Artists Alley Information Thread

Selling at Cons is best during the...

Spring	11.6%	[ 83 ]
Summer	30.3%	[ 217 ]
Fall	7.0%	[ 50 ]
Winter	5.3%	[ 38 ]
Any time!	45.7%	[ 327 ]
Total Votes:			[ 715 ]

[Vicemage]

I've found both when I've actually staffed, and when I've talked to friends who have staffed, that the left hand proverbially rarely knows what the right hand is doing... people work without communication, whole departments are mysteries to others. It seems almost like some of the staffers use their amateur status as an excuse to not act professionally, instead of making the effort to do the best they can.

With Fallcon, yeah, once you're on the invite list it's pretty painless overall... last year my reg packet got lost and I got dropped from the creator list, but added back in when I contacted them (with an apology for them not following up on my failure to respond) and no troubles at all. I was neighbors with my usual partners-in-crime, so I had help with table-sitting, and I didn't have any trouble adding a last-minute assistant either. Everything with them just tends to flow so much more smoothly than anything at an anime con.

(Like, say, the con I'm going to tomorrow, which I've just received word is AGAIN not going to have a specific Artist Alley line. ONLY con I attend that doesn't bump artists forward or into a separate line, and for some reason is stubborn as hell about changing it no matter how many complaints have been made.)

[Kaxen]

It is annoying when all the info is on the forums instead of the actual site. Especially when nowhere really says that.

Bad communication at a con drives me nuts. Especially when people point you to the wrong too fricking huge line.

[Jayde Panda]

I agree; basic updates and information should really be kept up-to-date on the website. Being fairly new to the whole AA thing, I've found it difficult to find info for AA on a lot of cons' websites. That is very frustrating. Anime USA was a particular pain; I only found out about registration through the friend of a friend who happened to do AA there. However, after that first year, I've gotten invitations to return, so I don't have to deal with finding info on it now.

[Nyawyn]

Kasyrrah

I agree; basic updates and information should really be kept up-to-date on the website. Being fairly new to the whole AA thing, I've found it difficult to find info for AA on a lot of cons' websites. That is very frustrating. Anime USA was a particular pain; I only found out about registration through the friend of a friend who happened to do AA there. However, after that first year, I've gotten invitations to return, so I don't have to deal with finding info on it now.

wow, thats really close to what happened to us with anime usa. only i actually knew someone on staff and still didnt get the right info at the time. i found out last minute there were only 2 slots left by chance i was poking around the forums and randomly found the notification post. (cause. their forums dont break down their categories very well).

fortunately we got in on time and we'll be at anime usa.

[AEAcomics]

Here's a question: what size buttons would you guys say are the most popular? I'm looking at a template and the 1" seems so tiny...

[Vicemage]

From what I've seen selling at other tables, heard from those who sell them, and seen on people walking around, the 1" and 1.5" seem to be the better sellers. This may potentially be because they're cheaper, or it may be because the small size makes them easier to stick just about anywhere (lots of people have bags/bag straps, hats and lanyards covered in them... I"ve covered part of my canvas badge holder in buttons, myself, though only a couple are actual purchased ones).

[Nyawyn]

The button that I use is a 1.25 size and is probably at least from what ive seen, to be the most common size. i do agree that 1 is too small.

[Kaxen]

DarKlawStudios

Here's a question: what size buttons would you guys say are the most popular? I'm looking at a template and the 1" seems so tiny...

1 is definitely tiny.

I prefer the range of 1.25 to 1.75 inches.

[Nyawyn]

How much are you guys charging for your buttons? ours are at 1 dollar but we were considering raising the price to 2.

[AEAcomics]

Oh my, apparently the con nearest to me had 3 tables in the artist alley last year. On the one hand, low traffic. On the other hand...no competition. I've been poking around the forums and it sounds like I could do alright just taking quick commissions.

But on the subject of buttons, does anyone have a button maker? How much did it cost, how quick did it pay for itself? Where'd you buy it? biggrin

[muffin babie]

I charge a dollar for 1.25'' buttons. They're small and cheap, and tend to just about go flying. Also, most people sell theirs for a dollar or a buck fifty, so if you go much more than that on 1.25'' buttons, they won't sell as well. Unless they're obscenely cute or something.

I got my button machine through badge-a-minit. It's (relatively) inexpensive. When I bought my machine, I got all the parts, plus 100 blanks, for, I wanna say, 90$.
From what I've heard, at least, that's a lot less than other machines/places.

[Nyawyn]

DarKlawStudios

Oh my, apparently the con nearest to me had 3 tables in the artist alley last year. On the one hand, low traffic. On the other hand...no competition. I've been poking around the forums and it sounds like I could do alright just taking quick commissions.

But on the subject of buttons, does anyone have a button maker? How much did it cost, how quick did it pay for itself? Where'd you buy it? biggrin

myself and a friend of mine both have machines from http://www.americanbuttonmachines.com/

The machines and parts are expensive, however you get a high quality product in terms of the machine itself and a high quality button after making it. Ive also seen several other artists using this particular brand.

I used to have a badge a minit and honestly i wasnt thrilled with it. I felt that the buttons it produced were sub standard for whats being sold in artist alleys and often the buttons produced had a defect in them, most often the plastic didn't fully wrap around the image and seal.

[AEAcomics]

Hm, the rotary machine looks like a much higher quailty product than the badge-a-minit one, even if it's a larger initial investment. But if your buttons sell fast, it will pay for itself after a few cons.

I also found this website, http://www.buttonbiz.com that seems to be more expensive than http://www.americanbuttonmachines.com

Hmmm. I'm eyeing that 1.25" machine... $340, free shipping, a bunch of stuff included. http://stores.americanbuttonmachines.com/Detail.bok?no=38