Old thread dying: >>9022583
>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
Con after con is happening each weekend nowadays. Hope all of you are in the plus and doing just fine
So how did everyone at A-kon do? It was my first year and my profits were on par with a smaller local con, so not sure how to feel.
>>9041915
I did well. On par with anime Boston, about 7k.
Anybody having issues with paying taxes for Acen? I mailed in my check and payment coupon on 05/23 but nothing has been deducted from my bank account. Is it normal for them to take this long or do you think my mail got lost? I'm getting nervous because you have to make a payment within 10 days of the event.
>>9041915
Profits were way down for me. I had an extremely good location too so I'm unsure why. I didn't see a ton of people carrying many prints though.
>>9042071
I've noticed at the past two cons I've done (Acen, Fanime) that people are buying less prints and more small merch like charms, buttons, stickers etc... My profit margins have been down along with a lot of other artists who focus more on prints.
Something to consider.
>>9042075
Thanks anon, I appreciate that. I sold a massive amount of buttons and charms, so it seems like it's going in that direction.
Just out of curiosity, do you guys get upset when people take some time to look and don't buy anything? Or when people just glance and keep on walking?
I've never had a booth but I'll look at everyone's art quickly as I walk by and sometimes I feel bad. Some of the artists look so bummed.
>Be meh-tier, unknown local cosplayer
>Invited as cosplay guest to midsize con
>Barely break even selling prints
>Getting business cards from other con organizers, may be travelling to 6-7 cons next year instead of usual 1-2 local cons
SHIT. I'm in over my head. Losing money hand over fist on prints trying to find out what sells and what doesn't, and spending too much out of pocket on shipping.
It cost me $25 to ship to the US one time, I charged the customer $5.
I'm an idiot.
>>9041915
It's my 4th year i think, and i was down 15% from last year. Last year i had a really good spot though, but this year I think i had better product.
For comparison, i was up 25% at fanime last weekend. But down 15% at a-kon.
I think what really hurt was the fact that fan expo dallas, a comic con, planned their con on the same fucking weekend. So i heard from attendees that everyone went to fan expo during the day for guests, then to akon at night for parties. considering we close at 9pm.. there's no way we'd make up those customers.
Supposedly this is going to happen AGAIN next year because cons are stupid and want to compete against each other?
I'm.. okay with the 15% drop but I'm not okay with it if it keeps dropping, ugh.
>>9042109
Always charge shipping fees
Seriously, never pick up P+P yourself
>>9041915
I did fantastic. One of my best cons to date. I did double what I made at Fanime, and over quadruple what I made last year at A-kon (despite only having 3-4 new prints). I did only bring prints though, so people couldn't divert to cheaper options like >>9042080 anon did.
Unlike Fanime, which my best, popular, and new prints all moved, all of my prints were consistently moving at A-kon. 18 out of my 19 prints sold out by Friday night or Saturday afternoon, and I had overstocked more than usual since I did well at Fanime.
Another surprising thing was how many people were willing to tip vs. the Cali cons I'm used to. I was getting 200%/300% tips for some commissions, whereas most people are usually over joyous they got something for cheap.
I'm not really sure why my last A-kon was so poor, especially as some of my best selling stock I had last year as well, but overall it was a really great con for me. It'll probably keep being my alternative until I get off the waiting list for PCC.
>>9042141
From what I heard, it's Fan Expo that's trying to wipe out A-kon, since they were recently purchased by a new owner- an outsider who's a lot more industry.
>>9042071
>>9042075
Yeah my print sales were way down. Something I may consider is phasing out the large prints and going to more postcard and letter prints.
>>9042141
I was wondering if that would affect it, as would the shitty weather. I feel like a lot of the people who buy my prints are a decidedly anime audience. It was weird what people bought though. All my previous best sellers that always sold out, those rarely sold, but my newest, super shippy prints sold. I guess all the fujoshi bought but none of my non-fujoshi approachable stuff sat. It's a learning experience I guess.
>>9042093
Most of the day is spent by people looking, thinking if they want to buy something, and leaving. It's generally in bad form to look disappointed by lack of sale, for reasons like you're describing: it makes the customer feel guilty and uncomfortable.
Although, honestly? Unless it's a really, really small con and you're one of the two or three people they had seen all day, they really probably didn't even notice. You have tens of thousands of people going through and alley, and most of them will be looking and not buying.
>>9042148
I generally charge a flat rate depending on the country, this time I forgot to include shipping from the printer to me, only charged enough to cover shipping from me to the customer. D'oh.
>>9042093
Nah. If they're just walking around like that they might have run out of money or just be looking at what everyone has to offer instead of looking to buy the first shiny thing they see. If they don't come back then that's not a huge loss, there are always other people. You can't take it personally. Even if you're a brilliant artist, they might not like your style, or the fandoms you have, or be looking for prints instead of charms or whatever.
>>9042093
It honestly makes me sad although I don't take it personally. I try not to show my disappointment but I'm sure it shows a little. Hahaha
Does everybody get body pillows and tights made from artsmoo? They seem low quality from other products I've ordered from them so I wonder if I should try to find other suppliers for body pillows and tights.
>>9042152
I had also heard this, that fan expo was trying to edge out a-kon. Why can't they just share the nerd attendees at different times, it's a pain in the ass for me because i sell video game/anime art so i can't just switch to random comic con.
The thought of making double what i did at fanime would have been absurd haha. I barely had time to pee at fanime, glad you did well at a-kon though!
>>9042157
I was worried about the weather too, who can say what happened in the end though.
>>9041915
I haven't taken out hotel and flight costs yet but in terms of revenue I made close to $6.5k? It's my first A-kon and my prints did really well! I actually sold out of one of mine and had to reprint for Sunday only to sell out again. I was in island A with >>9042152 though! I wonder if placement affected print sales at all? My print sales were fantastic just like Pixel!
>>9042306
I use an alibaba supplier. A cursory alibaba search will turn up a lot of daki suppliers!
>>9042386
Thank you! I will try Alibaba.
>>9041915
How did people without/not many prints do? I'm hearing a lot if different things (some people did fantastic with prints, some only sold a few prints).
>>9042467
I'm wondering if some lack of prints sales are due to people buying from previous years from some artists? If you attend a lot of (texas)cons with the same stock, the sales of prints might go down over time for A-kon or other conventions for that person? Besides peoples lack of wall space being part of a factor?
>>9042093
Not at all- I get that not everyone's going to buy something! I'm generally happy enough if someone sees my art and likes it.
What does get me down is someone openly badmouthing my prints while they're standing at my table- which doesn't happen often, but I'm completely blown away every time it does. And the criticism is never of the art itself, it's usually that they don't like the series or the ship depicted- which is maybe why people don't think they're being rude? But I'm still amazed that people have the gall to slam a piece of art when the person who drew it is literally sitting right there. At LEAST have the courtesy to take a few steps away from my table so that I don't have to hear you.
I'm looking to make charms like this one; the artist told me they use zapcreatives.co.uk, but I thought I'd ask you guys your thoughts.
I've also found inkitlabs.com and this Alibaba producer, but I can't find anybody on Alibaba who makes clear acrylic charms that look like this and have a minimum order of around 50 or something.
http://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Custom-printed-cell-phone-acrylic-charms_60290990434.html?spm=a2700.7724838.0.0.S8SpES&s=p
>>9042606
... did you read the OP?
>>9042667
Once, a few months ago, and then after posting but before you replied. It's not explicitly labeled "charms" or anything to that effect, so I missed it, since I didn't know Vograce by name.
>>9042467
I actually just did my numbers (I'm >>9042141 ) and i sold a numberically a few more prints than last year, but sold 30% fewer charms which accounts for most of the 15% drop.
Which is just disappointing considering at fanime i sold way more of both, and every other con this year was an increase as well. In the end i still made a good amount, was just expecting more/increase instead of a decrease.
>>9042720
It would be interesting if we made a standardized system to actually try and see if perceived trends are real or just local to certain areas, etc
>>9042531
Pretty much. I'm definitely a prints person and only came away with a couple of them at fanime because most of the ones I liked I already bought at previous California cons or on the off season from online stores.
>>9042729
I'm curious about which series tends to sell the most. Obviously the 'popular stuff', but what do you find people are willing to shell out for series-wise?
Do handmade plushies sell well at A-kon?
>>9042976
They sell well everywhere but it depends on your skill level and what characters you're making.
>>9042881
Would love to know this. Because everyone always says "Draw what you love" but that's bs. Some stuff obviously sells and others don't.
>>9042976
I know inkidrop was there, who has done some successful kickstarters, and those drifloon pokemon seem to be popular! I know there was that Osomatsu-san frogged plushie seller there too. There was good separation amongst the plushies, but I definitely would say all of them had professionally embroidered faces via a embroidery machine
>>9043109
What area are you from? I know LoL does really good on the west coast, so much that a lot of tables are exclusively League art.
do you ever buy something that you don't know the series of, if it's a good art piece? i want to make fanart for an older video game and i'm confident i could make it look good just as a thing but i have no idea how much/little it'd sell.
also, how do you get a table partner? i'm not sure how to find other people who'd be interested in going to cons. i'm attending university if it helps.
>>9043594
People might ask what series it is and you can possibly get a few new fans out of it, but I don't think people would buy it anyway.
Other fans of the game would probably love it though. Nostalgia is a hell of a way to get sales.
>>9043594
It happens, but it's very rare so don't count on it. I can count the number of times someone has bought fanart without liking the series on my fingers.
What happens more often is someone asking me if a print is based on something, and if it's original they buy it but if it's fanart they don't want it because they don't want to buy fanart. (Or fanart of something they don't know)
This is my first time doing AX what is good table placement vs. decent table placement vs. give up on your dreams table placement ?
>>9043791
Good: end caps near the center, near the front or in the front
Decent: middle
Give up: on the edges
So I'm a bit nervous, and I need advice. I really want to make a business out of making figures of for example pokemon. Where do I fit in artist alley? I've been reading a lot of different rules and it seems like it's not allowed.
>>9043594
Very much what >>9043721 said.
I'll buy original art if I like the artist's style, but I'm not interested in fanart of a series I don't know.
But in terms of making a print for an older video game, I'd still say go for it. If you want to draw it anyways, do a small run of prints and see how it goes. Sometimes niche stuff is the best selling because you're the only table that has it.
>>9043721
>they don't want it because they don't want to buy fanart. (Or fanart of something they don't know)
I've had this happen a few times with some of my plush. I don't do manufactured but sometimes I'll make original designs of random animals or characters that will catch people's eye and they'll ask to double check they're not buying some Pokemon. I had an older woman who bought like three at once and told me "I just wanted to make sure I'm not going to be associated with some show I've never heard of if I walk around with them".
>>9043954
If you are making them from scratch, i.e. not copying existing toys or 3d printing models you found online, you belong in the artist alley as a crafter. Dealers is fine if you can afford it, but you are an artist alley crafter basically.
>>9044061
Thank you so much anon, relief has been lifted.
>>9044061
Is there any benefit getting a DR booth instead of an AA table (aside from selling officially licensed products)?
>>9044083
I imagine space and visibility.
>>9044083
I was looking at the rules for having a dr booth and seems like they don't allow bootlegs and such. Which I feel like my stuff would be mistaken as even though all of my figures will be based my own artwork.
thanks people. all helpful responses :) i think i will make something but keep the print size small.
>>9043853
grim fandango!
>>9044083
Size like >>9044086 said, and at some cons dealer's gets significantly more traffic than artist alleys. Not true of every con but many. Some cons people prefer buying from dealers while others people prefer buying art from AA (Boston comes to mind)
>>9044115
You'd probably be fine because you'd be marketting yourself as a crafter and giving out cards etc, not trying to pass yourself off as official figures. Also you'd cost like way more so no one could make that mistale. But if you're just starting out there's really no reason to do dealers as it does cost a lot and you probably don't have the product to fill it out anyway.
>>9044327
Thanks so much anon.
Opinions on drawing a series that you don't particularly like? I'm planning on drawing LoL fan art just because it's such a cash cow and I love the characters, but I don't enjoy the game itself.
>>9044618
You do you, but at least read up about the characters you draw so you can at least fake having just gotten into it in case someone asks. Some people get mad pissy about this kinda stuff.
>>9044618
Just say you play the game but you're bad at it so you don't really have to talk about it.
>>9044626
>>9044618
i think in the case of lol you're more likely to be faced with conversations centered around in-game mechanics/balance rather than lore. But tons of league fanartists barely play the game or don't even. It has an attractive and interesting cast, IMO (as someone who has played for ~4 years) it's totally find to just be into the characters.
>>9044618
I dunno, I get really annoyed when people make fanart of shit that they haven't watched/played. It just seems soulless and corporate.
I would never support another artist that does it, even if I really love the artist and their style (even if I just wont buy that particular series they're peddling, it also sours how I see the artist).
I just find it really cunty, it just feels like fanart should be done when you're a fan of something. Buying something from an artist that likes the same thing as you, understands it and expresses it makes it great.
So if I were you I'd try to hide the fact that you don't know about what you're selling.
Everyone feels differently, and this is just me.
>>9044618
I think its fine though its just not as enjoyable when you draw/make something you don't exactly have any feelings towards.
Its either make a loss because you're drawing niche things you like or make a profit selling mainstream stuff you dont care about, might as well pick a balance between the two.
>tfw jealous of people who genuinely like mainstream stuff and draw it happily and make a tonne of sales.
How do you find people to share rooms with for cons? I only have one friend who might be willing to share and I want to keep my costs as low as possible. It would only be my second time selling and at a medium attendance con, I'm still figuring out what sells and what doesn't so I'm not too confident in my profit-generating abilities.
>>9044726
I stayed at an airbnb for really cheap at A-kon, which helped cut down on the crazy high costs of the Anatole, even after having to get an uber back and forth. Maybe look into those alternatives?
>>9044726
Make friends within AA sometimes helps for finding hotels or people that are sane to add to a room
>wife saying I should do a table at local cons
>realize i know nothing about SELLING prints because ive always BOUGHT them
The OP failed to shed much light on the subject and it seems many of you have your hands dirty. Could I start off with asking what kind of fau pas i should avoid? And how many subjects do you usually offer for your prints? I know a lot of artist have 5 while othets have this gigantic fucking book of prints they may have
>>9044945
Have a way to display them, kept the product away from five finger discounts. Having tiered pricing for small to large prints means you have options for cheapskates. I prefer to be firm on pricing, but fair for the value of the item because I hate arguing over my pricing all day long. If you feel up to the investment, selling poster tubes for a little extra has worked really well in my favor before.
>>9044955
On terms of what you sell, do you aim for whats currently trending or what you have come up with on your own?
>>9044962
Both are good, if you're able. My print portfolio is something like: popular fandoms that I'm into > unpopular fandoms that I'm into > originals. A good mix is the best bet in my opinion, but I still prioritize the popular stuff.
So I'm possibly tabling for the first time in less than 3 months (on very short notice).
Is this enough time to prepare? Is it possible to table with just a few prints? Or should I just wait till next year :/
>>9044712
I know a lot of people will disagree, but I agree, it's called fanart for a reason.
>>9044712
I buy prints that are nicely illustrated and no clue what the character is from at times. So should the seller be upset with me for not knowing?
>>9045372
Your point is moot. It's your money and you do what you want with it, we will happily take it.
When I sell fanart, it's because I like what it's from and it feels good when people to buy it because they like it as well. If they don't know what it is, I still get money.
If you just draw fanart of things you don't know for the cash, I feel like it's a shitty thing to do. It's called FANart. Honestly, it doesn't take much effort to read or play something to actually know what you're drawing and know what people want from the series and how to connect with them.
It's my opinion, don't get upset about it. Not my fault you're a lazy cunt who just wants them dollas.
>>9044712
>>9045404
I can see where you guys are coming from and it's a good way to strike up a conversation with someone by talking to them about a particular series. In my first post, I did mention that I have played LoL but I don't enjoy it. So I do know about LoL and how the game works and the characters, but I'm just not a huge fan.
Are grab bags allowed at TX cons? Acen didn't allow them for some reason.
>>9045419
I see them in the DR all the time.
>>9045392
your opinion is fucking moot money is money you fucking man child stop giving bad advice
>>9045536
>man child
Sure, pal. I don't know why you're so upset.
I justthink it's shitty to draw fanart and sell it if you're not a fan, it's an opinion- not advice.
But here IS some advice: I think you need to get off the internet, calm down and take your meds.
>>9044618
Have you sold at a con before?
I'm about to open up my first ever online shop after selling at cons for over 6 years, does anyone have any advice?
I'll be using etsy since I already use it to shop and I'll be selling mostly prints and apparel.
Any advice would be helpful, thank you.
>>9045409
That's fine, I think. It's okay to watch/read/play something and not totally enjoy it and still make fanart in my opinion. It's pretty cold to not know anything about the series and still make fanart because you want to rake in some cash. The difference being you still consumed the source material and are able to relate to the fans of the series, whether or not you agree with their taste 100%.
>>9045263
Depends how fast you draw, but typically, the more time the better. Are you splitting the table with another artist?
>>9045671
Why only just now opening an online shop?
Make sure you update all your policies, especially return policy. You'll want use etsy shipping labels, so you'll need a scale and printer. Make sure you charge the right amount for shipping!
I forgot to do my acen taxes within ten days how fucked am I
>>9045693
Try emailing the chicago office of revenue. They response time is excellent. Maybe they can help you out, anon.
Evo's opening up AA applications tomorrow, just as a heads up! This will be new for the con/event, so I'm super curious to see how it goes.
>>9045824
Thanks! will do.
>>9044618
Tbh it usually shows when you're drawing something you're not really a fan of. Chances are you'll just end up recycling what you see in your references and not bring any new ideas to it, like you might if you actually knew the characters. When you walk through an AA looking at a particular popular fandom you can usually tell who is an actual fan and who just whipped out one or two generic pieces just to appeal to that market. It's not something you can fake.
If the artist is really skilled though then it doesn't matter if it's obvious or not, because a really nice piece will sell even if the concept is generic. And some people will buy some shit no matter how bad it is, like pokemon.
>>9044083
I know you are just looking for benefits, but keep in mind Dealer Room hours are less than Artist Alley hours. That's great for getting dinner, walking around and sleeping, but you have to be confident you can make enough sales in only a few hours.
>>9045978
Hope it works out for you!
>>9046048
I think generic shit works for keychains or buttons, but not usually prints.
I wouldn't put in the effort of a print over something I didn't care for, but a keychain of the main character(s) isn't anything complex but sells well.
>>9045856
Evo? What's the full name or location? I can't find anything
>>9046104
Third result on Google...
>>9044712
This. Especially because for me I see it as them being a fake fan. It's disingenuous. I don't draw for series I don't watch just to make money. I won't enjoy drawing it and it won't come off right to fans. Because there are plenty of things that artist has to love that they could draw (or even original art). I understand if someone want to do anime cons but doesn't watch anime, but maybe they should just watch the thing.
What's a good brand for 11x17 (or other sized) print albums to set at your table?
I've seen a variety but haven't gotten one yet. Just wondering what you guys think.
>>9045856
Do you have a link to the info? I'm trying to find info on their site but no luck. I'd be interested in registering.
Does anyone know if you can sell Stardew Valley artwork in artist alleys? I recently found out that ConcernedApe does not permit fan merch to be sold but I'm not sure if something small scale like some stickers in artist alley is allowed as it isn't mass production.
I was creating some stickers of the main girls and now I'm sad that all that work has gone to waste.
>>9045682
I'm going back to school full time and need some extra revenue becouse I won't be able to attend as many cons.
I'm looking into purchasing a scale right now do you have a particular one you reccomend?
>>9046178
Why not respect the artist's wishes?
>>9046178
Contact the artist directly and ask. They may give permission for smaller things like stickers, but not stuff like prints or shirts. Every artist is different, so you're better off asking them yourself.
>>9046178
If the artist doesn't want fan merch to be sold, don't sell fan merch. Ask them directly if you want to do it that badly, if they say no then give the stickers away as an extra for people who buy x item or spend x amount of money.
>>9046239
I bought this one http://smile.amazon.com/Accuteck-Digital-Shipping-Postage-W-8250-50BS/dp/B00SMHWZ42?ie=UTF8&keywords=package%20scale&qid=1465443388&ref_=sr_1_2&sr=8-2
I like it, no complaints.
Questions for those that attend all sorta of convetions. How well does your anime/game art do at comic type conventions? My first one with some friends is coming up and sorta anxious? I sell mainly game fanart (nintendo and others) and a few anime pieces. In that I sell charms, buttons and bags. What tends to do well for you?
What's a good excuse to use for taking a day off work to table at a con? I son't want to and can't exactly say that I need a day off to attend an anime con lol.
>>9046415
Diarrhea.
>>9046155
I just heard about it through tweets, but it looks like there isn't info on the website proper yet. HEre's the signup link!
>https://docs.google.com/forms/d/15o1X4bbNUoJ8Hur0kMfeI_cOLF41hS62Dv2xofQrwdI/viewform
>>9046415
literally shitting yourself at work will ALWAYS get you a day off
>>9046424
Thanks anon.
>>9046415
I don't see why tabling at a con isn't a good excuse. Explain that its a secondary job. My boss doesn't care when I take one or two days off for business reasons.
I've decided to start doing AA too.
Which of those should I get and why?
>>9046686
how about you ask google first?
>>9046697
Google didn't give me anything except for shitty shopping links?
>>9046686
Its up to you and how you want to display honestly. The grids have been around for way longer so you can find lots of inspo of people and their tables. I've only seen a few artists use the acrylic board type ones.
>>9046448
Pretty much this.
I save my PTO for this reason. As long as I have the PTO, my boss doesn't give a fuck if I'm doing cocaine and fucking hookers or if I'm going to an anime con.
I'm also kind of lucky that for some reason anime cons aren't super taboo out here?? A lot of people at my work go and I work at an insurance company, the epitome of adult and boring.
>>9046272
Of course I'm not going to sell it behind their back. I planned to respect their wishes on not selling fan merch as soon as I heard about it.
>>9046318
That sounds like a pretty good idea as I'm not making a profit off of it. I'll try asking the publisher about stickers but it's a little intimidating.
>>9044207
I love grim fandango! In fact, an artist at MAGfest was selling grim fandango prints and I bought one up ASAP because it was so unexpected.
So I'd definitely say go for it, even if you only print a few to test it out.
>>9046354
Game stuff does incredibly well at comic cons. It's the shit normies snap up in a heartbear - esp if its more mainstream games like Super Smash.
>>9046448
My boss is ok with a secondary job, but he's an old guy who would flip if he found out that I cosplayed and sold weird anime shit. My stuff isn't always sfw so I don't really want my boss to know what I'm drawing.
>>9046927
Oh, and I do have to give him some kind of a reason for PTO.
>>9046927
How specific do you have to be? Just say you're selling artwork at an event as a part time job. Tell him the event name (not like he'd know what it is), and be vague about everything else.
Lol, idk anon, my boss doesn't even ask me why I'm taking a day off, he couldn't care less. good luck.
>>9046779
Hmm I see, thanks.
Most people in my area use the acrylic ones, but according to google everyone else seems to use the grid ones, so I wondered if one has any advantages over the other, but I guess there aren't many that have used both....?
>>9046944
I imagine people like the grid ones because you can hang things on them
>>9046415
I make up some personal family issues i have to take care off = none of their business/My time off.
>>9046941
Unless it's a good reason like doctors appointment and family issues, he'll deny my requests. >>9047078
So I usually use family issues or doctors appointment but I want to start going to more cons. You can only have so many family issues a year so I'm running out of excuses. Thanks anons, I'll stick to these reasons for now.
>>9046048
Two of those pieces are Sinix's, was he sharing the table?
How do I build up the courage to get charms and stickers and stuff made?
I keep feeling like my art isn't good enough yet so I keep waiting to get better but I want to go through with it
>>9047181
>Unless it's a good reason like doctors appointment and family issues, he'll deny my requests
I suggest looking for a new job.
So, who got into Rufflecon's marketplace?
>>9047181
How many family issues have you had? For that matter, how many holidays do you take? Just say you're going on a short break or something. He's an asshole and you don't have to jump through hoops to make him give you your days off.
>>9046354
Mainstream stuff sells like hotcakes. Less mainstream stuff does fine, too.
>>9047238
I'm confused by what you mean courage. do you mean like, feeling like the financial investment would be worth it? it's honestly not that expensive to get a first run of charms or stickers done, try it out with just one or two designs first and if that doesn't work out try improving for a year before you attempt again.
You can also post charm and sticker art in this thread and get honest critique. It hasn't happened in a couple of threads but that's definitely something that people can do.
>>9047238
Just fucking do it. So many artists get so hung up on trying things that they never learn for themselves. Don't be like that. If you want to do something, just try.
>>9047522
thanks, not that anon but I needed this. I'm one of those artists that shy away at the hint of a risk or something new, but I'm hoping to go out and just DO THINGS - table at an artist alley, open commissions, etc
Literally why do these people think they're always going to just be handed their next best seller?
>>9047910
Can we just all just comment with some bullshit nobody actually watches/play like endride or something so he does some shit for that?
That would be really hilarious.
Germany's DoKomi just announced they want to create the biggest artist alley in Europe. Sounds ambitious, but looking at how fast they have grown (biggest anime convention in Germany now) and how close their concept is to Comiket it doesn't sound too unrealistic in my opinion.
Source: dokomi facebook page
I'm curious in how this will turn out.
>>9047910
you forgot to crop yourself out
Has Blizzard been serving take down notices for Overwatch in online stores? I have some merchandise made but I don't know if I want to put it in my store if it will draw attention like that.
>>9047963
there's been one reported takedown but they were literally taking the logo/official art and making merch out of it.
>>9047996
I really don't know what people expect when they do that shit
Are there any worthwile con in yurop for tabling or are all the action going on in the us?
>>9047284
i got an unsecured table and am looking forward to lugging my merch up to my hotel room each night
>>9048053
Same here.
Seems like they're accepting more artists this year.
Being from your average European country with meh sized cons, seeing some of you guys pull in several thousands of dollars at a single con just baffles me.
If I had any planning skills at all (and also the actual money to go) I would totally try to sell at a big NA con.
>>9047910
I just want to list off obscure weird hentai shit for them every time they ask this. Do some god damn research or use the search function to find this same question and the answers every fucking week in the group.
>>9048290
please do anon!
>>9048299
if they get pissy just say "sorry, you didn't specify you didn't do NSFW and it's just so hard to find any cute art of these characters! My bad!"
>>9047910
has anybody said Boku no Pico yet
>>9047963
I had some taken off Redbubble, but not Storenvy. I didn't use logos or anything, for reference.
>>9048304
Sometimes people pose as offical companies on RB to get stuff taken off because competition and all. So it might not have been Blizzard.
>>9048302
I draw a lot of yaoi fanart and legit some guy came up to my booth and said, "You know, if I ever were to watch yaoi it would have to be shota." OP would have a market in this man.
>>9048648
I applaud his honesty I suppose...
>>9048159
It MIGHT be worth it depending on which con you go to. You also need to take into account your travel fees, hotel, badge, the cost of transporting your products, exchange rate. and your potential taxes you'll be dealing with. May or may not be worth it.
You could potentially make $1,000 at a US con, only to have all your profit eaten up just by getting to the con in the first place.
My boss flew me and a coworker across the country for a big comic book convention, and it cost almost $1,000 per person to get us there. Then add in our hotel and yeah, unless you can push a BIG profit, you may end up being in the red.
>>9048648
I once put the first episode of Boku no Pico on a friend's flash drive as a joke. Turned out he loved it and downloaded the rest of the episodes. He wasn't joking either.
Shota yaoi is a real market. Exploit it!
small local con I'm thinking about going to again this year. Last year was slow and boring, but they are making some promising changes.
Anyways, one change is is the vendor hours, 9am to 9pm. 12 hours.
I just might die.
>>9048756
hope you have a friend that can bring you food and watch your table for bathroom breaks
>>9048696
>it cost almost $1,000 per person
>per person
That's some bad flight planning right there.
I'm flying back and forth across the country in a month for only $460 total round trip and that was only a few days of poking around for flights.
>>9048833
It's cause she had us fly American Airlines. Normally she'd stick us on Southwest.
Her planning wasn't always the best. Sometimes she'd forget to make sure a hotel room was paid for, so when we got there, we were expected to pay for it(which especially sucked when you were in a completely different state) and I had a display actually collapse because she was adamant it would work and didn't bother testing it for longer then an hour.
There's a reason why I don't work for her anymore.
>>9048845
>don't work for her anymore
Congrats, always feels good to get away from those types.
>>9048861
Yeah. Sad part is, I actually liked my job, the products we sold, and working the conventions. But man, I couldn't keep that job because I couldn't stand the owner. It was a small company too, so it's not like we're talking some big chain store.
>mfw, I found out they pissed off some well known cosplayer too with bad business after I was gone and my coworker who had been there a year before me quit too.
How many times have you guys been able to use Artsmoo 0.99 coupons? When I try to use it for the second time I get a response "Our system has detected your IP address has already been used" , and even proxies or tunnelbear don't help. However, I've seen people claim here and on AANI that they've been able to use this coupon literally an unlimited number of times. How have you managed do it?
>>9049096
clear your cookies/browser data?
>>9048745
That's why the Free! Movie was just a muddle school shota flashback instead of a continuation where they go to the Olympics and shenanigans ensue. Not a lot of high budget Shota stuff out there.
>>9049270
Tried a totally different browser and another device, but no! How did you guys manage to use it multiple times?
>>9049096
Try Tor
>>9049475
Thanks! I haven't tried it yet. Should I change the account and email too? Or did you manage to do it under the same account?
So who's at animenext? It's really bad this year.
>>9049613
It's really weird. It's my first year and I'm doing pretty well. Just a little over $2000 in terms of revenue as of now. After I subtract table and flight costs, the profit margin will be less but not a terrible con for me.
I've heard from other people that they're doing really terribly at this con though? I wonder if it's a matter of location or if it's because I've never sold here before this year so my stuff is "new" to the congoers.
>>9049096
The majority of ArtsMoo coupons are single use. There are a few CowCow (sister site) coupons that initially were unlimited, but that they put the single use limitation on after people started to abuse it.
Personally, I've gotten around it by using my boyfriend's account and getting them shipped to his house. I imagine multiple accounts with the same address would cause them to check on it, but I haven't had any trouble with them picking up on duplicate orders by getting them shipped under a different name to a different address.
>>9049867
Thanks for the info!
Has anyone tried ordering wholesale from them by the way? Maybe they have a good wholesale price for several dozens of pieces instead of coupons?
>>9049902
AANI did a wholesale group order from fartcow a couple years ago, and the prices weren't that much better than the coupons, but you did get a lot of them. If you're interested, just try to reach out to them and they can probably discuss more details.
>>9049948
Found the specific post. Granted, their prices have gone up in the past couple of years so this might have increased too. But iirc they had no limitation on the amount of designs, as long as you met the 1000 mark.
>>9049954
Oh my god that rate is godawful lmao
>>9050068
Yea that was the coupon price at the time...?
I've been thinking about selling kiss cut sticker sheets and printing them from home, but have no idea how to even go about pricing them by size. A quick search around etsy prices 4x6 sheets for around $5, half sheets 5.5x8 for around $8, and can't seem to find anything for full sheets other than people selling copyrighted label rips for $1-$3.
Would $10-$12 be reasonable for a full color 8.5x11 sticker sheet?
>>9050156
That sounds reasonable, I've seen people selling 8x11 cut yourself stickers sheets for $10.
>>9047187
I just grabbed that photo off google as an example of what I was talking about, since the art was really generic and hits a lot of fandoms. I don't know whose it was.
>>9049948
Thanks!
Lol "fartcow" rofl :))))
Having my first table for this year, this coming weekend. It's only a one day thing so no sweat, but I'm a bit nervous of my table display because it tends to look subpar and mishmash of crafty stuff (trouble of doing too many crafty things at once I think, and not sticking to a certain theme). I have a few days to work on making mini shelves or something since my grid walls are massive, and maybe sew up a decorative bunting banner.
Props to the artists who put effort into having awesome looking displays, I think it pays off, right?
>>9051802
One day event anon? Did the table cost anything? I'm wary sometimes of 1 day events like time location any promotion for it.
god fucking damnit, you guys
god fucking
damnit
>>9052094
Fuck that's funny
>>9052051
Yea, one event costs $60 I think, and the other was $50 (tabling at two one-day events this year). This weekend event is an outdoors but tall covered glass CVroof top, but because of sun and heat, front half that stays a little cooler than the back half, so front half pays $60 while back half pays like $45.
I like the one day events, especially it's easy on a crafter like me in terms of restocking. Plus these ones are usually Artist Alley heavy, so there's plenty of average con be attendees and a mix of regular customers.
Till I can do some print stuff, I don't reach out for 3day cons like in the past.
>>9046048
> Laminated paper key chains
> Takes me back
>>9052145
Nice sounds like got the whole day to sell.
Unlike a recent event a friend ask me to check, also got to pay for $60...
>1 day, 5 hrs (afternoon to night)
> has an entrance fee and parking fee
> only see a fb spam to promote, basically locals
Told friend I think the artist(s) who planned this event will be the only ones making money.
>>9052387
Oh god I didn't notice until you pointed it out. I'm so glad we don't have those things any more, no matter how nice the art was they always looked so cheap and tacky to me.
Guys, I'm having such a hard time with these itty bitty tiny bows. Any tips? How do you guys get yours to come out so nice and clean?
>>9052557
I hated them because they always either fell apart or got ripped off. I'm glad there's so many other options out there.
>>9052387
I still saw several people selling them at Megacon this year...
>>9052592
Just started the process of getting my first large keychain order with Coco. Super nervous and hoping a month is enough time like everyone says.
How much do you guys usually sell 1" charms for? I've heard that 8-10 is the standard for the larger ones, but I haven't heard anything about the smaller sizes.
>>9052486
Actually this event is a little unconventional: starts late like 2pm to late, but I've never really stayed past 8:45pm. So it's a little short, but I like the late start.
Aw dang, that sounds awful, I hope there was a bright side to the event..
>>9052557
There was someone at Animazement whose entire display was laminated badges.
>>9052842
I've seen them price for $5-6 iirc.
>>9052843
Only bright side is recognizing this event fail imho. This is like a 2nd time some obscure event call for artist/crafters occurred and the first 2 were more easily accessible and the joke was there were more artist than attendees bad.
There is the occassiona anime/AA in a shopping mall center that does pretty well, ill just wait for that one.
>>9052718
mine always got crumpled because every single one would come with strap attatched instead of a lobster claw clasp+strap combo, so i had to shove a 3-inch paper chibi through a 1 inch gap.
thank god those days are over!
>>9052851
I always wondered how those people got into AAs that aren't fcfs.
I saw a girl at AX 2010 (back when I was a wee babe) and it was literally just shitty animu badges and she would write your name on it with a sharpie if you purchased one. It was beyond me even then why anyone would purchase anything like that, especially since she was selling them for $20 a pop.
someone i know on twitter got fucked out of their AA table for AX.
she and another girl acquired neighboring tables by purchasing them from a third person, apparently.
the other girl did a switcheroo and snagged the neighboring table for herself so that she now has a double-long table, and gave the first girl a shitty ass table in the back.
first girl is afraid to complain because she technically acquired the table illegally, even though she somehow got her studio name attached to it.
here's the kicker: the second girl is a splatter artist and a quick google comes up with the copyrighted images she used as a base for her art.
what would you guys do?
>>9053160
Report the fuck out of the splatter artist. I don't know if AX people are in the loop, but I think comic cons are bringing down the banhammer on splatter artists. If you can find the copyrighted images, you should be able to go to the AA head about it with proof and stuff.
I'm petty, so I would feel extra satisfaction at seeing this asshole set up and get told to take it all down and leave the con.
Unfortunately, I don't think there's anything the first girl can do to get her spot back. If you know her personally, maybe you could coordinate with her and after confirming that splatter-chan is out, get her to try to transfer back to her original table.
>>9053172
i've offered the girl some ammunition, but she doesn't seem keen on stirring up more shit.
if it were me though, i'd get myself kicked out of the AA if it meant getting this girl kicked out too. but i'm exceptionally salty.
posting the splatter art table to AANI is a great idea though. i may have to do that myself if the first girl is hesitant
how does everyone else here deal with depression when it feels like everyone else has better art than you and you'll never measure up? even when you have good sales
>>9053234
my first instinct when seeing great art is to feel insecure and inferior and feel bad for myself.
but over time i've learned to shake that feeling, and instead i pick and choose elements i admire and work on incorporating it into my own art.
i basically just try to spin the envy in a positive way
>>9053234
Stop. You can't compare yourself to others. Just work on comparing yourself to your former art and concentrate on improving.
Here's a virtual seal-hug.
>>9053234
If you have actual depression there's not much anyone can say until you treat the depression it self.
If you're just saying colloquially, try thinking about how illogical that is. Like if you let someone better than you make you feel like you suck and will never get good, does that mean it's okay to look at art that's shitty and think you're amazing and don't have to improve?
Of course not, because comparison is bull shit.
>>9053234
I deal with this a lot, especially after cons. It doesn't help that I work in a style that ppl say is "easy".
I've found the best thing is just to work through it in your art, and challenge yourself.
Think of what you want to improve and practice- I was down about my non-chibi art recently, so I just devoted some time to that. And while it's not amazing, I found I'm better than I thought I was, and picking up pace everyday.
Also, go pull up stuff you did a year ago, and then even older than that- sometimes it helps just to see how far you've already come.
I've been taken off the waitlist for AWA and accepted!! yay!!!!!
re asking bc no one answered the first time: how would you say i could get a tablemate for a con someday? is there a good facebook group to join or something? i live in the north east of england. there's a local geek cafe and i'm thinking about putting up a facebook post/flyer to it. there's also an art store with a messenger board but it's populated mostly with fine art students. am i on the right path or is there anything else i should do? i am kind of paranoid of accidentally luring in serial killers or something.
>>9053234
be glad you have these feelings. it means you have good taste and a good eye and are not complacent about your skill level
>>9053800
Same here! Hoping that setup and sales will be better than last year.
>>9049669
DESU a lot of them were relatively new to me, I've been going ANext for years. A lot of artists were kind of mediocre though or samey. There were a few tables where I bought multiple things and come really great artists too. I think the slowness is attributed to the wariness of the move. I was basically scoping out the new place this year. Plan on selling next year.
>>9053921
I actually ended up pulling another thousand on the last day for a total revenue of $3k+. I was sharing a table with someone else so it was actually a pretty sweet con for me considering that it's not as big as some of the other ones I've tabled at.
I spoke to several friends who were also tabling and they said it wasn't worth coming back next year for them. Many of them pull in several grand at cons usually, but this con was just a bust for them. One friend noticed that she had pretty much 100% anime inventory while I had a mix of anime and western media. I sold a lot of my western stuff that weekend compared to my anime stuff.
It wasn't a slow weekend for me and I ended up selling out of almost half my prints by Sunday.
>>9053973
What were your price points anon?
There were a lot of kids so I've noticed western stuff plus items with cheaper price points sold better but I'm a primarily anime print artist so my profits were down from last year.
>>9053234
I look through DA and AANI and see how many people are convinced their thumbprint-filled clay animals will sell like hotcakes for $20 each. I might be a salty bitch, but seeing people (mostly adults, I feel bad for teens who don't know shit about selling or crafting) who are genuinely awful and still making money makes me laugh so much. If people buy their dorito yaois and traced art, they will buy my shit.
I just received my order from Catprint. Besides the Justice Cats print, I received a Steven Universe/Avengers crossover print. Is it typical for people to receive an extra thing related to their order?
>>9054475
no..? did you get like a whole ream of prints or just a singular extra random print?
>>9054388
$15 per print, buy two get one free. Standard AA pricing.
>>9054489
Singular extra random print.
>>9054510
It's just a sample/showcase. Sometimes they'll print it on fancy paper so you can get an idea of what it looks like in person. Other times they choose an artist they work with and send out prints of their stuff for exposure/networking.
>>9054524
It didn't have the Artist of the Month stuff on the back like the other extra print did, though, and it was on really basic card.
>>9054475
sometimes you get a part of someone else's order, though it's usually a whole chunk of it. It's possible just one sheet was put into yours though.
>>9054475
That's normal. Catprint has a print of the month thing, so when you order from them you get a print from a feature artists.
>>9054626
The print of the month was the Justice Cats print. Anon is saying they had a different one on top of it, without any of the "artist of the month" stuff attached to it.
It sounds to me like it was just a mispackaged item. Happens.
For those of you that carry lanyards, do they still sell well enough to justify keeping them in stock/designing more? I see a lot of artists have it, but I haven't heard anything regarding their sellability.
When you do well in sales, what do you think the reason is? Do you think it's the characters/fandoms you're presenting? The quality of your merchandise (as in like, quality of paper or fabric, etc.)? Quality of your artwork? Or the types of items you're selling (pins, plushies, prints, booklets, etc.)?
>>9054685
I've stopped making new ones, its become really saturated so i'm working on other things now. They aren't something people buy more of when they already have one as opposed to charms/prints, etc..
>>9054686
the phrasing of this question is odd. it's very rarely one thing.... a combination of all the reasons you listed is much more likely than it simply being 'oh I carry charms and a lot of people bought charms at this convention, that's why i did well.' the only reason I could see being perhaps the sole reason you did well in sales is if you were selling at a print-only show and you had much higher quality artwork than anyone else selling.
Oh hey AA. Mind giving me a crit on this? Be as hard as you need to be, this is my first time actually coloring something IN. And it's a WIP anyway. So whatcha think? Not too awful for a newbie. Ignore the bottle of course, that'll be rendered out later. I just laid out the colors.
>>9055025
Avoid using airbrush to shade, especially if you're going to turn this into a keychain. It looks and prints better if you either use cel-shading or none/minimal shading at all. Most likely things like the shading on his brow or even around those red things, shoes, etc. won't even show up because the shades are so subtle.
Also, learn color theory. The shading is pretty mediocre as a whole. The highlights don't make sense, especially on the yellow things on the red things and the shades you chose for some of the sections (green, browns) look muddy.
>>9055025
Objects have both hard and soft shadows. Using only a soft brush gives the piece an awkward pillowy look. Try using a healthier mixture of both.
Your lightsource is pretty all over the place so be wary about that too.
Your color theory is definitely off, but if it's your first time coloring something in that's kind of to be expected. I can't really explain it all here but the gist is that your colors should at least have some relation to each other, rather than being all the most vibrant version of each main color you can find.
>>9055025
Why not leave it all one color? Some times people thing they HAVE to give a keychain/sticker some completed shading. It might look just as nice with some bold solid colors. Just a thought! And then you can have all the black outlines be colored to match, and that might be nice too. Try both! But good start. From the thumbnail I thought it was already finished an in 3D and I wanted it. So that's a plus. Up close, nooooot so much. Like other anon said it looks muddy. Muddy does not mean "lazy". It just means that your colors are all bleeding in together and look, well, muddy.
>>9055025
honestly aside from the coloring you could focus on your line weight a bit more. there's something about it that just makes the piece seem kind of off compared to the style you're trying to mimic
>>9055025
I personally like the shading on the face. I wonder what it would look like if you kept that as is, (the shine on the head is cute too. Use that as your guide as to where the light is coming from) but made the body/bottle one color? Maybe with just sharp darks for shadows? Skip the whole flawless blending thing.
How thick should you make the outline for charms (from the edge to the cutline) in inches/mm? In all tuts I found it's alway in px, and I'm trying to make them in Illustrator and all those px to inch conversions are a bit mind boggling.
Also, for Vograce the size (like 1.5 or 2 inches) is with or without the loop? What template should I use for Vograce charms?
>>9055398
There's not really a clear guide for how wide the border should be. When vograce does them for me they're 1.5 to 2mm. But I've also printed a charm that had the design go right up to the edge, no border at all.
Size is with the loop. Your complete image including outline should be within the 1.5 or 2 inch measurement.
For template, check acornpress. You can use their template. When your design is double-sided, be sure to check if they're not mirroring the front/back of your design, as they're a little inconsistent with this.
>>9055431
Thank you very much!
I read some tutorials where they suggested placing the design diagonally in the charm template to use more template real estate, and trick the template into making a larger charm for the price of a smaller one. ))) Will that work with Vograce? )))
Also are Vograce ok with sending photos of the results before shipping the whole lot, to check whether they are not mirrored etc?
>>9055470
that's not tricking it, that's just using the space available to you smarter.
>>9055470
They'll send you an image of all fronts/backs of the charms with outline that you have to approve before they print anything, so you can catch any mirroring at that point.
If you ask, they'll send you pictures before shipping as well! If those pictures seem a little blurry/washed out, don't worry, they did so with me as well and they were fine when they arrived.
>>9055034
>>9055037
>>9055043
>>9055072
>>9055081
Well! Thank you for the advice. I'll try my hand at simpler shading then.
By line weight, should I make more of them thinner? Or thicker? I was trying to do a mix of both so it didn't look so uniformed?
And by color theory, what do you mean? I was just following the character's official color design, you know, blue jeans, brown boots, red shoulder pads, ect.
>>9055617
you can't just make them thicker and thinner randomly, there's a logic to them. you can easily google examples but if you don't want to just keep them consistent rather than haphazard, at least it would look intentional.
>>9055711
This anon gets it. Usually with line thickness you make the lines thinner towards your light source, and thicker where your shadows are. That's what I kinda learned, and has helped me?
>>9055617
Objects aren't just colored their full vibrancy irl. They're affected by the lighting, the objects around them, and then beyond that artists will take small liberties to make the piece more cohesive.
I might be sharing a table with a friend at a video game convention. From what I hear, most of the con goers are male. When I table at anime cons, most of my customers are female. Should I keep selling what I have (prints stickers charms) or should I focus on one type of product for male con goers? Is there something that doesn't do very well with guys? I personally have never had a guy buy a charm from me so I wonder if guys prefer prints over thigs like stickers and charms. Any input anons?
>>9055940
I sell mostly to guys, and I've had stickers and charms move just fine, but I suppose I also can't really compare it towards if I sold towards a female audience.
"Most" attendees is not "all", though, anon. If you're not familiar with the show or the type of audience, I wouldn't suggest putting all your eggs in one basket. Since you already obviously table otherwise, you probably already have the other merch, or could sell more at a later con if they don't happen to do so well. But the idea of focusing on one type of product based on very little evidence and no past experience from you just doesn't sit too well imho.
>>9042093
Nah, not at all. I think it's in poor taste to make your customers feel bad for not purchasing your stuff. I understand that con goers like to window shop and just browse. Others like to do quick looks all around before purchasing. It's not personal. If they don't want my stuff, they don't have to buy it and I'd rather someone be super happy with a product they bought from me than buying it out of guilt.
>>9044618
I've done this before (drawing for something I wasn't a fan of) and it honestly didn't go well. First, it's super obvious when someone isn't genuine about their interests. Prints/merch just look bland and generic when you do it out of money. Second, if it's a huge fandom, there are already a ton of merch for it drawn by artists who actually DO like it. It's rough to compete with that lol.
If you are confident in your abilities though, go for it. It may go differently for you than it did for me.
On another note though, I make a lot of merch for games I don't own or play. I'm poor as fuck and can't afford any of the new consoles out. It doesn't mean I dislike it, I just run on streams and lets plays. I feel like that's different than making merch for something you dislike as a whole.
>>9055950
Thanks, I see your point. I've never done a video game convention so I'm nervous. Do you know if anime stuff sells at videi game conventions? My friend is 80% video game merch but I'm 80% anime. Maybe I'm not a good fit?
Wow, $750 a month, to live in Ohio with two asshats and prolapsed unicorns. What a deal.
>>9056049
And they're discriminating based on religious preference on top of it.
>>9055972
If it has a lot of pretentious neckbeards it won't shift. If it's a more relaxed environment it should do ok. As long as your stuff fits the general theme (in terms of style, colors used, things like that) and you have some game stuff too I don't see the problem.
I still haven't received mail to pay my taxes yet for Akon.
This is my first year, what do???
I don't want to get hit with a fee like I've read so many times from other anons.
>>9041915
I made 3.5k but seeing other anons here I guess that was pretty low
