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We're filling these up pretty quickly! Old thread >>8826738
It's been a while since we've had anyone dump pictures of table setups. Anyone got something? I'd love to see some that have jewelry for sale.
>Resources
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1l-9tZn_PaqsZWkb5SB_aqwh7uvURyoLgdsQiuz_Ty08/edit#gid=0
>Taobao/Alibaba services
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/14zGSegr0b-429wZq5_xdMbE9hpLcXg8fqqe0OxnU2Yo/edit#gid=0
>Artist Spreadsheet
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ESQ-1h4IRUivbGNaxJFxXyDU1lSv26xTmMdH0sDX7sU/edit?usp=sharing
>How to order from Vograce
https://docs.google.com/document/d/18UxKnpgrmeb82NnW5e4YIEX-eZ3zHt178Mp6i0A5gME/edit?usp=sharing
Anyone have any examples of amateurish 'tumblr' drawing traits done in a pleasing manner?
ex. red nose, intentionally varied faces, 'ugly' traits without being an ugly drawing, etc..
I feel like a lot of these things are picked on because of the personalities and skill levels of the people cranking them out and the fact that they're riding a wave rather than the aspects themselves.
>>8838990
Probably not suited for an AA thread. You see threads like that every so often on other boards and people comment that the art might be good but the artist throws on so many of those things so it's not possible to be pleasing to the eye. It's so bad that people can identify people who browse Tumblr by their art style so I imagine it would take some time to find someone unique or likable.
This might belong in the dumb questions thread, bear with me.
A good while ago someone posted a link to holographic lamination film off taobao ( https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=7047868863 ) and seemed to get OK results with it. I'm contemplating getting some since they're so cheap.
I haven't really laminated stuff before. I'm assuming cold lamination always means the film just has one self-adhesive side (like a sticker)? So if I were to buy this, do I still need a cold laminating machine, or is there a decent way to do this at home without a machine?
Also, I'm normally pretty decent at figuring out taobao stuff but I can't figure out why this listing is so much cheaper than all the others they have. It still says 50xA5 in the title, so I don't think it's for a smaller amount or anything.
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=5220921375
>>8839013
I use a plastic kitchen scraper, but it marks a lot of "lines" which are not that visible unless you are looking it very closely. I would say you can press the film into the paper with some cloth like a towel or something to prevent those marks.
Also, don't know if anybody else got this issue but when I cut my stickers after laminated, the edges stay super sticky...
having seen some discussion in earlier threads about how some artists are not 'skilled' or 'ready' enough to be considering tabling at an AA, I'd like to see examples of art you DO consider to be AA worthy (maybe give an example of a decent/medium level and a very high level)
pic rel is what I consider medium level, but I mainly go to just one con
Does anyone in the Northeast know what the deal with Anime Fan Fest in NJ is? Is it gonna be worth the $250 table, are there really only like 6 artists signed up, etc?
>>8839049
This is 'AA ready' as in I would buy this in a second. This would be very high level I guess.
Otakon first wave of acceptances ended on Thursday. Anyone on the waitlist hear anything so far? I figured they would start with wave two by Friday.
Anime fest sign ups link is up on their site but no announcement yet it seems. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1fBKGWrY7RW1xxGODlh0wNbAwdoVZvk2-pVvbws48d3M/viewform
Hey artists, who makes lanyards? I remember seeing some cute ones posted here before and now I'm in the market for one.
>>8839113
person here has a digital concept art background/education. the messy backgrounds would be highly scrutinize as a roughing out phase, hardly to be considered a final piece. But most of the effort is seen from the waist up from the characters, as it is more defined. Which make the background seem very sloppy in compared to the foreground subjects. But in AA anything goes, make the boobs bigger and remove the background and it'll still sell.
As a buyer, I would say looks nice because the characters are clearly shown, second would be what's going here? Like, sorry but it just says "look how pretty we are after surviving a raging fire/tsunami...happy happy joy joy".
>>8839323
Where on the site was this? It seems very early for animefest to post sign ups this early...would there be a possibility it was accidentally posted?
>>8838990
I know she's not tumblr esque by any means, but Loish's noses often make me think of what the red nose fad wishes it could be. I find a lot of times the red is to cover up not knowing how to actual draw/structure a nose, haha... ooo11 (warning for nsfw if you look them up) does the 'ugly without being ugly' quite well.
>>8838990
Paexie? Honestly anyone that draws slightly more realistic faces with skill fits this since that's what the "tumblr" style is. It's just amateurs trying to depict faces as varied as real life faces but they're just not good at it yet. These same people would be bad at a typical "anime" style too.
>>8839049
This is kind of pointless question because skill isn't the only factor. It's not really a 1:1 skill -> sales at artist alley. The other factor is how relatable the image is. Your skill could be much lower but if you can draw something that's especially funny, cute, or touching, it'll sell better than a higher skilled artist with no idea behind their art.
If you wanted to ask if you specifically should sell you should just post your art, and also remember what artists like isn't necessarily what attendees like.
>>8839086
I have literally never heard of that con despite living in NJ. If they're charging 250 for a table fuck them lol
>>8839365
https://animefest.org/e/AF2016/Vendors/BizarreBazaar right here ! They did get moved up earlier August instead of the usual labor day so that might be the reason?
>>8839049
Well, I'd say anybody can table at AA. You can be "skilled" and not do well. You can be a beginner and "low level" and still do well, because I think the key is figuring out what sells well. And a beginner can always start out doing small stuff like buttons and stickers. Not every single person has to do prints.
>>8839449
I wish they hadn't changed it. The usual labor day weekend is so much more convenient.
I think the quality of work needed really varies by AA. There are a lot of low tier artists at, say, Megacon (though it has become better over the years) but a con like Heroescon has a lot of really, REALLY good artists. You gotta assess what your competition is going to be on a con-by-con basis.
Is is ok to post your own art in this thread to ask if it's aa ready? I always get nervous posting my art anywhere.
>>8839441
I fucking love Paexie's style, it reminds me a lot of Peter Chung (iirc she's said that it's one of her inspirations).
>>8839580
people do it in every thread i don't see why it would be a problem now. be warned you might get criticism or redraws even if you don't ask for it, that's all.
I know I'm not nearly as good as other AA artists but I thought I was ok enough to get a table and sell some prints/stickers. I ended up going to a smaller con for my first (cause I was nervous to make a huge investment.) it was horrible, there were only like 150 people that attended on saturday and they had like 30 AA tables. I plan on doing a lot more fan art before trying to table again, just still not sure if my art is good enough to table at a larger con.
>>8839617
Your art is nice. I like the coloring style and I may be tempted to buy stickers if I saw them at a con cause I think your style works for that but I really think you need to work on anatomy. Those necks are way too long and the Bee & Puppycat art really shows that weakness. All the faces seem really expressionless to me, like its missing something to make it pop.
>>8839617
This is the main reason why i think telling people to start with "small cons" is horrible. 150 attendees will never produce that much money unless you're in a rich neighborhood. It's easy to discourage new artists that way. Form your art i wouldn't expect you to say any decently attended con was "horrible".
You need to attend a con with at least idk, 2-7k people (preferably 5-10k) to really get a good idea of if your art is appealing to attendees. The bee & puppy cat are definitely the weakest pieces of these, the sailormoon one and the madoka one the stronger of them.
>>8839617
>>8839626
Although from a technical stand point i agree the anatomy is poor, in the sailormoon one it doesn't matter. To attendees the color contrast and iconography is easily recognizable and the shine/colors are nice on the eyes at a glance. It's a really good example of not necessarily being very "skilled" art, but very "appealing" art to attendees.
>>8839626
>>8839630
>>8839636
Yeah the bee and puppy cat are the oldest pieces in this bunch. I didn't actually do that many big pieces for the con. The con was in feb and i really only started making art for it around October and mainly focused on chibi stickers cause I thought it would be the most profitable and fun. I think I made around 20 different stickers but only 4-5 different prints. The homura is the newest so I don't have prints of her. I see what you guys are saying about the necks now, esp on the space-suit bee. It something Ill need to be mindful of.
>>8839449
This is my first time applying for Afest and the rules are worded a bit odd, are they an originals only con?
>>8839617
why are your characters drunk?
>>8839912
Unless they've decided to change it for this year, they allow fan art. The rules were a bit confusing though.
>>8839617
>tumblr_art.jpg
I imagine it sells well though, so I can't blame you.
>>8839912
This will actually be my first time tabling there, I always miss the form, but as an attendee I've always seen fanart not much original work even though it is there, but they don't have any strict rules about it.
>>8839617
I really like your art! You might want to work on making them more expressive, though. They all seem to have the same expression: "Vacant with lips slightly parted."
>>8839617
your stuff is cute, but it feels like it can't decide if it wants to be chibi or not
I'm in southern florida and I want to try out an artist alley later this year (summertime), and I have a few questions.
1. Are there any cons in particular to avoid?
2. Is it too early or late to register for one?
3. How many of a specific charm/sticker/etc design should I have on hand for a small-medium con?
Is it better to sell stickers pre-cut or it doesn't make a difference if I sell them as a single sheet without kiss cutting? Also does anyone got examples of cute sticker packing?
>>8839992
I would never sell my stickers without pre-cutting them. I think its kind of lazy?? I spent like 3 hours cutting out around 300 stickers. (I had a friend who was helping too)
>>8839992
if you can't get kiss cut, cut them out by hand. I wouldn't buy stickers I had to cut out myself.
not stickers, but you could apply the same method to them:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPHVdOxssk0
>>8839976
You're living next to the ones to avoid due to Broder turning things to shit. Animate Miami, Supercon, anything run by Broder. And anything Daytona Beach tries to host. Basically, only do large main city cons.
>>8840045
>And anything Daytona Beach tries to host
Being from there is suffering. Umicon used to be nice despite how small it was until the last year when the new owners ran it into the ground before it could even get started. Also, did ANYONE go to that 2050 thing?
>>8839992
Piggybacking to ask what everyone's favorite cost - effective sticker paper is for home printing?
>>8839049
what the other anons said, i know an AA friend who only draws waist up shots in very basic poses/angles but its all free/yowapeda/haikyuu stuff and it sells like hotcakes, especially with younger con-goers. So definitely not skill, but tapping into that stream.
Though some people will argue you should just draw whatever you like but personally I believe it wont turn over a profit. My friend just happened to like what sold well.
Has anyone ever had any trouble with small cons ignoring your emails? This convention will be in it's second year and I figured I'd try it out since it's local but they haven't responded to me at all and I've sent two emails now. Everyone else that I've talked to has had no issues with them so I'm getting pretty frustrated, especially since this will be my first con. I feel like I'm just being overly worried for nothing but come on. Some sort of response would be nice.
>>8840112
I haven't used it but I've seen a lot of people say good things about this: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000VKV2H4/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1RDEGY16QO5SM&coliid=ITHKGG2HX0BG5
>>8839617
You're drawing your features too high up on the face sometimes. I personally like the styles of the Homura and Bee suit pictures compared to everything else. I suggest you tone down the red noses unless there's a reason for it.
In the first pic I balanced her body a bit as I thought her hips stuck out more to the right compared to the left and I moved the head down to shorten the neck while also moving down the facial features. Second picture is quite flat so I tested some different palettes to try and create some depth. Third picture I just moved the facial features a little and messed around with colours/contrast as it looked a bit faded.
>>8840125
I use this, and it's fine, just remember to seal it because the ink lifts off really easily
>>8840121
i used to have the ideal that you should only draw/sell what you actual like, but I mean... if I wanted my art to be judged purely on artistic value, i'd submit it to a gallery. I definitely spend more time on series I actually enjoy, but I have a ton of 'filler' portrait style prints of x popular character cause hey, gotta eat.
>>8840001
>>8840015
Thanks! I've noticed pre-cut stickers tend to be a tad expensive than single uncut sheets, so I was wondering which one was more popular so I can have in mind that fact when I'm working on my stickers.
Also, I'm aiming to do a bit of different packing for some of my sticker sets (Something like what I'm posting) Or inspired by sticker sacks from kawaii stationary which might be more simple. I was looking for someone who does something similar to compare prices but at least online there is no one.
>>8840142
i feel like tumblr collectively has terrible skin so they think bright red shiny noses are normal.
Who BJD/Blythe crafts here? I've only ever sold online, so I was looking for some pointers since I'll be at my first con in the summer. I'm tabling with someone else, so my operating costs aren't very high.
How much do you usually bring of each item? It's not really like prints where everything has the potential to appeal to everyone. Not everyone owns a doll.
>>8840015
wow, this is so much work but the payoff looks great
>>8840140
I put mine in little sealed bags and then fold a cardstock package around them.
I do each package of 5 stickers for 5 dollars, and they sell really well.
As for cost, everything i use is fairly cheap, even considering that i buy higher end waterproof sticker paper.
They've completely paid for themselves after the 16th package has sold, and i can get like 200 packages out of one pack of sticker paper.
>>8840194
And of course i dropped my image
>>8840123
try contacting them via facebook or twitter messaging.
>>8840198
These are precious! Do you have a shop? and is this a sort of collect them all kinda thing?
>>8840198
i love this! do you get the bags made in bulk or do you hand make them? do you mind sharing your source if you do (it's totally fine if not - i understand wanting to keep something like that under wraps.) This is seriously adorable.
>>8840134
What do you seal the sticker sheets with, anon?
Has anyone used holographic transparent sticker sheets over normal inkjet printed stickers? I've seen some online and they looks so adorable and definitely add an extra 'oomf' but I'd be so nervous about messing up an entire batch or realizing they peel off really easy etc.
>>8840321
just an inkjet safe satin waterproof varnish.
>>8840349
>inkjet safe satin waterproof varnish
This is what I call waterproof Elmer's glue, haha.
>>8840368
ahahaha, i literally just picked up what the can i'm using and wrote down what was on the label LOL
>>8840198
This is really really lovely! Do you use a stamp cutter sorta thing for your cardstock packaging?
>>8840134
exactly, I guess you need to draw something thatll sell because as much joy as people buying stuff from series that youve drawn bring you. If it doesnt sell youre gonna make a loss, might as do a few classic stuff (like CCS/ghibli) or flavor of the month to balance it out.
>>8838990
'tumblr' drawing traits are just contempary art traits, done by amateurs.
>>8840546
>>8840547
So, uh, how should one spice up their AA experience for an application/essay/resume/etc?
I got my order from Vograce this week. It was my first time ordering, so here’s a review from a first-timer’s perspective! (Corky-Lunn already explained most of it pretty well so I’ll skip over some stuff.)
I contacted Vograce through Alibaba just after New Year’s. I had quite a few questions so it took a while before I actually placed my order.
I wanted 5 each of 28 designs for a total of 140 charms, all of them at 6cm. I asked for a quote for both solid and clear. Here’s the quote I got:
“-for clear charms,the unit price is USD$1.28/1pc for 140pcs,single acrylic board+double side printing,6cm.
-for not clear charms,the unit price is USD$0.66/1pc for 140pcs,double acrylic board+double side printing,6cm.
about the shipping cost,cheapest way si DHL,it may cost USD$22.79 and delievry day is 4-6days to Netherlands.”
I decided to go with solid as I didn’t expect clears to be almost twice as expensive, and I have no idea how well charms sell over here. We’ll see how it goes.
We switched to e-mail after this because I had to send psd images and Alibaba doesn’t do that.
If you don’t know how to set up your files, acornpress has a pretty clear guide on it here: http://acornpress.tumblr.com/charms
I just followed that guide and all turned out right.
For double-sided: I put the backside of my charms on a second layer, mirrored and exactly overlaying the front.
Coco made outlines for me, I corrected where necessary then confirmed them, then decided I wanted buttons as well lol.
Somewhere around this time I discovered that it’s hella difficult to get buttons made cheaply over here so I asked for a quote from Coco for the hell of it. 50 buttons (10 designs) at 44mm for $0.14 each, and shipping with up 3 dollars. Very cheap compared to local, so I took those as well and sent files over for them.
(Sorry for crappy pictures I have an iphone 4s and it sucks)
(1/2)
>>8840782
I got pictures of samples, I confirmed them and paid for everything, she shipped them, and one week later they were on my doorstep. If I’d sent over all files correctly right away, I’m pretty sure I could’ve had them within two weeks of my first e-mail.
Europeans: you can ask to have a lower value put on your package! I was afraid of customs because I know from my Lolita-endeavours that DHL always gets hit with them, but asked for lower value and passed through customs unnoticed!
As for the charms themselves: I’m mostly happy. They’re sturdy and the printing is crisp and vibrant. Just a few things:
I asked Coco twice if she could put smaller keyrings on it, but when I got them they all had the bigger keyrings anyway. (3.2cm is standard, but they also have 2.5cm.)
The colours go a bit weird when they’re near-black. There’s not as much contrast in them as I’d want there to be. On most of them it looks fine, but you can see that Lapis’ skirt and background blend together almost completely, and the purple is just... gone. And Madoka is /very/ pink, moreso than it shows in pic related. I’m not sure if this is on Vograce or on me. They looked fine on my screen in CMYK, but then, I have hardly any experience printing my stuff.
The buttons are… buttons. They’re good! And cheap. So I’m happy.
Wow this turned into a tl;dr. Hope this was useful to some folks!
>>8839086
I do not like the price of these tables for a first time con. This is by the peeps that ran the comic con Atlantic city I do believe. They are legit, but they have to realize they are fluffing out these cons trying to run them for profit. I'd wait for the registration numbers.
>>8840782
Thank you so much for the review! What size button template did you use if you don't mind me asking? I'm thinking about getting buttons made from Vograce too!
>>8840943
I sent Coco some circular cutouts with a pink circle to show where I wanted the side/border to start, she sent me back these pictures of 5.4x5.4cm without the pink line. I added it back in just now so you can see how much border there is.
>>8840782
It's actually really helpful to know that clear charms are double the price of opaque charms. I'm in the same boat as you - it's my first time selling acrylic charms and they're fairly rare in artist alleys in my country.
Sorry for the noob question, but it was mentioned somewhere (the original spreadsheet, perhaps?) that you needed a 'proxy' to buy from Vograce. Did you have to do anything special in order to get your items shipped international or not?
thanks for your posts!
since last thread was about that garbage unicone/unipig plush, do you guys have any non-print artist alley items you like?
I really like this dragonfruit dragon thing posted on AANI. It's really cute and refreshing from all the :3 kawaii food x animal hybrids.
>>8841316
for a second I thought this was one of the Puzzle and Dragons fruit dragons
>>8841316
What kills me is that she's associating with a soap/deco artist known for stealing from the dealer's rooms and other artists. I can't take her seriously anymore.
>>8841316
That's really nice, though the seam through the middle of the head is rather unsightly and could've been easily done without.
>>8841329
Whoaaa, what? Deets?
>>8841319
Me too!
>>8841329
>>8841342
Oh shit, really? i'm an international artist so i'm pretty unaware of american dramas... that sucks though. How does a person like that not get permabanned and blacklisted from cons?
>>8841342
Holy shit. Has anyone ever reported her to con staff? People like that shouldn't be allowed at a con period.
>>8841344
They steal from people that don't realize it until too late. She does have a public record though, just not involving cons yet.
>>8841347
If too prove that, I'd set up a few people - hide some cams, and record to see if see goes for the bait...example, place a large open bag/purse near her and or items - pretend person got distracted leaving bag open and away from her view or fogets an item walks a bit away for few minutes etc.
>>8840546
hit the nail on the head
A-kon has a section for "display description" but I have no idea what that is. Is it like what your display looks like? But how can you decribe what your display looks like?
>>8841826
I'm going to assume that they want a heads up about things like PVC pipes, large banners, etc.
>>8841826
Is it a pvc set up, is it photo stand, is it cubes, do you do prints or is it crafts, does it extend backwards into your space. basic stuff. idk what it's for, i assume to make sure they can vary the alley or to make sure no extended back people don't sit cornered or something.
Good job Metrocon for "fixing" the lag situation for artist alley.
>>8841826
Does anyone actually have a screencap of the test form that A-kon had? I missed the test reg because I was at a con and I can't seem to recall all the info required from last year.
I don't understand why A-Kon's AA head doesn't just... post a screencap of the test reg for people instead of just saying "it's just like last year's with cosmetic changes!" on the forums.
>>8841316
I've been considering hitting AA with some seen stuff. I like making felt pins. My husband says I should make some plush weapons to sell. I made a sword and shield for my son. I think the shield came out good but I definitely need to work on better weapons first before considering selling anything.
>>8842078
I don't have a screencap, but IIRC you need your tax ID, name, phone number, what name you'll be selling under, and a description of your set up
>>8840649
Idk what you do, but:
Can work to very tight deadlines
Has experience in managing money
Has experience in customer service (I guess commissions count)
Works on own initiative
Can handle long-term projects alone/ in team (depends on whether you do group orders etc)
Hope this helps.
>>8840782
I think I remember that Mami! Did you post here a while ago?
Anyway, thanks for the info. This is really useful.
>>8841342
I'm not in the US but shit like this makes me 100x more determined to get a camera for my table, holy shit.
Which one of you was selling the red from transistor prints with sparkle shit on it at ALA. I bought one and now its hanging on my wall. I love it.
Lol so apparently Fanime won't even let helpers go in with you during setup/teardown times? They would basically just be regular attendees. I think helpers would have to line up in the regular registration lines too. If so, that's gonna be a huge pain in the ass.
Does anyone know who's on the AA committee? Because they keep implementing these fucking dumb changes every year.
>pic related, basically a fuck you, artists, git gud at setting up more efficiently
>>8842208
idk if they post here but it's Shattered Earth
>>8841877
Does anyone remember what the process was like last year? I managed to apply for a table through the system but got a refund citing the faulty system... Is this just part of the app process, help.
Acen is going to be my first con ever and I'm going to be buttons-only. I plan to take 400 buttons with me, -labout 5 buttons prr design, but would that be too much for a first aa or not enough to last me through the weekend for a con that big? I'm going to fly and stay at the con hotel, so I want to at least make back my expenses.
>>8842470
5 per design is probably too little. I don't know if you have a button machine or if you're ordering your buttons beforehand, but I'd say at least 10~20 of more popular designs. Bringing a machine + parts with you is probably going to be the most effective thing but that's decently heavy. (Lug heavy shit in your carry on to save on weight in your suitcase)
>>8842471
Dang, is 5 too little? I don't have a button maker but I'm thinking about investing in one. I'm starting to wonder if 400 is too little, since buttons is all I'm going to have. But is it even possible for a first-timer to sell 500-600 buttons? People always tellme $2 buttons sell like hotcakes but will that be true for everybody?
>>8842078
The only thing you need for your time stamp is tax ID and studio name so don't freak out
>>8842524
T b h it depends on a lot of factors. How do you plan to do your display? How do the designs look? (Could you post one?) What series/characters do you have? If I did my math right you seem to have about 80 designs? Acen is a larger con, and if you don't have at least a decent display people might overlook you.
One of my con friends only sells buttons but she makes bank. She has about 200(+?) designs and she displays them well and has literally every character from the series does, along with "buy x number for x price" deals - therefore more people are inclined to buy them and buy more.
I really suck at drawing chibi's, especially in interesting poses as well.
Infact, my weakness in drawing is in poses. Do any of you gulls have any tips on how to improve in that area?
>>8842604
You should try drawing from life, like going to a figure drawing session or watching croquis cafe videos on youtube. There are a lot of photos available online from books and photographers with people doing a variety of poses, too. There is lots of cool stuff to choose from - sports, dance, models, statues, even porn. Make a reference folder and save a ton of stuff in it to draw, and then when you're drawing start with some quick 1-2 minute contour line drawings and then work yourself up from there to 5 minutes, 15, 30 etc. I think this would help with understanding human anatomy more, and then you can sort of minimize what you learn into drawing chibis if that's what you want to do the most.
When you draw the characters think of what poses suit their personality, like if they wear heavier clothing would it give them less dynamism in their movement or the way the stuff they wear covers their bodies.
>tfw you should listen to your own advice more often
;_;
>>8842341
Iit's not like they check badges when you're at the table, just when you come in the door. Also the only thing fanime has managed to fix in the last few years is reg. Unless they somehow ruined that for this year. I think the outcry will be loud enough that they fix this.
>>8840126
Kind of a weird question, but what program did you use to move the eyes lower on the top picture?
Does anybody know when animefest will be sending out acceptance letters? I didn't see a timeline on their aa page.
>>8840649
I basically play up my commissions as my great time management skills and ability to relate and provide great service to customers.
Employers are actually usually pretty interested. It's a good point to talk about how independent you are, and how great your problem solving skills are. Working with difficult people/ difficult requests/ outlandish ideas etc.
I don't even do commissions regularly any more but I still have it on my resume as a job I'm doing presently.
>>8842604
For chibis I literally just draw a curved line and build off that. They don't have to be anatomically correct, so you can fit in pretty dynamic poses with little struggles.
>>8842604
i too suffer the 3/4 face generic standing there on white background character syndrome
think of an action? like, pouring tea or eating a donut or something. something with props
Newest AANI wtfery: help me I'm poor edition. Someone's abandoning their degree and trying to sell off their art supplies for extra cash, except I don't think they understand how pricing secondhand items works.
Seriously girl, that pastel set is like $10 NEW and ain't no one gonna buy your dirty old palette for $5.
>>8843001
She's a mutual friend. Claiming its for bills but bitch, we all know you spent too much on your costume for Katsucon. Learn to fucking budget.
>>8842548
I'm thinking about doing more buttons too. May I ask approx. how many buttons she brings to a large con?
>>8843003
I don't care where the money goes, I just think her prices are unrealistic. But hell, it looks like people are actually buying things. That handful of brown crayola washable markers for $10 tho...
>>8843001
Pack everything into one or two bundles and sell them for $20 and it would begin to make sense. What will never make sense is why someone looked at that crap and thought people would be willing to pay actual money for it.
>>8843016
Oh please anon, like you don't want these sweet deals. Look at that Biggie 18 x 24 sketch pad! Never used, just bent the fuck up, and for only twice as much as an art supply store would charge! Shipping not included. But come on, she's practically giving this stuff away.
>>8843031
I got so excited about these amazing prices I dropped my pic! That's how you really know it's a good value.
>>8842604
Draw them with a prop or emphasise focal points. Draw a loose S and draw the chibi more or less over it, following the curves (so the head, elbow and leg, for example, follow the curve). Do a generic pose and an exaggerated expression if you're stuck, because you can get away with stiff shoulders and a lack of motion if they're gaping in shock, or asleep, or sweating nervously (don't rely on this though, this is really more for when you're completely stuck and need to make a boring chibi look like a decent chibi and have no time for dynamic poses).
Don't forget that clothes are very important. Motion and weight add a lot of dynamism to the picture. Just don't forget that you have to have a consistent source of movement- if the chibi has a long dress and is running, don't suddenly draw it as if they're twirling about. I've seen a lot of newer artists doing this, they add wrinkles and lines and shadows and texture with absolutely no rhyme or reason and it ends up looking like a mess that crawled backwards through a wind tunnel. So don't do that.
And for chibis in general, Nendoroids or Cu-Poche are great. Get one. It'll help a lot when you need a reference and don't know if the head is too big or if the hands are too tiny. They have good proportions and detail, plus they're simple enough shape wise that sketching them out roughly won't be a difficult way of getting basic poses down.
You'll learn as you go along, but make sure not to add too much detail so it doesn't become weird (think original TMNT vs CGI TMNT) and keep the proportions in check.
...Wow that got long. Hope it helps, anyway.
>>8843031
You're right. I have no idea where else I could get an antiquated paint palette, a crushed sketch pad, and the contents of the bottom of a toddler's art box for such low, reasonable prices.
>>8843005
Sorry anon, I don't really know for sure. She has a printed sheet of paper (of 20/30?) she'll cut out from and punch the buttons for the customer at her booth. She's pretty fast with it so customers don't seem to mind. It's easier to carry 1,000 button parts than it is to transport 1,000 pre made buttons.
If it helps any, I have 10~15 buttons made before a con and punch out what I need if it sells. Though if you don't have a button maker that might be a luxury you can't get. Before I had mine I'd get 25 of popular things and 10~15 of my lower sellers. (1" buttons in the past, but I do 1.25" now)
>>8843034
I want to say something on that post so bad. Overpriced used pos stuff. When do we make our own AANI with hookers, black jack, and no stupid shit.
Someone posted the other day they have no problems with RGB on a printing post that mentioned for closer colors CMYK. My mind is blown.
>>8843034
45 cents? aww
>>8843001
That bottom palette costs about 60 cents. And they're so easy to clean, she could have at least scrubbed it off.
Just confirmed my acceptance into the Tekkocon Artist Alley this year! I've never been but I live close to Pitt and I'm excited to finally start exhibiting again. I've been reading these threads like a fiend and I can't thank you all enough for being so helpful.
I do have a question though and I apologize if this has been answered -- haven't seen it -- but about how many of each thing do you guys print/create/etc?
>>8842733
Photoshop but it's doable in most programs. Duplicate layer > make selection of features on new layer > move down > make a new layer between the other two > repaint areas like eyelids.
Duplicating the layer in the first place will give you a base to work off instead of having large white gaps on her forehead if that makes sense.
>>8843201
How many of what thing? Prints are different than buttons are different than plushes. And we literally just had a discussion about this last thread.
I just went to a convention this past weekend, specifically to look around the AA and see what was selling. And I was super disappointed. Most of the art seemed so...spiritless? Idk how exactly to say it but none of the prints really evoked any emotion in me. I'm not even talking about skill, just in terms of dynamism and interesting subjects in prints or humor.
Most of the stuff I saw were single-characters in unintresting poses with vague backgrounds. Maybe it's just nostalgia, but I look at all the prints I bought when I was 14-16 and they're just so much cooler, and the ones that I got with poor art were at least funny/interesting.
Idk, I feel like too many people are taking the advice of 'draw lots of characters from what's popular'. I could tell which artists were actually super passionate about what they drew and those were the ones whose stuff I bought.
>>8840649
Depends on the resume. If you're applying for an art-related position, it helps to have a list of the shows you've exhibited at (i.e: Anime Expo, Jul 2013, San Diego Comic Con, Jul 2014 SakuraCon March 2015 and so on) and then a quick list of things you did (i.e: Designed and sold original art prints, manufactured a line of original lip balms, managed money, etc. etc. etc.)
If it's a general resume for anything, just put "freelance artist" as its own field and include exhibiting experience like handling money, designing displays. If you've been steadily doing better or have been seeing growth in your profits, it'd be good to include that too. Like Sbux isn't gonna care that you've exhibited at WonderCon 3 years in a row, but they'll like that you can draw shit for their signs and stuff.
>>8843034
Do you think I could get an educator's discount on that biggie
Won't she think of the children
>>8843293
I was looking more at prints and buttons/keychains but I'll check it out in the last thread. My bad -- I've been out the last couple days and didn't think to check there first!
Alright so, I have to admit right off the bat that I almost NEVER post on this board, but this thread seems obscenely helpful and i'm in desperate need of some advice for AA merchandise and how to go about investing in it.
The thing I"m most interested in creating is acrylic charms, I've been seeing them crop up more and more at cons; there seems to be SO MANY places to actually have them made but no one really seems to want to tell me where the best place to have them made is/how to go about doing it step by step. A lot of my confusion comes down to how the artwork should look when sending it to be turned into charms, what format it should be in and what size. (A lot of sites I've looked at don't really.. give this information.)
I can't be the only person who's just terrified of the whole "trial and error" process, right?
I guess if someone could hold my hand a little bit and give me a full rundown of a good place to have charms made and how to actually go about doing it the RIGHT way, that'd be amazing. I'd like to make clear charms ideally, but I'll take any advice/guidance at all and be grateful for it.
I have questions about other merch as well but I think I'll just start with this. I sincerely appreciate anyone willing to help me out here.
>>8843527
Look at the last 2 lines in the OP post.
>>8843527
look throught the archives. google it specifically for this board and then look it up
>>8840232
i do have an etsy, but it's closed at the moment.
right now i only have two package sets of 5 villagers (tangy, stitches, nate, bob and muffy in pack A and then tucker, zucker, zell, static and lucky in pack B) but they're so popular i plan on making a few more sets.
>>8840272
>>8840376
thanks! i print them out on kraft paper on my home printer and then chop them to size with a paper cutter. i also have a big stamp-punch to punch out the window in the front of each one.
>>8843395
ALA?
>>8843395
if you're referring to ALA, the artist alley there was kind of small and not as varied as they are in bigger cons.
normally you see a lot of interesting styles and varried merch mixed in with the samefaced prints, and i barely saw any of that at ALA
>>8843544
everythng blurred together. All SU, FE, Osomatsu and Persona. I think the problem is theres too much stuff crammed in. Some prints looked nicer if you isolated them a little bit from all the chaos.
>>8843533
Oh jeez. It was right there. How observant of me. hah. Thanks for pointing it out nontheless.
>>8843540
>>8843544
Yeah ALA. But seriously last year with the even smaller AA I feel like it was better. The only artists I really liked this year was the one with the gold foil on her prints with a lot of originals & the one I got these stickers from. Most everything else felt like popular-character sameface. Even the plushies were boring food/animal hybrids...Idk maybe I'm whining but it was just sad, I guess, I finally start really appreciate unique handmade stuff/artistic fanart & the first con I go to in a year has very little of it.
>pic related was all i got
I've been noticed for a couple of cons that some folks in the artist alley charge fees or have a minimum purchase price for paying via card. I hadn't encountered this too much until lately and was wondering what everyone here's stance on this was. Do you charge fees for purchases via Square (other similar devices/apps)? Do you prefer your customers pay via cash?
>>8843586
i'm curious if you passed by my booth now, and if it just blended in with everything else
>>8843593
I personally don't charge the customers for using my square. I've always used it for big purchases though, as I would probably be a little miffed if someone wanted to use it for a $2 button. I prefer cash overall, but a sale is a sale.
>>8843593
i had people using my card reader for 2 to 3 dollar purchases. it was kind of a pain in the ass, but unless there was a crowd forming that i needed to attend to, it wasn't that big of a deal. just kind of silly.
i don't know why anyone would want to deter even small purchases by declining people's cards though.
the fees kind of make sense because otherwise you have to cover them yourself, but i personally just pay the fees myself. they aren't very substantial anyway.
>>8843593
I put the fees directly onto Square, and inform the customers that there will be a fee. It beats withdrawing from the ATM, I guess. If they don't want to pay the swipe fees (2.75% I think?), then I just give them a business card so they can come back on another day or visit my online store. I kind of think of it on the same level as shipping fees? Price of convenience and up to the seller to see if they want to eat the costs or not.
>>8843594
I don't mean to insult you, it might just be that I'm more critical than I used. What was your stuff though? I might remember it because I stopped by at almost every table and looked for a good few minutes. If you did well as far as sales go though, I wouldn't worry about it.
>>8843626
paypal is 2.7 percent per swipe. so if i get 500 dollars in card sales, i pay like 13 dollars in fees. not that big of a deal.
>>8843634
i did pretty well at my last two conventions, but ALA wasn't great for me profits-wise. i noticed far fewer people interested in prints and more people stopping only to buy a sticker or two.
actually if anyone has any critiques of my display or my work in general, i'm all ears
>>8843641
Can I see a closer shot of your sticker packs? They look really nice!
>>8843641
Oh yes! I do remember you. I spent quite a while examining your stickers. I will say that I barely even noticed your prints.Compared to your bright and forward-set sticker/keychain/etc. display the grayer/darker prints didn't catch my eye. I vaguely remember that Opal and Sailor Moon print but I don't think I even looked at anything else.
I don't really have any advice but that's how I saw your table, hope it's helpful!
>>8843641
I knew it was you asking the question before you even posted your table. This board really is small..
I adore your stuff, but I think you should do a few things with your setup to help your art stand out better from your competitors (pic related). It needs to either be a solid wall of prints, or backed onto something that isn't see-through.
As for prints, i'd recommend print border-less, the white borders absolutely kill it for me and would make framing them nicely more difficult.
>sweats nervously at the katamari keychains in my etsy cart
>>8843677
Ugh I need to reword something I left out. It's hard to notice your prints at a passing glance because your display has so many elements moving the eye around it. And the dead space in the middle just makes your focus go past anything hanging up, and straight to what's on the table.
Does this sorta make sense?
>>8843687
I think the second issue is, the prints should be larger. The norm now is 11x17 or 13x19.
>>8843677
that's actually something i'm trying to phase out; the printer i went to initially didn't recommend fullbleed, and being naive i took their advice. i think they assumed i would be selling to art collectors or something and not convention goers. (i'm not sure why they thought this as they were printing my anime garbage lol) they also pushed textured vellum on me, which makes the prints look more like canvas and less crisp.
the backdrop is a good idea, i just noticed in my picture that my prints get muddled up with the random crap behind my table.
also the display you posted is really wonderful, dang.
>>8843694
i have 13x19 prints, but the biggest issue i have with my current display is the height restriction.
it currently stands at 7 feet from the floor up, which is the supposed height limit for most cons. fanime didn't give a shit last year and i got dwarfed by my neighbors, then i tried to go higher for AX and a staff member made me chop down my display halfway through setup.
i also kind of fucked myself by sewing that banner. as much as i love having a themed table, it loses me about a foot and a half of height.
i'm actually wondering if i would benefit from having some kind of photo backdrop type deal instead, as annoying as they are
>>8840126
y u made everything yellow?
>>8843699
The photo backdrops with the rails are really simple to do honestly. We even have two side wings extending out to give us extra side-space and help fix it to the tables for stability.
You would have to consolidate your prints into a few specific sizes to use a clip-rail system such as ours.
Is it possible to place the banner you had sewn at the front of your table skirt? It really does add too much height and detracts form the prints currently.
>>8843709
i already have a drapey-stripey thing going on with the front of my table that's part of my tablecloth.
actually looking at this older picture, i think a lot of the issues with my display for ALA had to do with a lack of stuff on my table. i tried to cut back on extra weight because i had to drag everything to con and back by myself, and it didn't dawn on me that it would have that much impact.
also, what happens if you end up back-to-back with someone else who has a photo backdrop? cons like AX had a shit ton of room behind tables for such a thing, but fanime and ALA were cramped even without backdrops being everywhere.
>>8843677
Is that your display?
>>8843677
This setup is really nice. What kind of cubes are these? Kind of looks like this person covered cubes with black construction paper.
>>8843728
Nah mine is a backdrop display with side wings.
>>8843756
Yea it looks kind of like fabric sewn around wire grid.
>>8843724
You have to push the tripod flush to your table. All there is to worry about at that point is people kicking your tripod legs if they can pass inbetween tables. But i've never had an issue with space behind me.
>>8843641
I saw you at ALA! I honestly think you were kind of in a shitty spot. All my friends in that back row facing the fan tables/convention tables had pretty poor sales because they weren't facing other artists.
I do agree about all the points about displaying your prints. The overhead banner covers them up way too easily. You can maybe display them in a flip book/portfolio if that works better? Maybe consider cutting the prints yourself so they have less conspicuous white outlines.
Love your work btw!
>>8843699
If I remember correctly though, Fanime's height restriction was 6 ft from the top of the table. ALA this year did 10 ft from the ground. The 7ft from the ground rule applies only to AX.
>>8843641
I love your work I really do, but maybe if you had some fabric behind your prints to make them stand out?
>>8843836
actually, i don't think ALA had any specified height restrictions; your display just had to be "stable"
and fanime last year did have a more generous height limit than AX by about a foot, but the guy next to me had a least a 9 foot display, and he didn't even have the tallest one in the room. no one came around to measure displays either, which is why i wrongfully expected AX to be as lenient
apparently everyone else expected the same because the staff had to produce a pipe cutter for half the people in my row
>>8843875
ALA's height restriction was definitely 10 ft from the ground. It was in their AA Packet. Their "guidelines" doc only mentioned the "stable" part but their AA packet doc had the actual height listed.
Tables are about 2.5-3ft off the ground so 6ft above the table will be about 9ft from the ground. I was at Fanime too and I don't particularly remember any towering displays that were breaking the 6ft above the table rule?
Yeah, AX is really anal about checking the height limit. The fire marshal has been really cracking down on their asses so they've been going around with a pipe the exact height that you're supposed to be at for the past 2-3 years and measuring all the displays. I can understand not knowing how strict they are though if it was your first time at AX.
>>8843886
Oh fuck I don't remember reading that. My bad.
Also i think anime expo has a limit of 7.5 feet from the floor up, because my entire display from the table surface up is 5 feet exactly.
I wish i had taken a better photo of my table neighbor at fanime because their display was about two 13x9 prints above the top of mine, plus a small vinyl banner.
Not really trying to bitch out the people who took advantage of their leniency btw, it just screwed up my expectations later that year
I have a question. I like to make pins and ornaments out of felt.
What do you think would generally be a decent price point for the pins? Material expenses aren't that expensive except for the pin backing and most designs aren't super complicated. Here's an old example of one. I was thinking of making things like goofballs, simple character designs, etc...
>>8843941
Pardon, that's suppose to be pokeballs, not goofballs.
These are examples of ornaments I've made.
>>8843941
Well, anon, how well do your felt creations last? Especially if they're pins. Have you tested how long they last when they're worn frequently? The yeti on the far right looks good, but the whale and cat are a bit lacklustre. The cat looks childish and the whale has too much forehead.
For the yeti, I'd look at pricing between $10-15 and for the others between $5-10
>>8843945
I haven't had an opportunity to give the pins a really long term test. I have had them pinned to bags and last for a while.
The three ornaments I posted were gifts for family members. I've noticed that people seem to really like the yeti. I was thinking of possibly tweaking the pattern and make a Chewbacca version.
![redraw[5-2].png](https://i.imgur.com/nEM5Zxj.png "redraw[5-2].png")
>>8840126
>>8839617
>>8843967
wow, that looks a lot better!
the first edit fixed the proportions and reduced that oddly red nose, the subsequent edits really fixed the colors to be less dull, muddy and messy. I personally think it pops out enough now to do without the white outline, but both work.
>>8843756
It's these
http://www.amazon.co.uk/TecTake-Plastic-storage-organiser-shelving/dp/B017W3Y8YQ/ref=sr_1_14
>>8843985
Bless your soul. I've been looking all over taobao but they only have them with an ugly swirly pattern. With that brand name I found a local seller in a few minutes.
Are these things really sturdy enough? It seems like they'd topple backwards really easily if you build them up four high with nothing extending to the back. Do you have to secure them to the table somehow?
>>8843677
Oh, this is actually my table, haha.
But yeah, what >>8843985 posted are the cubes I use. The prints are attached to it with velcro.
>>8843997 I don't secure them to the table, and I've never really had a problem with them toppling over. I would recommend trying not to put them too close to the edge of the table though.
This is a weird question. Most artists change the color of their lineart depending on the thing they're drawing (using brownish color for skin lineart, black for black hair lineart, dark orange for an orange colored cat, etc), but I like keeping all lineart black because I like being able to see all the lines. Is this unappealing and weird?
>>8844052
Depends on the art style. A bold black line on something otherwise delicate and pastelly/cutesy might be too harsh but subdued lineart on something meant to have a lot of impact won't add much to the effect. If your preference is one or the other, then all the power to you but if you're intentionally making the lines pop, you'd best make sure your line quality is really nice.
I kinda wanna table at A-Kon but I'm Canadian. So I obviously can't get a Tax ID. (I looked on the site and you need an SSN and Texas taxpayer number and etc.) And yet I've known Canadian friends who tabled at A-Kon? How? Table share/claim?
>>8844052
It's not weird to have a specific colour you prefer but it's kind of weird you think they need to be black to be visible. You could just use a colour that's darker than the fill inside. Lots of people just use black so that's fine but it can make a lot of things look bulky so you might see some people using black only on the outside and then coloured lines for details within the charm. It really depends on what looks best with your style.
>>8844076
>>8844196
My lines aren't bold and don't pop or of awesome quality lol. I just "like" black lines? If that makes sense. I don't think it makes any positive or negative effect on my art, I just prefer it. At leasr I hope it doesn't have a negative effect. I wan't sure if I was doing something wrong because most artists have varying line colors.
>>8844013
Oh shit, you come here? I love your stuff
>>8844076
>>8844196
Ok, I'm being stupid. It's not always black, sometimes it's purple or blue, but I don't have varying line colors, to be more precise. I only use 1 color for lineart. I just vary the line thickness instead of using various line colors. Would that be fine or am I just being stupid about something trivial?
>>8844234
It's your decision and it's fine. It isn't an uncommon thing.
Have you ever tested colouring the lines differently? If you have and you don't like it then you don't need to compare to others like that. Just experiment until it's right for you. Or if you're paranoid ask for others opinions about it working with your art specifically.
I see that anime expo artist alley registration is coming up soon. Would it be worth it $375 for a table for a first-time plushie artist? (first time at artist alley, I do have an online store) I'm pretty sure I wont have anyone to split it with me.
>>8844269
It depends. How well do you do online? Do you have different price points to attract more customers? What kind of plush do you make? Post some of your stuff maybe?
I've just begun noticing these little sculp characters online, and use to think they were just making them for fun, some say that they sell them at cons - these pics were just some my random favs I saved. The newyork comic con had a feature on 3d print sculps but too pricey for me. What's a typical fair pricing for fan-made sculps? I see prices ranging from 30 and up though the sizes seem to be about 1-2" ish I think.
>>8844314
oops, only1 pic at a time.
>>8844281
I do decently online, and I have prices ranging from $10 - $100. I was thinking of doing some tiny hand embroidered patches for like $5 to have an even lower price point.
This is a sample of some of my best work I believe. I'm not looking so much for critique because I know what I did wrong in most of these plushies and I'm improving every time I make one I feel. But I won't get upset if anyone does want to offer any advice. Someone on here told me to use minky last time I posted my work but I feel the cost of it is so prohibitive I have to make tiny plushies out of it otherwise I have to charge way more than people are willing to spend.
>>8844321
Ah, I've seen your stuff. I think you'll do well but you may have to adjust the prices of some things. Most of them seem fair but I think you might find it hard to sell the Lion plush in person for $95. I know it's fairly big but considering the materials and how relatively simple it looks I would knock it down a bit. Plus anime fans have a lot of disposable income, but it's hard to get them to part with that much at once unless it's something really impressive. Same with Pickles, mostly because of his size, though I wouldn't go any lower than $20-$25 for him.
>>8844321
>I'm not looking so much for critique because I know what I did wrong in most of these plushies and I'm improving every time I make one I feel
That's well and good that you're able to recognize your own flaws, but as an artist you should always be open to critique and the unique perspective of others. Otherwise why bother?
>>8844359
Ahh, thank you! I have been kind of winging it on my pricing since I don't count how many hours it takes me to make something.
I already did sell Lion for $95 though, it just takes time! I probably will lower Pickles a bit though, you have a good point.
Would it be better if I just bring mostly my simpler/cheaper stuff? I was thinking of making a smaller version of the whale pillow and selling them for $20-25 + a few of the bigger ones.
>>8844372
Bring everything if you have room for it because you never know, but mostly the medium priced items because I think those move faster. $10-25 tends to be a popular price point so if you have to make things smaller to be worth that then go for it! I think it's a good idea to do a few of the same things in different sizes too. Do you have a mock setup or something in mind? I keep a lot of stock behind my table so I can display just a few of each thing and then replace them as they sell so it always looks full and attractive. Plush look good in groups but it's also easy to overcrowd and make your table look messy so find your own balance.
>>8844368
I don't mind if you want to give it, go ahead. I'm always open. I just don't want anyone to waste their time tearing my stuff apart when it's likely I already know a lot of the places where my patterns need to improve, that's all.
>>8844381
Thank you, that's very good advice! I was thinking of doing two pillars of those stackable cubes with a different kind of plush in each cube and the smaller plushies on the table itself, maybe with a few props + small raised boxes to put things on to keep it interesting.
How does that sound?
>>8843586
Eh I feel the same as you do and I was selling at ALA. Probably guilty of the food/animal hybrid plush accusation too, heh. My prints weren't of anything "popular" but they definitely need to be overhauled for Fanime. Appreciate seeing your opinion though!
>>8843985
Any idea what these are called in the USA? Or the manufacturers name?
>>8844321
You think Minky is too expensive, but you wanna START OUT at Anime Expo? You should rethink that. Also sounds like you may not know how to price things, Minky should not be "cost prohibitive" for small items.
>>8844645
I understand where you're coming from, but think of it this way. If I want to make something small out of minky with three different colors I need to go to fabric dot com and order 3 yards of minky since they penalize you for ordering a 1/2 yard. That's around $40+ right there. Then, I make the thing and what if it was a bad idea and no one buys it? I'm out a lot of money.
On the other hand I could make it out of fleece or joann brand soft-n-comfy fabrics and get small amounts cut for a few bucks each. Then if I make it and its a bad idea and no one buys it I'm out very little money and I don't have a massive amount of fabric I'll never use. Does that make more sense? I'm making fandom plushies and not original designs and there's very few characters that are one solid color so I'd have to buy so much minky to make anything.
As opposed to AX where the money is spent with a good chance of making it back.
>>8844681
Miraculously, I can conceptualize the cost of minky as I too am a plush artist who buys minky. If $40 is a lot to you, a $400 con is too much for you. If people aren't buying enough to where it makes that $40 such a huge hit, I don't think you're ready. Also, if you're not willing to invest a measly 40 bucks, why would you start off at a $400/table con? You're looking at this in all the wrong ways, in my opinion. I say start somewhere cheaper, if you've never tabled.
>>8844681
>a good chance of making it back.
>>8844698
>>8844816
>>8844827
Okay, but I think I understand where anon is coming from? AX is expensive, but it also has that much more in terms of attendance so maybe anon thought that higher attendance = higher profit margins. Not to mention most of the smaller/medium sized anime cons that are coming up in CA have already closed their AA apps (like Fanime and Hanadoki).
If you want to go for it, anon you should. I agree that a table investment is different from material investment. I have friends who sell fleece plushies at AX and still do incredibly well. If you had to make minky plushies, you'd probably be pricing your plushies higher which may deter some buyers.
But do understand that AX is moving it's AA to a new location this year and added even more tables so despite the high attendance numbers, you're going to have a lot of other artists to compete against and your table might get ignored because of the sheer number of participants in the alley.
Good luck, anon!
>>8843549
The only Persona I saw was just two booths and they were the first ones you see entering the AA at ALA. I bought a lot of stuff but only spent most of my money on three booths and then a dollar here, eight dollars over there. No major spending in various booths.
Everything did seem to blur together so it made it difficult to appriciate every single booth. Either the set up has to change to make next year's ALA more varied or artist need to push out more originality in their prints.
>>8844681
I remember seeing that whale here before and the thread having this exact argument about minky and return on investment in the summer or thereabouts. If you still haven't established your brand (or your confidence as a plushmaker) enough to justify the cost of minky since then, you might not be at a point where you can do AX. It is ridiculously competitive there for unestablished artists, being almost too big for the attendees' limited funds.
Does anyone here still use Zap Creatives?
Ever since they switched to the newer style my charms have arrived with a grainy look. It doesn't bother me so much on colored stuff, but the grainy dots are blue when printed on white.
I e-mailed them about it twice and each time Becky says she will look into with the production team. She gives no reason for it and when my charms arrived today they have the same issue.
I know Ink It is more pricey, but I haven't heard anything bad about them. Zap has discounts and more charms for the money, but they refuse to acknowledge the issue and I can't keep pouring cash into this company anymore. Am I the only one having this issue?
>>8838931
I'm really sorry if there's an obvious reply to this somewhere ( i couldn't see it in this thread or the previous) but how much do you guys price 2-2.5 inch acrylic charms for? Online I see it for $10-$15 USD but that seems expensive for a small item in a con crowd.
So I have a massive pile of Post-It picture paper in matte that was given to me for free. Has anyone used this and know if it's decent for stickers?... especially in the long run (fading and whatnot). I can always laminate them, but if any of you have used it before and had problems, please reply.
Does anyone have a guess, or is it posted somewhere, about how many more artist tables are being added to AX?
ALA done with, time to prep for WonderCon. Have any of you guys done it? How did you do? Anyone selling this year?
>>8844850
I know I had some Persona art up, near the middle of the AA.
Perfectly guilty of generic art as well, but eh.
>>8844941
2.5" is really big for a charm. $10-15 sounds perfectly fine, and people wouldn't price it there if it wasn't moving in the convention crowd.
Does anybody here with a button-making machine know what the best type of paper/gsm would be for making buttons?
I've had a few friends with button makers advise me on conflicting ideas, like regular printing paper and glossy photo paper - trouble is that they all live too far away from me for me to see the difference. Anybody experimented and found one was better than the other? I would really appreciate some advice, please and thank you!
>>8844681
Yo dude, joann sells dot minky. You can iron out the dots if you're careful.
You can buy it as remnants for 50% off. That's where I got most of my minky from to start up kek.
>>8844314
This looks like shit.
But well sculpted small figures I'd pay $40-75 depending.
>>8844941
Double-sided or single-sided? My double-sided 2.75" keychains go for $10 each.
Does anyone have experience selling their AA stuff as a vendor rather than in the AA? I ended up snagging a vendor space for a local con because their AA spaces are half-tables only. My mom has been thinking about vending at cons (plushies, licensed merch, etc) so I'm thinking about splitting the space with her but I'm not sure if having both fanart prints and plush/generic anime goods would be distracting/too busy?
I've been kicking around the idea of trying to sell light novels/predominantly writing oriented fan zines at an AA at some point. I want to see more plot in the artist alley works (stories, comics, games, etc) do you think this will ever work? Am I the only one who would pick fan novellas over prints almost any day? I feel like I never see stuff like that and I want to start the trend.
>>8845304
I remember years back you saw more people getting tables to sell books and other non-art stuff. As someone who does both art and writing, I plan to eventually push my novel/story writing at the table as well.
>>8845304
>Am I the only one who would pick fan novellas over prints almost any day?
Yes. Reason? It's easy to find good fanart. It's hard to find a good fanfic. Why? I do not know. Also, in a con setting, you can easily tell good art from bad art. You just fucking look at it. How am I supposed to see if your writing is good? Stand around a tiny booth in an already crowded area reading?
Fanfics probably predate cons. Don't you think there was a reason this trend never took off?
>>8845342
>How am I supposed to see if your writing is good?
Another anon here, gotta agree with this. If you were an established author with a big follower in the weeb community, then sure, table at a con... but chances are, people are not going to want to pitch in money for something they can't readily assess. You could collab with an artist to do an art/writing zine combo though, and I think that would sell (though mostly due to the art).
>>8845304
in theory, yes, in practice, most likely no. I find a lot of written fanwork, particularly in younger fandoms, to be really cringey and pretentious. (And before you get defensive: I see the same in fan art, although the fanartists I run across don't think nearly as highly of themselves as the majority of fandom writers i've seen.)
my personal opinion aside, it would be a LOT harder to sell - unless you are talking mostly about art/written stuff together, like comics and games. Artist alleys aren't really the right atmosphere for thumbing through someones fanfiction.
>>8845342
Well, if you include art IN the books, the buyer at least knows the illustrations are good. A good, clear synopsis on the back,... make it feel like something beyond a random fanfic online. It's like Shoebox Project, a really famous HP fic,... it is incredibly well known thanks to a playful format and a lot of good illustrations.
>>8845342
I was planning on teaming up with artists, so the zines would have flashy covers and illustrations inside... It would be like an art book but with words inside? Though I've noticed barely anyone does art books either and I have no idea why. I'm way more likely to buy a book than a poster.
>>8845356
I'm the same way now just because my walls are filled with art to the point that I don't want to add to them. Groups make and sell doujinshi stateside still, right? I see it sometimes... theoretically the same thing, just the art and writing are more intermingled.
>>8845356
>I have no idea why
It takes more time and costs more to print an artbook than to produce a print. The profit margin on prints are bigger, and they sell just as well, so artists tend to gravitate towards it as opposed to zines. I do agree that I prefer zines though. They feel a lot more "authentic" since you know it's a labour of love.
>>8845359
I've never seen doujinshi sold in AA. I'd buy the shit out of it if it was a fandom I'm into, but as a non-artist I wouldn't feel comfortable proposing a doujinshi project to any artists since their job would be much more arduous than mine as the author...
>>8845304
Remember that people still tend to judge a book by it's cover. So if you could have an appropriate cover art that depicts your story, that be the only way to grab someone's .5 second as they walk past the AA tables. Promotion is key.
>>8840349
For the LD photo sticker paper, would "Krylon 6-Ounce Crystal Clear Acrylic Coating Aerosol Spray" work? I'm confused about all the different finishes and can't find the "satin" varnish. This paper is so much cheaper than other sticker papers I use so I would love to try this.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001K65K26?keywords=inkjet%20safe%20satin%20waterproof%20varnish&qid=1454480436&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1
>>8845410
Satin just provides a finish I personally prefer, gloss (or any other!) finish will do just as well, depending on your own preferences! That spray looks fine to me, you're mostly just looking for something to seal the ink and make it a little more water/finger proof.
>>8845356
I feel like you would be in a minority, at your average comic/anime con. You are aware there are specific conventions for zines, literature, etc? Honestly, it's an 'artist' alley. (I know writers are artists, but...) At my local convention there's this random author constantly shilling his terrible fantasy series, and he always looks horribly out of place among the fan merch.
>>8845419
>At my local convention there's this random author constantly shilling his terrible fantasy series, and he always looks horribly out of place among the fan merch.
Have someone like that at my local con, but think he flies in from somewhere, the funny thing is he has all these banners and stuff, character art posters behind, but when we talk to him, he says hes just the writer lol... we all pause, oh ok.
>>8845419
I see! Thank you, anon!
The colors I use look nice and bright on my calibrated monitor but look like shit on uncalibrated monitors. I always worry that other people will look at my art and go "this is ugly" because the colors look muddy. Is there even a way to solve this problem other than praying that everybody has calibrated monitors?
Half-assed unicone.
>>8845110
Thinner paper is better so it doesn't jam in the button press.I wouldn't do anything thicker than regular printer paper, hard no on the photo paper.
>>8845432
Is this at Illinois conventions by chance?
>>8844904
If their poor quality is enough for you to quit buying from them, they need to know it's bad enough to lose them customers
>>8845539
Make sure all your shit is converted to srgb for the web and pray
Hi Anons, it's me again from the last thread, asking for some more concrit on my One Punch Man chibis.
I followed your advices and added some line depth to the art (even though it's not really visible in the small scale) for impact, and made my colours more saturated. I also continually flipped the image horizontally to make sure they didn't have weird Picasso eyes. Saitama looks a little more toony, but aside from keeping his lines a little more blocky, how do you guys think I'm going with this?
This is probably an obscure series of questions, but how does everyone deal with price signs?
Do you have all the prices on the one sheet or do you stick them on smaller signs near or on your merch?
How do you make them stand out against your prints, because in my experience, every second customer will ask me what my prices are even though I feel like I have my prices clearly displayed.
Thanks in advance!
>>8844904
Their clear charms have been pretty godly crisp.
>>8845638
I have a large sign, and then prices on individual items too. You really cannot be 'too' obvious
>>8845545
Better than last thread's ugly-assed unishit.
Doing an out of state convention in a few months for AA, anyone have any packing tips for print artists? Luggage preferences? What has helped you carry your merch from the airport and back? For local cons I have a huge ass bin I take with me with one of those blue carts, but I can't take that with me to the airport. ;;;
>>8845604
I use manga studio 5 and here's what I do: I put my calibrated color profile onto an artwork and save it as a RGB PNG file. But it doesn't make it look any better on an uncalibrated monitor. I'm really worried that AA jury is going to look at my portfolio and dismiss it because the colors look so washed out and muddy,
>>8845419
>You are aware there are specific conventions for zines, literature, etc?
You may have misunderstood? Of course if I just wanted to write and display my writing, I could do that anywhere; I could even just do that online.
Specifically, I want to write them based on anime series because it's more along the lines of something I'd personally like to buy in an artist alley. Basically I want to try and see if I put my stuff out there, maybe it'll encourage others to try it too, and we can take a step closer to being more like Comiket than just a hallway that sells posters.
>>8845754
I use a ton of jewellery storage boxes for charms, buttons and stickers when I need to travel for cons. For plushies, I just shove them into a vacuum bag and into a suitcase, but I don't think that's a good idea if you're flying. Unfortunately, I have no other ideas on how to transport plushies, unless you only sew the fabric, leave a hole, and stuff them when you get to the hotel. Don't do prints so can't help you there.
Just make sure you are organised as shit. Pick a system and stick to it. If you want buttons and charms in the same box, draw a bigass line on the lid with permanent marker, clearly label which part contains what, and, if possible, make a note of the series/characters in that box and their prices. You'll have to go through the hassle of hauling suitcases through a place you don't know and sorting out your room and getting ready to sit for hours at a time while being polite to assholes, you don't need extra stress.
Also, make sure your money box is a) different to the boxes you store everything else in and b) has lots of compartments for change and notes. You don't want to be an idiot like me and almost display £5 notes instead of buttons because you packed everything in a hurry.
>>8845356
the artist/buyer culture in the west compared to jp/kr/tw is really different. In east asian countries people tend to take interest in useful products (page tabs, cloth products, bags) and more subtle fandom things as well as books and smaller post-card sized prints and creations.
In the west people tend to have more space and less.. idk. People will proudly cover their walls in anime and comic posters and such, and generally have more space for more frivilous things.
Book printing is more costly in terms of effort and also actual money as well, and when it's not as popular a product here then it's a little demoralizing to put SO much work and effort into making a cool thing only to realize that your home market isn't really receptive.
>>8845779
Or possibly there's some mutual misunderstanding because I am not american, and there ARE conventions or artist alleys specifically for writing + image works (comics and illustrated fanwriting). There's nothing wrong with it in concept, I just don't really think it would suit western artist alleys. It's not like written work automatically is superior because it has more 'meaning' than a singular image.
Again, i'm not stopping you... just providing my personal opinion that there are other events/situations more suitable for such works than your average artist alley.
>>8845799
I'm also not implying that fanfiction is the ultimate fanwork (I'd personally be more inclined to buy a fancomic than a fan novel even) but I'd settle for anything that has substance to it, and a light novel is probably the only thing I could do decently well.
>>8845596
they don't care, they know there are plenty of new artists who are two cheap to pay for ink it and will always try them out lol
>>8845638
literally your entire display could be a giant price sign and you only have one print for sale and people will STILL ask you what the price is.
it's not your fault, don't try too hard. The signs are for people who are shy introverts who would rather read than talk to you, expect everyone else to ask.
>>8845789
Thank you! This helps so much.
I usually have a cashbox, but I was thinking I might get one of those locking cash bags and carry it on me through checkpoints. Also beats them asking me what the huge metal box is. Thanks again for telling me your experience.
Dragon con vendor table registration is open.
Tables cost between $550 and $1750...
Not sure if I can afford that or not.
>>8846024
>$550 and $1750
Never been, so that sounds ridiculously expensive to me. I'm used to between $100-300. Is it worth it?
