make another copy of it for him. Easy money, I guess?

>Least Favorite
Don't really have one, but I always have trouble when very bland-looking people ask me to draw them.

>>9442548
>I always have trouble when very bland-looking people ask me to draw them.

Same here when I do commissions. I like being able to add movement to the clothing, hair or add in details you can see in the reference, just making it extra nice.
But when you're commissioning me to draw your t-shirt wearing bland looking girl character with no indication of her personality, then I can't do much.

On the subject of commissions
>commissioner gives refs for the kind of expression they want
>the examples aren't even the same type of expression

At that point I just guess and cross my fingers.

On the topic of commissions, it isn't outlandish to not do on the spot commissions, is it? As you can probably tell by this question I've never done AA before but I'm thinking about getting into it.

>>9442608
I charge $20 for 4x6" chibi commissions that I can crank out quickly all day.

People love to get a drawing of themselves so my "I can chibi-fy YOU!" (with an example sketch of myself) gets a lot of attention.

>>9442118
>Favorite
Dude who always asked for clothed mermaids. Haven't seen him around in a while though.

>Least favorite
Tossup between a guy who asked for a normally flat chested character to be drawn with knockers twice the size of her head with three tiny girls crawling on her and a guy that asked me to copy an old master painting three times in lineart for other people to color.

>>9442608
I only do commissions at con and insist people pick it up there, but that's because I know I won't complete the damn thing otherwise. Plenty of people are fine with having commissions mailed to them after the con too, so it's up to your own comfort levels and knowing your own habits.

>>9442608
depending on the con, I'm actually a little too busy with transactions to pick up a pen, especially if I'm sharing with a friend and helping out with their transactions too.

I didn't do commissions for like a year or two, mostly out of laziness but occasionally just because I'm too busy during the con. I've recently just started doing them again since it's easy money.

Does anyone have couple ebay store links that sell pieces for the Tecre button machines at a cheap ass price? I don't care if they are Chinese knockoffs.

>>9442608
As a customer, I refuse to ever buy another commission that isn't going to be done on the spot. I always have to pester the artist to either give me what I paid for or give me my money. I think most people who buy commissions have had similar experiences. Obviously you will probably still have some interest, but don't expect to sell as well as the person across from you doing quick sketches with a day turnaround max or something.

As an artist, I'm right there with >>9442676.
>I only do commissions at con and insist people pick it up there, but that's because I know I won't complete the damn thing otherwise.

>>9442608
I personally dont do commissions at cons. I have no signage up and Ive only ever been asked once if I did commissions to which I said no.

I know its not good business but Im just too anxious to do on the spot commissions .

>>9443025
I just do fun sketch comms for $5-$10 depending on demand. Try making it low pressure to start if you want to get into it, you can even do free post-it note ones or $1

>>9442608
I do large button (2 1/2 inch) b&w comms for $10 each and it brings in an easy extra 200-300 per con to do doodling i would be doing anyway

I have web waiting for three years to get my hands on a AA booth. I have had better chances of grabbing SDCC full event passes on open registration then getting any news on when I'll finally have a booth at my local cons. Every one from the years before keep renewing and bringing the same shit that didn't sell the year before and or more photos of their slutty what have you cosplays.

How long is the typical wait for people to get an AA booth?
What's your average booth costs?
Do you find you gain more interest in your material then you would online with a booth?

I want to know since it seems to be an eternity till I can find these answers on my own.

>>9443075
Wut? What kind of conventions are you trying to get into? AX and nothing else? Of course SDCC registration is easier than getting a booth at a popular anime convention, but getting a booth at a mid-tier popular anime/comic con isn't that difficult. Its my first year doing AA full time them and I've gotten 16 booths for the summer/fall. Tell us what cons you're trying to get into so we can help you more specifically.

To answer your questions:
1. Depends on the con. FSFC is around one minute before booths sell out. Jury wait doesn't really matter because they hand pick from people that send in apps for a period of time (no excuse for missing this, it's usually two days-a few months that booth apps are open.) Lottery is shitty and I can understand if you don't get into lotteries because it's luck of the draw.
2. What do you mean? Booths cost between 100-500 dollars, depending on the convention.
3. I gain more followers online, I make more money in person.

>>9442118
Worst is easy - the guy asked me to draw myself nude.

>>9443081
Should have said that sorry, tired and working in commissions all day has fried my brain.

I'm trying to get into PCC, Saboten con for Phoenix. Wondercon, Pax and AX are also on my list. Saboten con is the only one I really have had a chance but had to decline my table offer twice due to conflict of scheduling with the con weekends.

>>9443101
Why are you so averse to doing small and medium size cons?

>>9443102
These are the cons I go to that's why I chose them. Saboten con isn't a big con. smaller cons seem like the type of cons that you waste more money trying to recover your expenses then it would be at a con with more attendee count. I'd much rather increase my chances of recovering my costs then eating what costs I have put into it or barely making my table fees when I can make just as much and even more off online commissions.

>>9443110
I'd suggest at least tabling once before a large con to make sure you have your setup planned well for your table.

>>9443101
Its fine. I've been to some of these, let me try to help you out.

Phoenix Comicon: Haven't been to this one since it's the same weekend as like three other anime conventions, but from what I can see from the front page this is standard Comic Con AA fare. Send in your application ahead of time (I recommend a year-6 months), and make sure that your portfolio looks professional. Include comic work, concept art, etc. They want to see more than merchandise.

Saboten con: First come first serve. If you don't get during the initial run, then you have to wait for people to refund. You said you got a table already but declined it so I don't have much of a comment here.

Wondercon: Another standard comic con. Send in your written app with the form they put on your website and you'll probably get in. This month I sent mine 2 months before the convention and got a table.

PAX: Another comic AA. I can't find the Artist Alley specifically, but I'm pretty sure it's the same as wondercon. I recommend against this one, no one I know does well there.

AX: Get on their mailing list. The first wave of tables goes to veteran artists. Then after that, they'll send out an email for the date they will release tables to newcomers. You need to be on top of that date, and you need to be on the page at the SECOND tables go up, because you will have about 10 seconds to lock in the eventbrite form. They do a final wave about two months before the convention, which is the hardest one to get into, but its the same formula.

Anyway, there you go. And regarding >>9443110 , though AX is high profit, I have made far more at smaller conventions that I have at Wondercon. And I made more at A-Kon than I did at Anime Expo. Try for the smaller local conventions. There's money to be had at all of them, just because it's not the highest profits available doesn't mean it's not worth it. And I know about 6 people who have not broken even at AX, it's far easier to break even at a smaller con.

>>9443113
Thank you for this anon. I'll keep this in mind when I apply again. So from what you're saying it's better to just go to the con on a regular badge then a guest badge for AX. I'll take this note. I did hear it's failing in the vending scene.

>>9443112
I actually helped a friend make and run a table for five years. I know what works and what doesn't based on that experience. I want to sell my own product and not someone else's and it's been hell to get a table when I try. I guess I could go to the smaller weeb cons and make some YoI or LL body pillows to sell. Dispite how those series make me cringe. I know they would sell since I get people asking to commission them all the time.

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>>9439858
Woooooah you went to Seishun? Sweet dude, so did I. I was the guy hosting some of the arcade setups independently after asking the coordinators if I could. Sorry if we inconvenience you guys.

>>9443075
1. I'd say like 4-6 months to up to a year? Some cons do their reg right after the con ends. Most cons usually roll out applications a couple months after.

2. The booth itself? Anime cons tend to be between $50-$200ish. Comic conventions are usually 200+. If you're talking about overall costs including merch and stuff, my average is 500-1000 if I'm rolling out new material, 100-200 for quick restocks

3. Probably more at the con. I'm rarely present online these days except to upload occasional doodles. I don't have an online store because I don't have the time or energy for it.

>>9443113
I have some corrections for your list.

PCC: Returning artists get priority and can reserve tables for next year at the current con. Very hard to get into for this reason, sign up online for their waitlist, they'll send out emails. This year they opened up extra tables but on different floors for new artists. But once you get in, you can have your foot in the door for next year even if you get a shitty location your first year.

WonderCon: Changed to jury starting this year. All apps are juried now although returning artists were allowed to submit apps for next year at con. Submitted apps are not a guarantee of table space.

PAX: Not a comic con. This is a gaming convention. They do not have AAs - only exhibitor booths and indie game dev tables.

And for the OP. if you're just starting out small to mid tier cons are your friends. I guarantee you, you will be lost in a sea of artists who are better/more established than you at bigger cons like AX. I've heard shitty things about Saboten though and other small AZ cons, so CA cons are probably your best bet if you're in the AZ area.

>>9443140
Thanks for the corrections anon. Yeah, I haven't been to Phoenix or PAX so I didn't know much about them and made some assumptions. I actually didn't know about the change to WC's process, so that's good to know.

>>9443140
I'm starting out on my own for a table. Been helping a friend run her cosplay table for 5 years though. PAX is more in tune with my work since I do a lot of league art and overwatch. But I do have quite a bit of supernatural and Star Trek art although my bread and butter is anime and furry shit. Furry community pays out the ass for art work it's unbelievable. I'm not intimidated by artists better then me or more skilled. I'm still perfecting my trade as is all artists. I learn a lot from other artists since generally they are helpful when you ask them. Only encountered a few jerks in the community.

>>9443148
I'm not saying that you're gonna be intimidated. I'm saying you will be lost. If you regularly attend AX you should know what I'm talking about. It's impossible to just "browse" at AX because the aisles are so narrow and there are literally hundreds of artists. The move to Kentia Hall really hurt the ability of attendees to walk around uninhibited. Most people who attend make lists of artists they want to visit and make a beeline to their tables. I'm not saying it's 100% guaranteed you won't break even but you have a higher chance of being overlooked at a con like AX because of the sheer number of artists.

Also everything you listed still does well at anime cons. If you really wanted to do PAX, get ready to drop around $1k for booth space. Helping out at a cosplay table isnt the same as running your own AA table.

>>9443168
I didn't like the move to the new hall either. I know what you're talking about anon. I'll just not try to get a table at AX and just be a attendee over a table guest. I have Budget about 12k to run my tables when and if I can get them. Cost of the table isn't my main concern as it's the recovery of the cost that I'm more concerned with. Plan on selling some of my body pillows, wall scrolls, prints, keychains, enamel pins, mouse pads, and a few of my cosplay props I have made. Maybe even take a comission or two and work on them from the booth if I can get a power source for my lap top and photo printer. Been asked by people if I could attend cons and have been trying to attend the ones in my areas that are requested the most/ I attend already. I can't rely on my fans to buy enough to cover the costs entirely though.

>>9443185
1200 not 12k it's late.

>>9443185
Anon, more than anything I think you need to do a bit (a lot) more research on artist alleys in general before you plan to table, if you can manage to get one. Bringing a printer and laptop to a booth to work on commissions is pretty outlandish, as most cons don't offer power and those that do offer it at a cost that could end up being very steep. You'll also need to look up each con's policy on selling props in the artist alley. If you already have all your stock of body pillows/scrolls/charms etc already, then that's good, but if not I'm afraid 1.2k for total amount to invest is going to be cutting it EXTREMELY close, especially if you're going to try to get a hotel/flight to a convention.
Good luck regardless, but seriously, my only advice is to research more. You say you've helped at your friend's cosplay booth, and that's great for base stocking/traveling experience, but AA is entirely different and you seem to have a skewed perspective of tables and the crowd that buys from them (You said you want to go to PAX because you have Overwatch and its more "in tune" with the crowd, but I do primarily anime conventions and Overwatch is my #1 seller.)
I don't doubt your experience with art and whatever abilities you may have, this is all about the technical aspects of Artist Alleying. Google more of the boring stuff, like financing and power costs and how to get tables for each con. Good luck.

>>9443193
I plan I driving to the cons actually. And have friends who I stay with when I go to those cons that help the cost of hotel. I do actually have back stock of the pillow casses and all that stuff. Last I checked though hand made is allowed at artist alley as long as you made it yourself and it wasn't mass produced. But I will have to look up the policy on bringing lewd imagry. I know PCC says it's okay as long as 18+ stuff is covered and you request ID for people wanting to browse your stock of prints. If I have to keep a ledger to give custom orders to clients then I will since some cons make you pay for power. I mean if I have to I can also take it to the house and print them off for the next day pick up. I have a time share that I use for a hotel by where pax is. I typically stay at that hotel with my time share and walk (10mins) to the convention. I'm fortunate enough to have family and friends who are welcoming and offering a place for me to stay when I'm out of town.

I live in Canada and have been to some local cons. I want to try and break into the US scene but I've heard that Canadians can't sell there. I'm confused because I see others doing it. Does anyone know why?

>>9443202
you're biting off more than you can chew

>>9443202
Listen to >>9443193 - they're being a lot more patient than I can. If you don't see how bigger alleys might be detrimental to you making back costs due to the highly competitive nature of AAs, I don't know what else to say to you. People keep giving you advice and you keep coming up with a bevy of reasons as to why you're right so I'm done.

>>9443287
You need a work visa + a seller's permit to sell in the U.S. If you tell the border guards you intend to sell your art in the U.S., you better have the papers to prove that you're doing it legally - or you will be denied entry. All the Canadian artists I know do it illegally. They ship all their stock ahead of time to a Fedex/UPS and when they cross the border they just say they're visiting for pleasure/vacation to attend a convention.

>>9443311
>They ship all their stock ahead of time to a Fedex/UPS and when they cross the border they just say they're visiting for pleasure/vacation to attend a convention.

non that anon, but don't most cons require a tax id/for you to fill a tax form? do they just submit fake papers, too...?

>>9443086
vile. in what manner did you tell him to fuck off?

>>9443312
It depends on the con and the state as permit regulations vary by state and aren't the same across the board nationally. I've been to a lot of cons that don't require you to submit anything but list that it's your responsibility to look into permits to cover their asses. I'm based on socal and CA cons are much more diligent about checking permits beforehand.

It's also possible that they get the state seller's permit but not the work visa (since visas take longer to approve and are harder to come by in this political state) and tell the border guards that they're just visiting. So they still pay sales tax to the state and have a permit number to turninto the con but minimize the risk of being turned away at the border. I'm not a Canadian so this last part's conjecture on my part.

>>9442916
depends what you think is cheap. just put in what size button parts you need and then like "1000 pcs" or something and put cheapest > highest

>>9443168
>Most people who attend make lists of artists they want to visit and make a beeline to their tables.
I don't know how often I made a list, all excited the night before only to step pass a door and stare back at map and say oh fuck this - and toss said body into the swirling masses and hopes body floats eventually into intended table. lol

>>9444082
Agreed. I always tried to figure out where my favorite artists were when I was a congoer, but some AAs are too big and no one clearly marks their table numbers. I'd always end up checking everyone's tables out by the end of it even if I was looking for a few specific artists.

Part of me thinks you guys are scared of competition and are trying to sway pillow-anon from having a stand.

Pillow-anon if you are still here or see this, do what you want. I'm sure you will do fine if your stuff sells online and you have fans to see you when you have a stand. Take what the anon who suggested how to get tables advice and keep checking the cons AA for drops to get in. If not, maybe see if your friend you help out it willing to upgrade their booth with your money so you guys can get a bigger spot and sell together at first till you can get your own table. Good luck anon. I'm sure you will do alright.

How do you deal being seated next to shitty artists? I'm worried people are gonna glance over my stuff because I'm seated next to a guy that does nothing but minecraft prints and the other's a trace artist.

>>9443061
Thanks for the idea anon! I might try it out. Im always really nervous about doing commissions but pencil sketches might be OK for me !

>>9444158
I think it's a blessing. There's this certain con I go to, where every time, I am put next to extremely beginner artists (I have no idea why, it's been like this for 4 cons)
All that ever happens is that I get more business because my booth seems all the more tempting next to other people's stock. It's a good thing in my opinion. The worse thing that's happened is me feeling extremely guilty about getting all the business.
Don't worry about it anon, you'll do good.

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>>9443287
Heres another method I saw posted on AANI that was interesting. It would work for me since a friend of mine is moving to Florida soon so I could get her to be my broker for me

>>9444158
I usually see being seated next to a shitty artist makes your art more appealing. you know the whole surround yourself around ugly people to look more attractive. It's the same with art.

Has anyone vended at Anime Impulse?
How was it?

Does anyone have any table display photos/ideas for selling clothing?

I sell prints, charms, plushies and other small items but am venturing into selling clothing as well. Is it better to use a hanging bust up mannequin or wrap the shirt around grid cube (I use grid cubes) so it's just the design.

>>9444192
You could take squares of the images on the shirts and put them up behind you and write " t-shirt" so people know that it's an option.

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>>9444192
You could do something like this.

>>9444158
wouldn't the opposite happen? They ignore the awful art after seeing your better stuff?

>>9444082
>>9444125
I was specifically referring to AX last year where multiple customers kept telling me they were leaving after finding their favorite artists because it was too crowded to browse. It wasn't meant as a catchall for all cons.

>>9444127
I'm trying to figure out how you think we'd be afraid of an anonymous person whose art we haven't even seen? People gave them pretty good advice and even spoonfed them easily googleable answers with corrections. Sorry this isn't a hugbox.

>>9444158
Like the other anons said, your art will probably stand out in comparison! I was at a con once where my table neighbor was a proxy for an art studio with a lot of poorly drawn art. They had a print similiar in concept to one of mine and I was afraid mine wouldn't sell because they were underselling by a lot (4 posters for $20) but I still sold more of that particular print than they did of their copy. I usually find it super awkward by the middle of day 2 because you'll probably make more sales than them and they'll be moping. Hopefully you can use your placement to your advantage!

>>9444192
I would do it the way a lot of t-shirt companies (sanshee/sharkrobot/etc) do it. Do the grid cubes like the other anons suggested but also print out mock ups of the actual shirt and make sort of a catalog for people to flip through. Sometimes seeing how big the design is on the overall shirt helps with whether someone wants to buy.

>>9444305
I don't see how what the anon has planned already is setting them up for failure. I have gone in less prepared then them and made out alright. They obviously know what sells of their items. It looks like they have followers that are willing to support them. They have a plan on how to get to and have made cost efficient methods to spread their work out. I really don't see why every one is saying they are " biting off more then they can chew" they want to set up a table at fairly higher traffic cons. I don't see how that's something that is "more complicated then it appears" I have run tables in AA at SDCC and only sold prints of my art. They are offering prints, pillows and a lot of stuff they already have stocked up. Seems like they have been preparing their stock for a while to run a table. What else is there to know other then actually setting the table up and selling stuff? They have taken into consideration the AX issue and said they are going to take that off their list of attempts. Smaller cons are easier sure, but it's also not bad to do a larger con first. All I get from the posts is " your art will get overshadowed by all the artists at the con because there's soo much AA there. Try a smaller con". That's a great generalization. You can do just as shitty at small cons as with larger cons. They even said they will try a smaller con and sell stuff they don't like to draw. Don't see how they are being rude when they are literally taking all the info into consideration.

>>9444158
If you're afraid if bring overshadowed, build a display that towers over theirs

I know several cons limit max booth height in AA, but a trick is that they usually forget to limit booth depth downwards.

>>9439726
The worst one I've been to was Natsucon back in 2009. It was their first year, and they picked a hotel with narrow ass hallways, with the events spread out requiring a lot of stairway climbing, and there wasn't much to do at all. People were often ejected for being over capacity and it was a fucking bitch getting through those hallways with everyone doing the caramel dansen blocking everyone out. It didn't help that the hotel staff weren't prepared for this and rejected a lot of people from getting rooms because they were afraid of a lot of us, so I ended up getting a motel room several miles away.

>>9444352
You planning on digging a hole into the floor, anon?

>>9444417
I was thinking this same thing. Just passed it off that anon is probably stoned. Unless they are referring to you using the table front for advertising. For me I just put the table along the back or the side and use the box crates to hold shirts and like make a little walk in area for people to explore. I use the back drop as a place to hang my banner and some of my most recent works that I want to push. Line the table sides with older works that people may be interested. Use the table for the keychains, post cards and jewlery. Under the tables I keep my stock to keep it out of sight and uncluttered. Might not be okay with all cons though. Some cons don't like you messing with the tables and set ups.

>>9444352
the trick is to blast jpop and anime op covers to cover up the sounds of your mining operation

>>9444158
it actually helps unless they are trying to pity sell and thus driving people into a wide loop around your set of tables. Had one guy sell mspaint-tier shit on printer paper next to me who was telling anyone who dared stand close by (i.e: at my table) that he hadn't made a single sale all day, even though his prints were less than a dollar each...

PVC pipes are too heavy and annoying to set up. Does anyone know what stands people use other than pvc?

>>9444191
Sales were slow and their numbers are grossly inflated. The 120k they supposedly had were actually from asian american expo. Also they pulled a dick move adding new AA tables just two weeks before the con this year, that were $50 cheaper then the first set of people. I don't plan to go back, especially since they're raising the price on already overpriced tables.

>>9444327
If you've been "preparing" for Artist Alley for three years without being able to look up basic sign up info on your own, that's already a bad sign - which is what many people have told said anon. Not to mention that they started off their initial post insulting other artists for "bringing the same shit that didn't sell the year before".

Anons have also told them the fandoms they have actually sell well at non-gaming cons because those are current trends. And yet they still think they need to make YOI and content that makes them "cringe" to sell at anime cons for some reason? That's not exactly taking advice or listening to what's being said.

I don't know how the other anons felt when they responded but to me the original anon sounded pretty elitist without doing any of the thought behind how to apply for AAs. If you're gonna ask to be spoonfed info on literally... just signing up for a con - you could probably do it without insinuating that other artists suck and that certain fans are vapid.

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>>9444508
I'll take a bite. Since you want to level up past pvc, the next off the shelf and available anywhere option:

>>9444508
I've been looking at photography backdrop stands. Some reading:
http://jojostory.net/post/140830664295/artist-alley-tips-the-photography-stand-primer

Has anyone who've tried this have any strong opinions on it?

Question for other people who are stuck tabling/setting up alone: how the fuck do you assemble your giant pvc towers by yourself? I've been OK up until now because my display was pretty short, but I have enough prints that I want to go taller, and it seems impossible to put it up by myself now since the pipes go taller than I can reach standing on a chair. Is there some secret trick to getting it together without it all falling apart? I see a lot of people partly assemble the top part first on the ground and then put it on top of a base that's already clamped down, but that still requires a 2nd person to grab the other end, and I just don't have help.

>>9445131

The one thing about photo backdrop stands is that now that more artists are using them, you gotta be really careful and stagger yours between your neighbors. The tripod is more stable, but these just aren't the most stable displays in general. I've seen several tip over if you bump into it (which is highly likely if you've got a crowded behind the table space - artist friends hanging out, artists getting up to go somewhere, etc). It's really great if you're the only one in your area using one, but if both neighbors have them, too... just be careful. Because they can slightly overlap your neighbors area if you're not careful.

>>9445147
Ask someone around you...? Anon, seriously. There are con volunteers. There are other artists setting up. Just ask for help.

>>9445147
No big secret...usually I see the person ask for help.

>>9445131
I'd be prepared with an option2 for cons where setting up a freestanding display may be prohibited to table-top only displays/no backdrop-behind table displays either.

>>9445166
Is that common? I've never seen that before.

>>9445169
Anime Expo has this rule. On-table displays only, no photo stands.

>>9444327
I'm going to second everything >>9444654 said.

I support new people stepping into the Artist Alley. I'm personally helping many of my friends take their first ventures this year. From one of my posts above, I advised them to *step back and do more research*, not quit altogether.

By telling them to go for it without doing proper research on tables and finances, YOU are the one hurting them. People come onto /cgl/ for honest opinions. And just because you went in less prepared and did fine does not mean you should encourage other people to. I went into AX for my first show and made it out great, while two of my other friends were in the red. One girl is nearly a thousand in the negatives because she did not do proper research, despite her being a FANTASTIC artist with a following online. Even though I had a great experience, I still wouldn't advise other people to do AX as a first show because even though it worked out great for /me/ it may not for other people.

The anon we're advising hasn't even calculated their own expenses, throwing out the number of 1.2k and asking US if that will be enough when they could EASILY do it themselves. Then they go on to say they're going to bring a laptop and printer without doing prior research on that. And taking three years and not being able to even read the instructions on a website on how to get an AA table is a bad sign.

None of us are saying "Fucking quit" we're saying "Do more research and come back prepared." How is that a bad thing? You seem to be misreading our advice tenfold.

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How have gulls been shipping their acrylic charms?

I want to use bubble mailers for protection and they come to less than 3/4" inch with the charms in them. However, when sending a sample charm to a friend like this, the postal worker said that it would have to be sent at package rate rather than large envelope even though it was within size specifications and not rigid.

Package rates for shipping are reasonable within the US, but the minimum price for international shipping is $13.25 and I don't want to screw over international customers with those prices.

>>9445150
>>9445166
Great advice, thank you. Sounds like these might be better suited for smaller cons with roomier artist alley spaces. I'm tabling next to a friend soon who has one so I'll take a closer look from the artist's side

>>9445332
Shipping them as a package since my PO is strict as hell. Theres no way for me to get around sending it as anything but a package in my case.

International customers will still buy if they like your stuff enough, though you'll have a few who are like "but other artists can ship for cheaper!" but there's not much you can do about it since even if you get around the PO agent, you'll still risk getting it sent back to you for inadequate postage.

>>9445379
Yeah. I'm learning this the hard way this weekend. I got a photostand that's 6ft wide but I forgot to take into account that the feet of the stands goes wider than the crossbar so I've had to apologize to my neighbors multiple times. Luckily, they were all cool with it and didn't mind but if they weren't and reported me to the con head for taking up a bit of their space, I wouldn't be able to have an overhead display at all. If possible, try to get a photo stand with flat feet instead of the tripods! One of my neighbors has those and it doesn't take up as much space.

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I'm holding a group order for regular and foil washi tape, feel free to join here:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1wC68G3-9sZUIuNn72ReIfWfaSQPlN_h_ydT8VBoxdAo/edit#gid=0

The signup deadline is mid-July and they'll arrive mid September! Also, the previous foil washi order was done through this supplier and they looked really good, so hopefully they turn out well again.

Feel free to shoot me questions on Twitter or email ([email protected])

>>9445460
Those foils look so fucking good, if only I had the money to invest. Good luck with your group order anon.

Any of you guys at SVCC this weekend? I'm really not fond of how they've split the artist alley into three different areas, and how they've put the main area behind a wall.

>>9445525
I am. Their layout makes no sense. They really should have put the autographs against the wall instead of putting them in between vendors and AA because the autograph booths have pipe and drape which creates a giant wall right before people get to us. I initially thought the hall ended at the autograph tables.

>>9445525
Yeah, it's bizarre. There's also an extra room way down on the other side that has like, a mix of AA and regular vendors? Not really sure what their thought process was.

>>9445560
That's the "Extended Exhibit Hall," right? They just added that room for people on the waitlist. That room at the very least seems better than the people who got stuck downstairs out in the open "lower levels" and the people who ended up outside at the park.

>>9445460
I'm assuming that is the price per design and I wouldn't be able to split up the 100 rolls into different designs...the foil is so gorgeous.

Anyone have advice for setting up a half table? to look nice?

>>9445566
I feel bad for the guys stuck in the lower level, I took a quick look when I got up to walk around and it seemed pretty sparse. I heard that sales were kind of low all around as well.

I enjoyed the tech and science stuff like NASA which was very interesting, but it feels a bit disjointed with half of a traditional comic con and half of a tech show which doesn't seem to mesh well yet. Then the fan stuff like AA kind of feels out of place...

What are your favorite cons to vendor in SoCal? Anyone know of any good events I might not know about I should try?

>>9442643
How do you do this? do you draw them on the spot or do you have them come pick it up later that day?

>>9445566

Wow I didn't even know there were people outside or downstairs. Yeah that's ridiculous.

>>9445584

I feel like the science stuff meshed better last year. They had stuff geared around the comic theme and the whole hall was laid out better in general so that stuff fit in between the other things. I think the idea is really cool and unique, so I hope it keeps doing well, but yeah, if people aren't making enough money they won't keep coming back, which would definitely murder it.

I could manage without the weird car simulator they have this year though, guess it gives people something to wait in line for, but wtf.

Speaking of SVCC does anyone feel their sales are actually doing better because of the high ticket prices? $100+ for a weekend pass, so I think only people with real spending money are attending.

>>9445642
I think that's generally the case at comic cons. I'm definitely getting more "big" purchases, but they're less frequent, probably because of the traffic issues anons mentioned earlier.

I didn't know it cost 100 to get in this year. It seems like there's less people... Maybe the tickets are why?

>>9444429
>>9444417
Probably not what the original comment was referring to, but I swear someone at SVCC this weekend bought like, bricks or something to raise their table by 6 inches off the ground.

>>9445652
Just curious what in your shop do you consider big purchases?

Do people still buy keychains or would it just be a waste of time?

>>9445868
do you have keys?
then people buy keychains.

>>9445887
I usually don't buy any so I guess that's where my hesitation comes in. I'm trying to add more low priced items so I guess I'll test a few designs and see how they sell

>>9445738
Like when people do the buy 2 get 1 free thing with prints. I guess in general anything 30+

>>9445652
It's also a lot bigger than last year I think? I heard they expanded a lot. The crowd also is a lot older or consists of a lot of families, I'm wondering if also the close date to Fanime is keeping the young adult crowd away.

>>9445572
Yeah, sorry anon unfortunately this supplier doesn't do less than 100 rolls per design for foil.

>>9445652
>>9445738
It's very strange because I'm also getting big purchases (several people dropped $100+ at my table) but I'm also getting a large number of very excited children and their displeased parents. As the other anon said, it's a lot of big purchases or nothing. Not getting a lot of in between/medium sales.

I spoke with my neighbors who did this con last year and they said they felt like there was the same amount of people this year but they were just spread out too thin because of the added rooms/levels. It sounds like SVCC tried to expand too fast which hurt the vendors and artists.

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Some quick lanyard help; if I design the image exactly to the bottom of the canvas, will it print that long and look like the image on the left (and the part that wraps around the D ring will be a repeat of the image) or will it print like on the right and I need to leave extra space on the actual image for the wrap around?

>>9445994
Is it affecting the vendors too? I feel like vendors might be doing better this con

>>9445999
It'll print like the right. You need to leave room.

>>9446006
Well, maybe some of the vendors in the "extended" areas. It definitely does affect us artists the most.

>>9446008
Thanks, that's what I was thinking!

>>9442208
Bless any commissioner who is fine with me being vague as hell because I get nervous about it, people like you are my fucking mvps

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SPS is my favorite day anons.

I love washi tapes but I'm hesitant on ordering my own designs because I'm worried they won't move or be as profitable. Any personal experience on this?

>>9446272
washi are for personal joy, don't count to make bank off of them

>>9446509
This basically.

I order 3 of my own designs recently but I dont expect them to move fast. All washi tape I see online from artists dont really move fast. But gdi I love washi tape and I will almost always buy other artists washi tape if i see it in AA.

>>9446272
A handful of people will buy it. Everyone else thinks it's cool and then realizes they have no use for them. Washi tape does attract people to your table, though. People want to see what the tape is and they'll stick around to look at the other stuff.

Bit of a weird question, but is there any way to tell what charms are from Vograce? They did my first batch of charms ever and those things chipped like crazy. My friends have had similar experiences. I'm going to be a normal attendee at my next con and I wanted to see if I could tell Vograce charms apart from other suppliers so I could avoid them. It'd be awkward to just ask every artist where their charms were made.

>>9446648
I assume any charm that is double acrylic sandwich or has epoxy (esp glitter) is from Vograce.

>>9446272
I love washi too, but artist washi is too pricey for me personally when I can get cute washi at Daiso for $1.50 a roll. I also only use washi when packaging my own products so I wouldn't want to use another artists...so I guess I'm not your market.

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I know that poor people are not excluded from doing shit that make you happy, but holy shit, just go buy some paper and pencils from a dollar store.

>>9446657
>art programs

You can find free alternatives to programs like photoshop if you're that broke.

>>9446272
They move way slower than my other stuff and I only made them just to have a bunch of rolls of designs I like. The profit margin is small and if they move, it's nice, but they're definitely something you make more for yourself than typical merch.

>>9446670
The early versions of photoshop are even free on the adobe site, I'm pretty sure. I know I'm using the free version of CS2 they just handed out to everyone because they were tired of people cracking it.

>>9446657
How the fuck did the tablet break is my question.

I want to have gold foil accents on my black and white (on cardstock) prints. Will I have to do this manually myself or is this something I'd be able to get a shop to do?

>>9446700
I have CS2 on our home computer. On my laptop I've got gimp, paint.net, and inkscape. There are so many options if you're broke as hell.

where can I get holographic prints done cheap?

>>9446727
Catprint has the option available for their cardstock. Just check their site for instructions since it's a little more complicated than normal orders. If you're talking about print stock that you already have you're pretty much stuck with gold leafing it by hand.

>>9446657
this is phrased manipulatively as fuck.
also, yeah, you don't NEED a tablet/art programs/computer shit to do art.

Anyone get confirmation from Otakuthon? I'm seeing some people on Twitter already looking for helpers...

>>9445642
Also, C2E2 was happening at the same time in Chicago, which split up potential big name draws (although SVCC got a ton of guests, I feel like the C2E2 guests have a bigger following like Marvel and Stranger Things and WWE guests and bigger name comic book industry guests)

>>9443287
Don't be like this Canadian artist, she got turned away by border patrol going to a con. http://io9.gizmodo.com/canadian-jem-and-the-holograms-artist-gisele-lagace-den-1794530659

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What is your fav POD site/ webshop to use?
(Society6, Redbubble, inprint etc.)

>>9447085
I've had the most success with Redbubble but I tried Society6 when my work was still pretty eh.

I think the site itself is decent but Redbubble seems to be the cheapest option for most people when it comes to shopping.

I ordered some enamel pins, and didn't notice until after they made all 50 of the design and they had arrived that they forgot to color one portion of it (they put in white enamel, instead of the yellow I had in the design).

Is there anything I can do to fix it? It looks horribly unprofessional, I'm so disappointed. It's an Alibaba seller. Please help!

>>9447446
If it's really that unacceptable looking, the only thing you can do is sell it at a lower price point.

If it looks good design wise though, you can just try to sell them as normal. White and yellow are pretty close, depending on how it was used in the design. But if you say it looks horribly unprofessional then the only thing is a discount, unless someone out there has some magic enamel-changing color tricks.

>>9446700
I want to know this too. I've tossed my tablets all over the place before and short of driving over it with a truck or taking a sledgehammer to it I can't think of anything that'd make it "break into many pieces".

>>9446991
Not yet. I think premium table people already got their acceptance emails though, so it might be those looking for helpers.

>>9447446
You can always try to get a refund or at least a partial refund, then follow >>9447451's advice.

>>9446734
china

Can anyone post some button displays?I need some inspiration, and I'm lacking ideas

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>>9447740
Okay, so look on the wall on the right side. There's a photo frame with buttons pinned to it. Do that. It looks so professional in person.

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>>9447740
I have a few I can post. This person uses a lot of corkboard which looks cute. I've noticed repeatedly removing and pinning buttons on corkboard does tear it up though.

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>>9447790
Left side has hooks with individually packaged buttons.

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>>9447802
I did something similar to this one for my last convention. If I use it again I'm going to try to figure out how to label/categorize buttons by series so it's easier to find stuff when browsing.

>>9447446
If you approved their art and it had the white instead of yellow, you're probably out of luck. If they messed up after you approved the correct artwork then they will probably work with you. Also seconding >>9447451's advice of selling it on a discount. You can get the run re-done correctly then sell the messed up ones as seconds after the fact.

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>>9447805

>>9447790
Is this Anirevo?

>>9447790
>>9447921
Yea, looks like the first year or so because they don't supply the table runners for AA anymore.

>>9447790
>that gachapon

I've heard people really like grab bags but would someone actually buy items from a gachapon?

>>9447898
off topic but I love all your things!

>>9448059
Yep. I've seen artist doing the $1 buttons in a gashpon machine. Probably a good way to move some old and slower stock too.

>>9448059
I'm trying out gachapon-themed mp100 charms in mine for my next con if my acorn press order arrives in time. I'm hoping they'll sell well. Old button stock sounds like a great idea too.

>>9448082
Oh man that isn't my table, I just had it saved for display inspiration! Their plush are all really cute though, especially the cat loaf.

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>>9447841
The art was correct, but they showed me the first mold, and the mistake was there and I didn't catch it. I was thinking maybe I could try doing a thin layer of enamel myself, but I'm not sure if that's possible...

I like the idea of doing another run and selling these at a discount. My wallet doesn't like it, but it could work. This is the pin in referring to

>>9448286
Oh, I can see what a mistake like that would be annoying for you. At the same time, I sincerely doubt the public would care or notice if you didn't bring up the issue.

>>9448286
I think to most customers it isn't a huge deal, you'd be surprised at how forgiving they are of these things. I mean, even you didn't notice at first. That said, keep in mind that now that the mold has been made, getting more pins made will be cheaper if you decide to sell these off at a discount and get them remade.

>>9448286
Yea anon, i'd still buy that, regardless of the color thing. I wouldn't even mind it even after noticing it on my own if I had bought it at a con.

>>9448286
This looks perfectly fine. I couldn't even tell what was wrong before I read the comment. It doesn't seem like an inconsistency since that pattern on the cat's other front leg is obscured, rather just a design choice for a white circle.

I say sell it at full price. I thought it was going to be something crazy like 50% of the pin being white unintentionally.

It was funny at SVCC how much my sales went up after I put out a sign on Sunday that said I was an illustrator for Marvel. The con sucked for sales before that, not sure I'm returning next year for it. Also Cali is really expensive.

>>9445597
seconding

Is there a list of series that don't allow or prosecute the sale of fan art?

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I want to do NSFW prints. What company should I go to to make them? I don't want to bombard some random company with anime titties if they don't allow it to be printed.

>>9445597
>the best events where I made money is where there were little competition.

>>9448446
the AANI FB page has a google doc of people who have had items taken down or were given C&D

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1696MDhNPhrZ0ySZhXkoJnGxb7l1OjW4JsVhu1wKvaWE/edit#gid=678142228

>>9448457
Sage for no printer suggestions, but if you plan on doing this for a while, I suggest spending some dosh on an 11x17 printer.

>>9448618
>printer
Thanks, I didn't think about getting my own printer.
Any other anons have printer suggestions?

>>9448624
Oh yea, and also asking for recommendations on paper.

>>9448632
step 1: find a printer that is conveniently located to you, or with good reviews
step 2: ask if they will print explicit art
step 3: look at paper reviews on amazon for the type of weight and attributes you want
come on guys

>>9448682
You stupid bitch. We're talking about personal printers, not printing companies.

>>9448701
Nayrt but insulting people generally does not make them want to help you.

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>>9448703
Pls don't be mad, anon. That poster wasn't me. I'm just looking for help and no rudeness.

>>9448304
That's very true, I forgot it will be cheaper now. Thank you so much!

>>9448303
>>9448305
>>9448306
This is so reassuring. It's hard to pull my head out my own perfectionist ass. Thank you anons!

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Question:
How hard is it to get into Anime Expo? I just submitted my name into the waiting list for 2018.
Do you need connections to get in, or is it just as simple as signing up early and getting lucky?

>>9448286
Even with the red arrow pointing I couldn't figure out what was wrong at first, I thought maybe it was pointing to the stripes which also looked fine to me?Like other anons have said, it looks perfectly fine because the other arm is obscured (and the other paw has a white semi circle thing happening too so it looks intentional) and I think it would be okay if you sold them full price or maybe knock off a dollar if you are self conscious. Don't be so hard on yourself!

>>9448727
Nayrt but I suggest doing a similar process as suggested, then maybe when you have a handful of printers you're considering maybe comeback here to see if anyone has experience with them?

>>9448286
I'll be honest and say I noticed it immediately and it would stop me from purchasing it, regardless of price.

so ive been playing a lot of breath of the wild and i want to make some stickers for my con next month. i want to keep it to 5-6 characters and which ones do you think would be worth drawing? which ones are popular?

link
zelda
sidon?
??
??

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>>9448966
You can probably get rid of Hestu and pick one of the two Rito, and you'll have all of the popular characters.

>>9448380
Woah, really? That's wild. I thought my sales also in general went up on Sunday.

>>9448895
I agree. It's very jarring to me. I doubt the average customer will notice, though. I've had some horrible misprinted posters and people still bought them because they were $2 cheaper than the normal one. We're talking shit wasn't even printed straight bad. People go to cons to spend money, and people spending money love a good discount. Mark that pin down a dollar and it'll sell out fast.

Since it's been coming up that Vograce charms can chip, how durable are Zap and AP's charms?

I'd love to order from vograce but I can't do it with a good conscience if I just know that I'll give people short-lasting charms.

>>9448059
You have no idea. Get a Gacha, Klaw, or make a DIY Vending box:
http://www.onecountry.com/how-to-make-the-cutest-diy-vending-machine-youve-ever-seen-1648237180.html

>>9449675
AP's charms have had a million reports of chipping recently. IDK about Zap though.

If you're worried about Vograce charms chipping though, just ask for an epoxy coat on them. Still cheaper than Zap and the epoxy is very durable. Friends have had some of my epoxy charms for close to a year and don't have any reports of yellowing either. I believe they offer the option to have glitter in the epoxy too, if that suits your fancy.

>>9449919
Thanks, I guess I'm just too worried then. Too bad hearing that about AP, I liked their options and prices.

not sure if this is offtopic, but does anyone have suggestions for how to do online commissions (I do 3D art) ? How do you insure you actually get paid? I've had some issues with people not following through.

>>9449929
Are you 13? Half up front, half on completion or full up front. What kind of idiot starts a commission without getting paid?

>>9449933
yeah I was dumb and scared of driving people off.

>>9448784
Hard. Don't expect to get in on a waiting list. Connections could get you in but I don't know anyone who has any. Everyone gets in by signing up during the signup period they email out within seconds. There is no email you just wait for saying "You're in!" - Be proactive, mark your calender, because missing the signup time by a minute means you won't get in. I am not exaggerating.

The year I got in, I was at the same table as my friend, and we were both refreshing every 3 seconds. She got up for a second, and I refreshed and the signups were opened. I yelled and clicked the link, she walked over to her laptop after hearing my yell and refreshed and it was sold out. Shit is cutthroat.

>>9449919
On top of that, AP has shit for communication. They fall behind schedule a lot and instead of communicating this to people they just keep whiling away on social media and don't respond to emails asking where stuff is. I think it was just before anime Boston (? Recently, anyway) where everyday someone new on my feed was asking about whether or not they've heard from AP about overdue orders.

>>9449940
Who would you be driving off other than scammers? Use your brain before you start taking commissions. You're going to fuck yourself over.

I forgot some Vograce charms near the window for a few months and now they're faded as hell. Should I bother selling them at a discount or just chuck them out? They're 1.5" double-sided glitter epoxy so I was thinking $15 for 3, but I'm worried it might affect my reputation or something.

>>9448784
Its completely FCFS for newcomers. If you know someone and have the cash, split an exhibitor's booth instead. As long as you pay they'll give you a booth.

>>9442498
Artist here. I dislike attention. The only reason I might post my art online and try to gain a fanbase is so I could make money off of said fanbase via commissions or store. While the thought is nice, attention and praise alone don't pad my savings account.

>>9450271
I think this is a fair rule of thumb for situations like this: If you really wouldn't buy it/would be put off by someone selling it, reconsider it.

If you're really unsure you could post a pic of how bad the damage is to get a better opinion from various anons.

>>9450334
>I dislike attention
>the thought is nice
So which is it? It's not a bad thing to like positive attention lol.

>>9450350
Not that anon, but maybe they mean they're just indifferent to the attention? I took this more as "the sentiment is appreciated". You can not want something but still be polite/grateful for a compliment.

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>>9450350
Hmm. I guess if I had to be more specific, I just like the idea of people being nice to others. So, in turn, I find it nice that people are nice to me. It's not so much the attention as it is the kindness behind it. My focus really isn't on attention in the slightest. If anything, I just want that sweet, sweet, green moolah.

If someone wants to give me attention, I'd really rather it be irl and with a good conversation instead lol.

Sage for OT

>>9449957
>signup period
Would this be the moment the con closes? Like July 4th at 3pm?

>>9450348
Good tip. Thanks!

>>9447085
I havent used any of them myself to sell. But as a customer my favorite is Neatoshop. Their DTG printing is fucking fantastic.

Also as a customer I will not buy redbubble since the quality is pretty garbage-y. Society6 is alright though.

>>9445460
Im in the regular washi GO right now and fuuuu I want to do the foils so badly. I'm going to have to wait though before I sign up. I'm really grateful you are making the deadline for July. It'd be a bit much if it was sooner with the current GO happening

>>9450392
No, the first signup is the day AFTER the con. So on July 5th, if day 4 would be July 4th. It is for people who tabled that previous con only (so, "veterans" - I say this loosely because you only need to have tabled there for a year to be eligible for this signup) so if you're trying to get a table for the first time you won't have access to this signup.

The first date will be mailed out to you if you're on the AX Artist Alley mailing list. It's usually around December. This is when you need to be prepared as all hell, it's your best chance at getting a table.
If you don't get in there, they have one last signup date a few months before the con (at least they did a few years ago, could be different now) where they sell the spots that were dropped throughout the year. Harder to get into, naturally. But it's still a chance.

Definitely double check all this info, I'm telling you this from my own experience with signups, and I was an AX newbie 3 years ago so things could have changed within that timeframe.

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>>9439726
Akicon 2012 was pretty bad. The venue was too small, there was nowhere to have good photoshoots, and the artists alley was in a leaky garage. They hung buckets from the ceiling to catch some of the water drips but the humidity still fucked up the sellers' prints. I know there were other issues too but can't remember the details.

Tsukinocon 2014 was shitty too. Small venue, it was cold and windy outside but they refused to let anyone in the building until about 3pm on Friday. The only good places for hanging out with people were outside but it was too cold for a lot of people to be out there.

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>>9450429
So, tell me if I'm correct
>Sign up for wait list
>Get an email after this years con. The email will say something like "registration will open on our website December 17th"
>camp out on computer December 17th constantly refreshing their registration page and pray

If that's true, then do they email you the specific time of day like "Registrations opens December 17th at 3:00pm pacific time"? Or do I have to refresh the page for literally 24 hours.

>>9450612
Not sure why that pic is necessary...
But no, the email will say something like "December 17th at 3:30PM at [link]" - It's very specific. You just open up the link (it's an eventbrite page) and refresh until the "Not available" sign next to the tables turns into a dropdown box where you can select 1 or 2 tables and then hit "checkout."
Then your place in line will be held for 30 minutes while you fill out your personal information and CC info and buy the table. If you can manage to get past "checkout", you basically have the table. Just don't shit around for 30 minutes so you lose your table reserve.

>>9450475
This is the saddest and most hilarious image I've ever seen. Those are actually buckets hanging from the ceiling.
I'm so sorry but also, what the fuck man. Might as well be selling in a damn cave.

How do you guys usually ship out posters and charms? Do you use the mailing tubes for the posters? I was looking at Staples and ULINE, but is there somewhere else you suggest?

I remember some post a few weeks back that flamed some con organizer for saying cosplayers don't buy "**expletive**" (assuming he means they don't spend as the typical con-goer-they only come to do "photoshoots" etc. After awhile I've been taking note on cosplayers vlogs - and this is just my speculation based off of watching a few years of a couple of cosplayers vlogs that either they simply hit "the dealers room" but show very little in the way of loot haul vlogs in comparison - or most don't even venture to an artist alley other than a drive by walk through.

Now just at a recent con I normally attend, I did watch our local popular cosplayers venture. Sure enough, either it was dealers hall emphasis (with a small items bought) or just strolling through the AA to vlog and do more selfies...lol....

If you think you know what I am getting at. I think the short answer is just ignore them, but it did somewhat shed some insight as to what that con organizer was implying.

>>9451828
I think you're kind of a fucking idiot?
Cosplayers buy shit from me all the time.

>>9451820
flat cardboard mailer for 12x18 off amazon

>>9451865
hmmm....let me guess.. buttons?

>>9452075
or maybe your experience in your specific location doesn't reflect cosplayers on a broader scale ('ignore them' being shitty business advice). Maybe you don't stock fandoms that the cosplayers want? or have an ugly style? or they already bought from other artists and are budgeting? theres a hundred reasons why you might not get sales from cosplayers compared to other attendees (hint: possibly because they're a minority)

I have tons of cosplayers buy shit from me - prints, charms, body pillows, all the same stuff non-cosplay attendees do, and at pretty much the same rate.

>>9452103
>>9451865
Agreed. Cosplayers buy my stuff all the time and I don't even do fanart

>>9451865
>Cosplayers buy shit from me all the time.
>generalizing all cosplayers
>>9452141
>Cosplayers buy my stuff all the time and I don't even do fanart
>The day I see a non-ebayed-cosplayer toting a bag of fanart prints hell with hath frozen over.

face it normies/trip fags/ebayed cosplayers are the aa real market. why get angry if you are selling tons of merch even. I'm comparing vlogs. many vlogs. years of vlogs I spent watching over the past few months. So your tons of cosplayers perhaps don't do loot haul vlogs so that's normal... for normie cosplayers. Felt like I popped some reality-vein in your cosplayers-buy-tons-from-me.
Chill. Be happy you sell tons anon. I give you a golden-star-sticker to stick on your success chart!

>>9451828
>just ignore them
Wat. You mean ignore cosplayers? 75% (bullshit number for your bullshit post) of cons are cosplayers lol. Why did you even do this analysis? I've never heard of anyone complaining about not getting sales from cosplayers. Most don't even vlog. You probably don't see them carrying a lot of stuff at one time because they got their cosplay to deal with and have handlers/hotel rooms to drop stuff off at. In conclusion, as another anon mentioned, you're an idiot.

>>9452156
you sound jelly and salty. why do you have this bizarre vendetta against cosplayers? who wronged you?
also, why do you even care about people who WON'T buy from you?

>>9452164
Indeed. One more point anon might have failed to consider : I don't know if it's the same for all cosplayers, but I usually pick a day when I dress as a normie or in a very simple costume and go to the AA. This way I don't have to brave the crowds in a more cumbersome costume and I don't have to worry about leaving my purchases unattended during photoshoots.

I have a question for people who print their items at home.
What paper do you use? I first considered photo paper, but I found that many brands have a watermark/logo at the back of them, which isn't too attractive to me.

>>9452182
This! Quite a few of my cosplayer customers come Friday in 'normie' clothes to buy things, and I see them later on in the weekend dressed up, or they come back on Sunday in normie clothes after looking on Saturday. The guests do this too.

And a few of them have vlogged my things too.

I think it's dumb to ignore an entire demographic at a con regardless of your reason. I'll take money from just about anyone.

>>9452168
>calling OP jelly.
anon clearly is right about the loot vlogs amusingly and that's about it. Nobody has time to survey who is who at a con. So if a cosplayer spends hundreds of dollars on material, props, hours on sewing and spends the convention time at photoshoots, lounges with friends and buys mostly from dealers hall. That is just one market demographic.

>loot haul vlogs > name calling

>>9452196
>I think it's dumb to ignore an entire demographic at a con regardless of your reason. I'll take money from just about anyone.
>>9452223
>That is just one market demographic.
tfw my tables demographic is a bunch of thirsty neckbeards looking for animu gf.

>>9452156
I'm trying to figure out why you think that loot haul vlogs are even slightly evident of ANY market as a whole, and coming up short. People whose preferred hobby is vlogging is a very tiny overlap on the Venn Diagram of people who buy art.

I mean, it makes sense that vloggers are usually not cosplayers, because those are two different hobbies...?

Sage because I offer nothing but confused bafflement to this conversation.

>>9452195
There are some brands of paper that don't show a watermark on the back. Look for 2 sided printing paper, in the end I don't think the buyer cares as long as the prints don't have obvious streaks.

>>9452242
Not to mention that haul vlogs are essentially giant advertisements for any of the products featured. In case it wasn't obvious already, a lot of the vloggers are sponsored and have a good chunk of their products given to them.
>t. makeup haul vlogger before you ask

It's not going to make sense to feature a bunch of AA merch when you're going to be replying to "Where can I buy that keychain?" comments with "Sorry! You can't! AA exclusive merch from an artist whose webshop hasn't been updated in ages."

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Thoughts on MXM giving free tables to Youmacon artists?

>>9452379
What even is MMX? Is it as big as YoumaCon? I don't think they should be doing this since YoumaCon's AA signups haven't even begun so it was all still fair game. They made it unfair for everyone by catering to some other event's artists. What's up with the sad tumblr hugbox tone of the post too? "we're ok everyone hugs for everyone take a deep breath uwu" lmao

>>9452231
Hey, if they have the money I'm perfectly happy to give them their hunnies.

>>9452379
no thoughts at this particular moment. I think that it's fair to MMX artists (who I assume are all in-state since it's a small con.) maybe not so much to the rest of us who wanted to go to Youmacon, because it looks like the number of available tables by half.

>>9450334
What exactly are you looking for then? If you don't gain attention for your work, how are you going to build a fanbase of customers willing to pay for it?

>>9452654
Not that anon, but I think you're misinterpreting. That anon doesn't want attention going toward themselves but getting attention drawn toward their art is entirely different. That's how I read it at least. You can easily disconnect yourself from your art when posting online.

>>9452379
>>9452420
>>9452603
I'm actually stuck here in Chicago because I was going to MMX and it got cancelled. The turnout was projected at around 8k? Not Youmacon but not bad either, and it's run by the same people. I'm definitely taking that table offer though, getting screwed out of an entire event after flying here is ass.

>>9443086
You could always draw yourself with a huge bush and see if that scares him off

>>9453272
The draw me like one of your tumblr girls method. Genius! >>9443086, you gotta draw yourself like one of the girls in that hideous, horrible Love Live tumblr-kei redesign drawing.

>>9453187
That's terrible, are there other people in the same situation?

>>9453377
I'm sure there must be, the event got cancelled just 3 days before it was supposed to start.

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For anons who do prints, what is the best selling IP or subject matter for you personally?

>>9453522
Anything yoi, before that Pokemon go stuff was pretty big but that fad died really fast.

>>9453522
overwatch by far. specifically my group prints. the market is a bit flooded with mercy/dva/widow/mei pinups atm

>>9453522
I have a set of Young Justice prints that have been consistent sellers, even at anime conventions. Also in general, just comics-related stuff. DC, Marvel, mostly.

>>9453522
Overwatch for me as well. Although I have a couple of prints for Western TV shows that seem to do well because no one else really makes merch for them. At SVCC everyone kept asking me if I had prints for The Office and I had to tell them no.

>>9453522
Jojo probably. Also Oyasumi Punpun, it's interesting to note that I get a good amount of sales from people who don't know about the manga but like my art.

>>9454769
Really? I never see anyone selling Punpun at all, I didn't think that would sell.

>>9453522

Currently YOI, last year was Love Stage!! For reference, I only draw BL fanart.

>>9443287
>>9443311
>All the Canadian artists I know do it illegally.
Our supreme glorious leader Trump was right about Canada after all
#MAGA

>tfw being arrested and deported for drawing animu

>>9454953
It sells because no one else sells it.

>>9455061
American artists do the same thing when they go sell at Canadian cons.

>>9455121
Does Canada even have cons worth going to?

>>9455234
A lot of my comic friends do VanCAF and TCAF every year. Anime artists tend do Anime North and Otakuthon. One of my friends said it's not super worth it because of the exchange rates though.

Sorry if this is a spoonfed question, I tried looking through the OP links but can't seem to find. I saw on AANI the cat lobster clasps and I couldn't find the link to them

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>>9445394
Thank you so much. After you brought up your PO agent I decided to try the post office the town over and they were much more accommodating and allowed the charms to ship as large envelopes. It never occurred to me that it was up to the PO agent's discretion, I simply thought USPS had changed the rules without me knowing. I'm sorry you have to deal with your PO agent being a dick.

>>9455349
I went on AANI to see what you meant and because they mentioned a pixiv artist, I tried looking it up in japanese and I think I found it.

What you're looking for it called "猫顔キーホルダー金具" It's just "cat-face keychain fixture" in japanese. If you google it, you can find several sites to purchase it from. Hopefully one of them can ship to where you live.

For future anons, if you see cute shit on japanese charms that you want, keywords to search are "カニカン" (keychain), and "カニカン" (lobster clasp). The rest can be filled in with google translate.

>>9455535
>"猫顔キーホルダー金具" It's just "cat-face keychain fixture" in japanese
Holy shit, that's cute.

>>9455535
>"カニカン" (keychain), and "カニカン" (lobster clasp)
You filled in the same term twice anon. I think you meant キーホルダー金具 for keychain fixture? Thank you though, the cat clasp is really cute, I'd love to find some way to use it.

>>9455099
That's what I think it is, I guess it's not quite popular enough to be mainstream but somewhat known enough that people buy it. I guess I got lucky for that.

Hi! So I am by no means an AA veteran who cons all the time. I've done a couple, once AX and some smaller cons. I would love to start doing it more but I don't want to do it alone, but my friend who I have done it with has zero interest in doing it on a more consistent basis, she tables with me more for the 'experience and fun' and not for profit. Do you guys have someone you always partner with or do you table with someone..random (???) Or do you go solo? I want to do more cons but am to pussy to do it alone I guess, esp when I have such little experience..Any advice or feedback would be greatly appreciated!

>>9455831
Most people in these threads go solo, but I know we have a handful of people who do split tables on a fairly consistent basis. Maybe they can pitch in. Is there any reason you want to table with a buddy? From my personal experience, it's always been easier to table by myself. Obviously help makes everything easier, but I have a table helper for that.

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>>9455831
Sounds like you are ready to go solo. You could have spent time networking, finding other artist are in the same boat in table splitting etc. Another artist may feel more comfortable splitting with someone they see consistantly at AA for instance instead of some random imho.

>>9455845
I would love feedback from going solo or partnering up! Personally for me I think I am more comfortable tabling with someone because I guess I am scared of tabling alone???? (desu idk how people just table alone off the bat, kudos to all of you). Going to cons big or small seems so daunting to handle alone, and at least when I am with my friend it's fun to have someone to talk to and it isn't as lonely :') Sorry for asking a stupid question but is there a difference between a table helper vs. Tabling with someone??? And how does one go about "getting/hiring" a table helper? Are they friends? Mutuals?

Tl;dr
I prefer tabling with someone to help lessen the burden of going to cons and it seems less daunting and scary with a friend!

>>9455847
Ah you think so??? I don't feel ready...I guess im just nervous, im not much of a go getter and having a friend that has my back makes me feel better obvi. But I guess it's taking that first step to conning alone. I really do admire those who do it alone, I always thought AA people partnered together always and such, I guess I was wrong!

For people who sell at small conventions, what's the average amount you make from cons with under 500 people attending?

>>9455849
Table helper would just be like a friend/family member or someone else to chill with you so you can take bathroom/food breaks and help carry table supplies with you. Sometimes people offer them compensation like paying for their badge, dinner, etc or giving them money. They don't sell their own stuff which is why they're not tabling with you.

If you do table alone getting an outgoing helper friend will help ease you into it I think. You can ask them to explore the con while you try selling alone, kind of like training wheels I guess if you're that worried about it. Just remember the people you're selling to are nerds, don't be so nervous about talking to them. Sorry that got kind of long!

>>9455849
>Sorry for asking a stupid question but is there a difference between a table helper vs. Tabling with someone???

Yes. Tabling with someone means the two of you are both selling and you're probably splitting the costs of the table. Basically what you were already doing. Having a table helper just means you got a friend/fan/a rando off of Craigslist to help you with your table. They're not selling. They're just there to help you (watch the table while you eat/use the restroom/shop around).

> And how does one go about "getting/hiring" a table helper? Are they friends? Mutuals?

My main table helper is one of my fans who told me she'd love to be my helper at one con. I took her up on the offer. She gets paid with a pass (most AA tables come with an extra pass for helpers), a room (as in she shares a room with me), and food. I know a lot of artists will use their friends as helpers, too. All of my friends are normies, though, so I was SOL there. Other options include your mom, your friend's friend, some guy on the con Facebook group who said he'd do anything for a free pass, and your ex's little sister (all previous helpers before I found my permanent one, by the way).

Honestly, I think you are ready to go solo. I DO recommend getting a helper, though. It's all of the pros of tabling with someone (second set of eyes, someone to watch your stuff while you do whatever) and none of the cons ("ugh anon you are making SO much more than me").

>>9455862
>>9455863
ahhh! Okay that makes a lot of sense and that's actually pretty convenient to have a helper around! I guess the sound of having a table helper sounded like really popular con artists that sell a lot and need help etc. My mistake haha;; I'll definitely think about going solo or bringing a friend/someone to help me, I think that would take the burden of going alone off my shoulders. Thank you both so much!

--

I have one more question to anyone, sorry to be a bother. But when starting to do cons, is it normal to make just a small amount? I've read the past threads where people are breaking 10k, or making 5k+ etc. I don't make anywhere near as much. This doesn't discourage me, I guess it just makes me question if I am doing something wrong or not enough. Am I not making enough prints/merch? I heard being versatile and having a lot of things is the best way to go ie. buttons, charms, stickers, pillows, postcards, prints, etc. etc. Since I'm just starting, I don't have too much to begin with, 15+ prints and charms and such, but that isn't getting me to even the 1k mark;;

AHH SORRY FOR SO MANY QUESTIONS. I just really want to feel prepared for future cons.

>>9455870
I'm new too (like three small conventions in), and I just broke $500 at my last one where I sold acrylic charms for the first time. Before that I was only making $100-200 because my style doesn't suit big prints very well right now. It could be the style of your art with the series you're drawing making it difficult? You can always post here for feedback if you're looking for honest feedback. I did it a while ago, and it helped me a lot.

I think convention size also ends up being a big factor too, what sort of attendance numbers are your cons reporting?

>>9455870
bro, to make it to the top, you must start from the bottom.
capiche?

Most people lose money on their first run of cons, this is normal.

Earning more comes with experience and finding out what your's selling niche. It takes time, chill and you will find your space

>>9455875
Yeah maybe I will post some art from some real feedback, I'm sure it'll help. Mmm so anime expo was my first con which was pretty big attendance, another con I did was a bit smaller and maybe 2.5-3k attended?

>>9455878
capiche. Thanks, needed to hear this :)

>>9455881
You could try small local conventions maybe? I'm the newbie anon you're replying to, and my small cons were 100-300 attendance. It's helped to figure out what stuff sells well without dealing with high costs for travel, hotels, table fees, etc. so I'll know what to stock for larger conventions if that makes sense. Most new businesses see losses at first, it's expected so try to see any profit as good for just starting out! Good luck and I hope if you post your art you get some good feedback.

>>9455862
There's a really small (I think around 500) but local one day con that I go to every year and usually make about $200-300 at. It's not much, but I have next to no costs going thanks to how dirt cheap the tables are.

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I'm a complete newbie to artist alleys, but I have always wanted to do my own stall. I've been thinking about making active preparations for doing one later this year, however, the con I would like to exhibit at has a ban on fan art in the artist alley. So it's kind of awkward seen as it would be my first artist alley and I don't really know the ropes on what sells vs what doesn't.

Does anyone have recommendations on what I could do that isn't fan art that would sell? For reference the con is an anime/Japan themed con.

>>9456032
generic magical girls?

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For those who do prints, how many do you usually sell per con? Preparing for my first con here, and I don't know how much stock I should bring. I don't want to be short, and I don't want to spend tons of extra cash getting way too much supply.
I'd say my first con will be medium sized. But, any help with smaller/larger sized con stock is also helpful.

>>9455831
I personally can't do 2 or more day cons alone. I just get depressed from being alone and that affects my sales. Not to mention the benefit of being able to take breaks with a partner. Idk how people do it solo honestly.
I just table with a friend who just sales a little bit of art, so she takes up like 1/4 of the table. I don't really like splitting a table, I have too much stuff to do that.

>>9455862
$0 Even if its local, tiny cons just aren't worth it unless the table was very cheap and regular admission is very cheap or free.

> is it normal to make just a small amount? I've read the past threads where people are breaking 10k, or making 5k+

Very very few are making over $5k, especially outside of giant convention with over 25k attendance

I was making around $600 my first year, $1,200 my second, then up to $3,000 my 3rd year. Don't worry if you aren't making much now, as long as you are making any kind of profit, its good. If you aren't making much more money a year later, then thats a problem.

>>9456106
it really depends on the content. at medium (10-15k attendance?) i'll typically sell between 30-40 of popular prints and 5-15 of my less popular ones. cons in the 20-30k range, i'll sell 50-60 popular stuff and 10-20 less popular, so it varies pretty wildly

>>9455870
I stock only prints and badges and I make minimum 2k per con (for cons with 5k or more attendees, which are the only ones i attend). its better to address your skill level, style and the subject of your merch before you spend a lot of money getting different merch types.

>>9456032
cute animals (especially cats) always sell well. you can also do illustrations on popular tropes in anime.
although the biggest factor in your sales (from my own experience in non-fanart cons) will be your skill level and style, rather than subject

>>9456106
one artist might sell 50 prints of YOI in one con and another might sell 1-2 pity buys of a YOI print.
Dont go into your first con trying to maximize your sales. it is way, way, way better to sell out even if you 'miss out' on profit. treat it as a learning experience.
i would recommend 10 copies per print or less if it isnt a FOTM series.

if you have a decent online following (5k or above followers, for example) you might be able to do more because that indicates your art is well received by people, but online attention doesn't necessarily translate to irl attention.

Help please
How do I store 13x19 prints without them being damaged?

>>9456322
Go to your art store and get portfolio folders

Let's say throughout the year(s) you draw a lot of fanart from prepping for cons and/or just for fun. So now you have a ton of potential prints, do you print them all and display them at your table??? Or through do you stop selling some prints and replace it with other newer art? Or keep selling 'old' prints you've done like 4 years ago.

Kinda example, you have 40+ pieces of fanart, do u print and sell all or choose like 25 out of the 40 to sell?

And lets say you make a...print from some anime that was popular that year, but would you be selling it 5 years later???

>>9456506
sell the old stock in a discount bin sorta thing, unless you know there's a dedicated fandom for the old thing.

>>9456106

Don't overdo it; being short and selling out of something too early is better than having enough and then a ton left over.

A tip: if one of your prints turns out to be wildly popular and sells out the first day, you could do some last minute prints at a Fedex/Kinkos/Office Depot or whatever's in the area; convention centers and hotels usually having something like that nearby for business use. The print quality might not be as nice, and you'll pay more per print, but you've pretty much confirmed at that point that the print will be a seller, so it would be worth it. I keep all my print files on dropbox so they're accessible away from home in case I run into this situation.

Adding up the costs to go to this brand new con it will be about $600 for me to go and sell. Is that too much? What is your limit for costs?

>>9456658
Brand new first year? Which con, anon. Probably not worth it.

Though for me, any cost higher than $25 is too much for me for a first year con. I've been screwed over by too many and have decided to just not attend them unless they're super local.

>>9456658
no way. Don't spend $600 on a con unless you KNOW you will make $1500+ minimum. I've not even made $600 at some small cons. $600 will be the most I ever spent at momocon which is coming up soon, and thats a big convention.

>>9456658
Are you travelling far? Like by plane??? I stay nearby and local or even drive a few hours to other cities for cons. I don't think I've spent more than $250 for a con so far. I would say for a HUGE well known con, ie AX I would spend max 400 imo

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anyone else have dreams about the day someone shares a good source on male mousepads with nips, or is that just me

>>9457308
Probably just you and some lazy minority - go out there and find sources on your own time and dime.

>>9457335

i've been looking for months and only like 3 people have sources for the male shape that i've seen but sure, it's just cuz i'm lazy

>>9454953

If you don't see merch of something you really like, make it because chances are, there are a lot of customers who also really like the thing. I made a few different pieces of Tamagotchi merchandise just because you can't even find Tamagotchi related stuff in the dealers' room these days. I seriously underestimated the buying power of nostalgic girls. Tamagotchi outsold my Overwatch stuff.

>>9457308
>>9457383
You know you can just ask oppai mousepad suppliers to do the square shape for you, right? You're making your life so much more difficult than it needs to be.

Do selling dolls do well at cons? What about crochet stuffed animals and stuff?

>>9457466
I personally love seeing stuffed animals at cons. I generally try to buy cute animals if I see them! I have a couple of friends who are crafters and they draw in crowds with fandom related plushies while promoting their original stuff.

I think the return is definitely lower than prints because you have to spend time + material crafting each individual piece, but if you have the resources, then go for it!

New thread: >>9457706

>>9457466
I think crocheted stuffed animals look like shit.

>>9457803
crocheted stuffed animals also are not worth the time. You could probably work on something for 12 hours when it would have taken you 4 hours to sew.

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>>9459449