[ Poll ] Artists Alley Information Compilation

Most intimidating thing about your first AA?

What if I don't sell anything?		22.1%	[ 137 ]
What if I don't break Even?		12.0%	[ 74 ]
What if they HATE my work?		28.8%	[ 178 ]
What if I sell out of prints too soon?		4.0%	[ 25 ]
All of the other artists are going to think I suck!		21.2%	[ 131 ]
Other (Please share!)		12.0%	[ 74 ]

Total Votes: 619

[pearberrie]

Konbanwa_megami

I have an artist alley table at metrocon this year and I was wondering, how long to you guys stick around your table? The dealers room is open friday 12-7pm, saturday 10am-7pm and sunday 10am-5 pm. The default check in time for the hotel room is at 4pm friday should I try to arrive earlier that day to open my table?

actually I'd be interested to know how long people stay at their tables too xD

for me we stick around till there seems like no one else is coming or until closing but I'm thinking of always leaving after 9pm this year since last year I don't remember having any one walk past who was actually seriously going to buy anything after that time, plus people tend to start acting a bit higher on the irritating scale around 11pm

[StarMasayume]

I always seem to get there a little late. I don't know how much I miss out on not being there when the artist alley opens--it's just always hard to manage. Especially if you're traveling a distance or going with friends. I try to stay as long as I can but tend to pack up around 7-8 I think (or when the con closes)

I plan to go to metro now too smile Just have to find out if I can share a table with anyone or if I'll be getting one on my own.

[Konbanwa_megami]

oh you'd better hurry! there's like 7 tables left! That'd be pretty cool to see you there.

[Vicemage]

In Alleys with posted hours, I tend to be there generally from open to close, especially if it's an alley that locks down at night (since I leave my stuff behind). At some of the ones that are a more open-style alley (where I take everything when I close up), I'll often show up a little after opening, since few people are up and about early anyway at cons. I'll still typically remain until closing, though. For ones with fully open hours (no opening or closing) I'll show up around mid-morning and leave either when I get tired/hungry, or when it seems like not many people are buying anymore and my time would be better spent in my hotel room working on commissions.

As far as hotel check-in, usually I request an early check-in, or go with a group so one person can check us in while another watches tables. smile

[Shadow Ivy]

pearberrie

Konbanwa_megami

I have an artist alley table at metrocon this year and I was wondering, how long to you guys stick around your table? The dealers room is open friday 12-7pm, saturday 10am-7pm and sunday 10am-5 pm. The default check in time for the hotel room is at 4pm friday should I try to arrive earlier that day to open my table?

actually I'd be interested to know how long people stay at their tables too xD

for me we stick around till there seems like no one else is coming or until closing but I'm thinking of always leaving after 9pm this year since last year I don't remember having any one walk past who was actually seriously going to buy anything after that time, plus people tend to start acting a bit higher on the irritating scale around 11pm

Usually, I stayed at my table until it was time to close up, such as with ACen where it shut down at 7, and Animazement where it shut down at 10. For the artist alleys that were basically 24-hours, 10 was my average leaving time since most people were pretty much looking to party and/or had gone home for the day by then.

[Konbanwa_megami]

Vicemage

In Alleys with posted hours, I tend to be there generally from open to close, especially if it's an alley that locks down at night (since I leave my stuff behind). At some of the ones that are a more open-style alley (where I take everything when I close up), I'll often show up a little after opening, since few people are up and about early anyway at cons. I'll still typically remain until closing, though. For ones with fully open hours (no opening or closing) I'll show up around mid-morning and leave either when I get tired/hungry, or when it seems like not many people are buying anymore and my time would be better spent in my hotel room working on commissions.

As far as hotel check-in, usually I request an early check-in, or go with a group so one person can check us in while another watches tables. smile

I was thinking about being there open to close but that would be too much for me. metrocon's artist alley is open 12pm-3am on friday, 9am to 3am again on saturday and 9am-5pm on sunday. The earliest I'd probably get there would be 2pm on friday. Another thing I have to consider is the fact that I'm bringing my 4 month old son with me so I definitely wouldn't want to stay that late. I was planing on setting up around 4pm-6pm friday, 10-6 saturday and 10-3 on sunday. I want to be able to leave for dinner and probably enjoy some of the con after sitting at the table the whole day. But do you think 6 is too early to leave? I do have 2 other friends coming along with me and my hubby to help me with juggling the baby and the table lol.

[Nyawyn]

I personally, think 6 is way too early to leave, but I also usually stay to the very end of closing each night (when there's a designated closing time) If i leave earlier its usually around 10 - 11 and only if there aren't attendees shopping around.

[Fiammetta Rey]

I'm living with false hope

And my eyes just want to see a ray of light

I'm gonna find it in my fairy tale...

Do limited edition prints sell for much more than regular ones? Or do people not really care?

[Konbanwa_megami]

Nyawyn

I personally, think 6 is way too early to leave, but I also usually stay to the very end of closing each night (when there's a designated closing time) If i leave earlier its usually around 10 - 11 and only if there aren't attendees shopping around.

the only convention I've had an artist alley table was at the local one so it was pretty small. This will be my first time selling at metrocon so I guess I could profit more from staying later, maybe I'll stay to at least 8.

Another thing I'd probably need to consider are my prices since at a smaller con there's less competition but with a big con like metro maybe my art won't sell as well.

[Vicemage]

For the midwesterners hanging out here:

Kakkoi|Con no more

(I will NOT give details, no matter how much you ask, but I will say the following: The message, the source I got it from, and the source of this message all combined do not sit well with me, and I likely will not attend the renamed convention if/when it happens.)

[muffin babie]

Isn't it... not in Minneapolis? This is strange to me.

It didn't seen to have a very good pilot year, in any case. I wasn't really planning on heading back there, either.

[Vicemage]

Well, it's not anywhere this coming year, either way, but if it had continued under the prior management, I MAY have considered going again (though, tbh, had I realized who was pulling the strings the first year I might not have gone at all then, either, but I was mislead). There are cons that can pull out of the rough spots, but I really don't think this will be one of them. At this point, I'm interested to see if it ever actually happens again or not.

[pearberrie]

ok who has some cost saving tips for the artist alley? espically for those big cons where you need to pay a few hundred for the hotel and good chuck of cash for parking etc? it's really hard to break even when your hotel cost is 2-500.00 D: and no one is interested in hotel share -.-;

so far the only cost saving tip I've found this year is I'm going to make my own gift boxes for jewelry items using scrap paper instead of buying new boxes.