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Selling at Cons is best during the...

Spring 0.11470588235294 11.5% [ 117 ]
Summer 0.29411764705882 29.4% [ 300 ]
Fall 0.07156862745098 7.2% [ 73 ]
Winter 0.054901960784314 5.5% [ 56 ]
Any time! 0.46470588235294 46.5% [ 474 ]
Total Votes:[ 1020 ]

Haha, I'm in the same situation. :'D The worst part is that they often don't realise that everyone isn't doing as well as they are, so they keep trying to convince me to go to more cons far off.

Dapper Dabbler

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Does anyone do PMX? How is it?

I might go this year to check it out. My brother never went to cons when we were teenagers, but now he's out to do more conventions. He seems to like photographing cosplay.

Well, he treats Comic-Con like a business venture. He just sells all his comic-con exclusives and stuff.

Since I have relatives in LA county and I live in San Diego county, I was thinking of going to more conventions in both areas (minus Comic-Con, too blasted crowded and expensive). Maybe go to AM2 and Anime Conji too.

And someone at Anime Expo gave me a card for "Designer Con" which sounds interesting, but it's seems to be more like a one-day toy/figure fair. It's not too expensive though. It's like $250 for a 10'x10' booth. But I don't think my plushies are quality enough to compete with actual toy and figure companies yet (even the little ones).
Otakon was a bust, heres to hoping NYCC isnt so bad

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Cetriya
Otakon was a bust, heres to hoping NYCC isnt so bad
I heard the staff were terrible to the artists cuz of the 50/50 rule

Benevolent Fatcat

I was accepted into Ohayocon! I've never been before and it'll be my first time at a no-fanart convention. Anyone been there before?

Ruthless Consumer

Dropping this link here for people interested in going to otakon A warning for artists to beware the staff. I know the artist that wrote this and i totally vouch for what happened neutral
I've been seeing that all over tumblr recently, it's really a shame. ): I'd say that otakon will probably see a drop in artist attendance if they don't sack the guy, except that tables there are so in-demand there would still probably be enough people who either didn't hear about it or don't care to fill their alley anyways. Stilll, I'm glad that the word going spreading around.
[Kako]
I've been seeing that all over tumblr recently, it's really a shame. ): I'd say that otakon will probably see a drop in artist attendance if they don't sack the guy, except that tables there are so in-demand there would still probably be enough people who either didn't hear about it or don't care to fill their alley anyways. Stilll, I'm glad that the word going spreading around.


I pretty much feel this way as well - I don't doubt the story for a moment, nor argue that the guy was in the wrong. The part that particularly annoys me is when he tells the other person to go away as he goes deliberately for the "weaker" link (not literally you know what I mean). If you're going to be rude towards someone because you think you're in the right, well have the balls to say it straight up to everyone involved. It was weak and cowardly.

At the same time I find a lot of the Tumblr responses OTT. While I can understand they want the guy removed, I can't see it happening. The main reason is that he is not getting paid and if the AA there is run generally smoothly, the higher up staff literally have no motivation to out him, basically for the reason you said here already - its a popular convention and there will be no end of artists to replace those who decide not to go. Even if there's a drain in talent, they're still getting the cash for the tables and it won't bother the average con goer - maybe a few people will be disappointed their favourite artists aren't going.

In theory, the artists there are paying out a lot of cash that at least entitles them to be dealt with with a little respect. Well, I find some of the parallels interesting to the American workplace really - they have the power and if you want to have a go at making some money there you're either going to put up and shut up or leave. I doubt there are any protections here, but it is a realistic eye opener to how American workplaces/businesses can work. By a degree of separation it says why unions are important, and employment at will is shitty. Either way young people (like going into college and stuff) need to know this is the kind of thing they likely will encounter in the future somewhere (where excess job seekers leads to poor worker rights) and what the best way to navigate it is.

Like you said also, the silver lining here is at least these two artists were popular enough to get some light shined on this. I imagine it will get big enough so that the con will end up putting some kind of public message out, and if they care about it at least get the satisfaction of some public image damage. Will they want to come back? Will they be allowed to? Wait and see I guess. For the rest of us mediocres *sniff*, we wouldn't even get a meek outrage. Oh well!
SamhainStar

Like you said also, the silver lining here is at least these two artists were popular enough to get some light shined on this. I imagine it will get big enough so that the con will end up putting some kind of public message out, and if they care about it at least get the satisfaction of some public image damage. Will they want to come back? Will they be allowed to? Wait and see I guess. For the rest of us mediocres *sniff*, we wouldn't even get a meek outrage. Oh well!


I don't really agree with this! If there's one thing I've found from doing Artists' Alleys and maintaining things like this thread, it's that AAs in the states, or even in North America in general, are basically just a big network of friends and friends of friends and so on. Pretty much everyone who sells at them regularly is connected to everyone else by a social chain of variable length. And we artists like to protect our own! In this particular case, the artists in question did have a lot of friends, but even in the case of artists who only have one or two friends in the alley I expect that word would spread. They'd mention it to their one or two AA friends, who would in turn share it with their AA friends... it may take a little longer, but I think there'd be a strong reaction to this sort of behavior regardless of the popularity of the artist in question.

boybaka's Significant Otter

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Hey all,
Just wanted to say that this thread is super useful. I'm currently reading page 193/288. o.0

Anyways, I've sold illustrations and jewelry at several small steampunk events and craft faires. I'm selling at a con for the first time in a little over a month. It's Conjecture, a sci-fi/fantasy con. They don't have an AA, so I'm jumping right in and got a booth in the dealer's hall. I'm probably out of my mind sweatdrop but wish me luck anyway?

Dangerous Hunter

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hey evryone! emotion_bigheart
just a quick question from a lost artist haha
would you buy this if you'd see it on aa? and what merch should i make out of it so it would sell?
also planning on doing iron man, batman, superman and catgirl and wonderwoman
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boybaka's Significant Otter

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FallenGITS
hey evryone! emotion_bigheart
just a quick question from a lost artist haha
would you buy this if you'd see it on aa? and what merch should i make out of it so it would sell?
also planning on doing iron man, batman, superman and catgirl and wonderwoman
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I would buy a Batman or Iron man drawing in that style as a bookmark or a mini print. 3nodding
Hey guys, sorry if I've been a bit MIA. But things having been going good for me con-wise.
In fact, I'm finally going to my first out-of-town con! biggrin

I just have one question, how do you guys deal with luggage? Particularly, stuff for your table?
I'm taking Greyhound and I'm not sure if checking all my bags is the best solution. Thoughts? Tips?
CuteyHoneyChan
Hey guys, sorry if I've been a bit MIA. But things having been going good for me con-wise.
In fact, I'm finally going to my first out-of-town con! biggrin

I just have one question, how do you guys deal with luggage? Particularly, stuff for your table?
I'm taking Greyhound and I'm not sure if checking all my bags is the best solution. Thoughts? Tips?

Haha it ends up being something you kinda learn to deal with!

A lot of this depends on what you sell. Do you do prints? Plushies? How big is your inventory?

I'm primarily a print artist, and I'm usually able to fit everything I need into one suitcase for smaller cons. The tricky part is getting it to be under 50 lbs. as per most airline regulations, but sometimes I can take a folder of prints out to lighten the load. Generally, the rule is to minimize your other things (clothes, toiletries, etc.) to the bare necessities, and leave the rest of the room for your AA stuff. Try to keep it into one bag. If you have a PVC display, cut them into smaller pieces so that they can fit easily into your bag.

When it comes to actual travel, I usually pay the extra to check the bag. Depending on how far you're traveling, it just isn't really worth having to deal with clunky luggage for like 3+ hours. Put as much of the small stuff you need into a carry-on bag, and try to keep all the big stuff to your luggage.

boybaka's Significant Otter

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I have a couple of questions for everyone who makes buttons. How many buttons do you guys normally sell in a weekend at a smallish con? Also, do people tend to buy more fanart buttons or more original art buttons? I ordered a new Tecre 1 1/4" button machine and I have around 40 designs done so far, but I'm trying to figure out which designs are more likely to sell so that I don't waste button parts. Many Thanks!

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