/cgl/ - Cosplay & EGL

I've heard Vistaprint is pretty good but has weirdly long shipping waits.

What cons coming up are people tabling at?

tfw con season is over for your area
too poor to have car to travel to other states
le sigh

>>6776250
Vistaprint has a $17 for $70 of services Groupon right now!

artist alley noob here! Wondering where I can purchase a table cover that doesn't cost $300? I was thinking of just buying some fabric but don't know about how much I would need? what do you guys use?

>>6781056

On waitinglist for ANEXT. Won't hear anything til April 28th and the con is in early June.

The staff is finally/kinda getting their act together

>>6781056
Anime Boston, and hopefully AnimeNEXT if I ever get off the waiting list lol.
I have to finish 3 prints in about 2 weeks and I've officially entered panic mode.

>>6781551
Look through thrift stores for colorful bedsheets or tablecloths with eyecatching patterns or retro cartoons or something. Scored me a He-man, Sailor Moon, Pokemon and retro Star Wars this way that I switch out depending on the con.

>>6781551
Most tables are 3'x6' and about 3' off the table so the amount of yardage shouldn't be too bad, especially if you manage to find a fairly cheap bolt of a cotten weave material.

Also quick google search led me to amazon where I found this

http://www.amazon.com/132-Rectangular-Polyester-Tablecloth-Black/dp/B008TLJZXK/ref=sr_1_4?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1366519784&sr=1-4

which also comes in white if you want to dye it to a custom color.

requesting examples of how not to display your buttons, please?

>>6781638
Don't have an example, but don't put them laid out or in piles on the table (i remember a post with that...) it just asks for them to be stolen because con-goers can be cunts like that.

Have them on a board propped up or a printout showing the designs you have. The less physical merch you can put out the better, especially when its small objects.

>>6781638
As anon >>6781644 mentioned, don't just leave them scattered on the table, even in "organized piles" will be lost.

Pic related, it looks really bad and makes it a hassle for customers to look for the button they want. Feel free to do a bowl of buttons you really want to get rid of and don't care of inventory loss.

Incoming photodump, sorry if you have seen these already in the last thread.

>>6781657
Going to do just "prints tables" for now.

>>6781662
I think last time I did a lot of crafty tables, so it's fair.

>>6781665

>>6781668

>>6781670

>>6781670
I realized I have an older version of this artist's table.

>>6781676

>>6781679

>>6781680

>>6781682

>>6781685

>>6781690

>>6781687

>>6781691

>>6781651
out of curiosity, did you take this picture yourself or just save it?

i know one of the artists from that table and feel kind of bad that she's in the picture when the person who insisted on making the table a clusterfuck with no containers isn't. :(

>>6781693

>>6781725

>>6781698
I took the picture and posted it a few times before; only recently you voiced that you know the person, while no one else even talks about her, just the buttons. If it means anything, I have nothing against the person, it's always been the table.

>>6781726

>>6781727

>>6781730

>>6781734

>>6781740

>>6781743

>>6781745

>>6781750

>>6781753
Taking a break, that's about it for prints.

>>6781725
i was just curious, i've seen it posted a couple times before and posted i knew her the last time i saw it. she was pretty upset when i mentioned it to her, because of how she thought other people would percieve her i guess? thanks for posting it though, i didn't get to save it last time and it really is the best possible example of what not to do for buttons and stickers and shit.

Any more examples for Lolita type stuff?

>>6781827
Ahh okay, well if it's some relief, no one has ever accused her for the buttons. Hopefully the table has been better off since then!

>>6781940
wonderweird still throws hers on the table like a lazy ass, dollottie has been using several small shallow containers for hers, i've been trying to get her to print off the designs with sticker paper and put them on a board so she has more room on the table to display other things but she doesn't want to do it since there are other vertical displays

she wants to be a pro but doesn't bother to take the extra steps to make things look stellar so her last table looked decent enough but there was so much room for improvement. i try to tell her but she doesn't want to listen :c

/complaints
the other two tables she's had have looked considerably better than that one though, she just needs to take more direction as far as setting things up.

>>6781971
Ahh sounds good, also I find it's better to have your own table to yourself, or else share with people who share your expectations when it comes to AA and table layout. Your friend will eventually come to terms, and so will wonderweird, though hard to say if she keeps up displaying buttons like that...

>>6781931
Let me see, I think I got some lolita stuff... Especially deco ones. And sorry if it's unrelated, I'm just judging by the thumbnails.

>>6782102
Though I guess if it's not totally lolita, take tips from the pictures in how they display their goods.

>>6782105

>>6782106

>>6782111

Am I the only one who doesn't like those wire cubicles?

>>6782114

>>6782116
>>6782115
They are difficult to put together and pull apart, I hate them for that but I need them to display a lot of the 3D stuff I have.

I did get mine second-hand so I didn't get some detailed instructions to use them without hurting my hands. Rubber gloves help.

>>6782119

I'm in the AA for other conventions and I love photo dumps like these because I love to see how people set up their table oh god people get so creative

>>6782127

>>6782129
>>6782126
No kidding about the creativity, look at that picture frame!

>>6782132
And that box! Though it must be a hassle to bring...

>>6782134
And how about this packaging? Goodness!

>>6782136
The following is probably a vendor booth, but still inspiring nonetheless
1/4

>>6782145
3/4

>>6782141
2/4

>>6782147
4/4

>>6782132
>>6782136
>>6782136
shit god damn it i love these
totally requesting moar booths like these

I'm thinking of getting quite a few spinning wire racks and covering some small boxes for the racks to be on different levels
I share tables with my business partner so I can't have huge elaborate displays

>>6782149
>>6782148
I'll keep them coming, as many as I have anyway.

>>6782151

>>6782151
you are a beautiful person and these are perfect since i haven't been able to see big AAs

>>6782153

>>6782155
>>6782154
Daw gawsh, nor have I. I love checking out crafts and farmer fairs, there's some unique table layout that would suit AA, too!

>>6782159

>>6782157

>>6782160

>>6782162

>>6782163

>>6782169

>>6782165

>>6782170

>>6782172

>>6782171

>>6782175

>>6782177

>>6782180

>>6782181

>>6782183

>>6782185

I really appreciate you dumping all of these, anon.

>>6782187
>>6782186
Just a... few more... lolita-ish things... and then bedtime, haha...

I have no liiiiife.

>>6782115
Do you mean you don't like using them, or that you don't like how they look?
Because I switched from my PvC piping to them, and I love how they appear, but they're a pain in the ass to lug around.

>>6782191

>>6782194

>>6782195
All these duplicate files, I think I'm about done.

>>6782199

>>6782204
And with this, I'm finished with photo dumping, for now.

Hope these come in handy!

>>6782210
I like how she displayed the small items vertically like that with the prices at top.

>>6775581
So question about fanime-
Is it juried or first come first serve? I want to do it next year but have never looked into this con until now. Any tips on being a dealer there too?

>>6782295
Kinda both. They require everyone to submit a link to an etsy store or gallery that displays your stuff online. I don't think this is meant to regulate quality as much as make sure there aren't people applying for multiple tables. All I can tell you is that you have to apply at the time they say it goes up because if you don't get our submission in within 10 minutes you probably won't get a table.

>>6782207
They really do, thanks!

>>6782324
When do they usually go up?
Thanks :)

>>6782871
Usually in later winter but this year is was early April because all the Fanime planning is such a clusterfuck due to construction. All you can really do is subscribe to their twitter or facebook page to get updates.

>>6782885
Thank you!

Bump

postan my most recent table set-up- there's some stuff that needs changing for next time, but i was pretty proud of the general browsing flow of it

to whomever suggested free candy in the last thread: thank you, your advice was golden

>>6786715
Do the people that get candy actually stop and look, or do they just take some and leave?
Also... what are those in the bottom right corner...? Are you reselling official manga?

>>6786837
A little of column A, a little of column B. Some people would just grab candy and go, others would nibble on it and browse a bit.

And yes. This was at a smaller con, so the dealer's hall and artist's alley were the same space- and artists were therefore permitted to resell manga and DVDs and shit as if they were dealers.

Anybody know what shows are getting popular/dying out? Madoka and Sailor Moon seem to be going pretty strong

>>6787770
Evangelion is coming back full force. Dangan Ronpa is on the rise.

Does anybody know where I can print posters?
Fedex is shit.

>>6788541
Catprint is fantastic.

>>6786837
sometimes when they don't buy or look they still remember you as the person who has candy, and being remembered is what happens. Also something a group of people will almost walk by and one person will see the candy and thus makes the whole group stop at your table.

I get my candy at discount. Wait for after holidays. Get a whole bag of chocolates for 2 bucks. And I get to eat the left overs, yum.

Only once in a while you get that ONE fatty who keeps coming back for more candy and not look at the stuff. As if I don't remember your whale ass. But there's normally only one or two people like this at each con.

>>6787770
You have to keep in mind age demographics. We prepared a lot of stuff for a recent con that we thought was on the rise/currently popular- MLP, Dangan Ronpa, Madoka, Adventure Time, Persona, Sailor Moon... But because the con had mostly attendees in their younger teens, we mostly only sold our Madoka stuff and also had them asking about Black Butler, Hetalia, and (surprisingly) Death Note.

>>6788755
Oh man, we had this. One or two people who kept coming back, taking candy, and then not browsing, and trying to pass it off like they're just discovering the free candy for the first time. We've been sitting at this table all day, dude- we remember you.

>>6787770
Pokemon and Zelda are always pretty popular. You might do well with some Western titles too, like Young Justice. MLP has been on a downward movement because s3 was short and not very well written (but bronies will still look if you have ponies) and Luna and Pinkie are always pretty popular.

But honestly, make stuff for stuff you like because it has a better chance of looking good and appealing to people.

>>6788859
I usually have people asking for Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, actually. Never had anyone ask if I had Luna or Pinkie. I guess it depends on the product?

What do you guys think of people selling handmade panties at an AA table? Cute or creepy?

>>6788909
If you're a cute to average girl = Cute

If you're a fat or ugly female or a guy = Creepy

>>6781676
>>6781670
oh hey! I'm actually planning my table layout better this year for a change (it's usually the last thing on my mind). I'm quite flattered you posted these though

>>6788909
Do you really want to see the kind of people who would buy panties at an anime con?

>>6788901
It might, but I think Rainbow Dash also makes sense; of the Mane 6 Pinkie and RD tend to be the most universally popular; Luna or Derpy outside of the Mane 6 seem to have huge followings too. I'm saying this after having gone to Pony conventions too, not only Anime cons (which I once had a request for a Vinyl Scratch.)

>>6788909
Creepy. Paint on other things. If someone asks for you to paint on panties, that another story...

Just curious, what are people's opinion on magnets? The company that I get my button supplies from now offers really strong magnet parts that I can make with my button maker (pic related, horrible example)

They're really strong ceramic magnets and hold up way better than magnets I used to get.

So my question is, do you think it's worth my time and money to get them? Do people still buy magnets? I used to sell them a couple years ago and eventually no one was buying them

>>6789105
I kind of like magnets over pins because I always see pins being sold at AAs. I guess it also depends on what's decorated.

Man, that makes me want to make deco-den shit, but with magnets.

>>6775581
Man, the first thing I noticed was the Rum Chata box

I want to party with that lolita.

>>6789105
Wondering about this too. Was thinknig of making tetris piece fridge magnets

>>6789105
i would love it if magnets became a new AA trend

i like buttons but never have anywhere to really put them, but magnets would be all up on my fridge

>>6789105
I feel like younger con-goers would be reluctant to buy magnets- just because with pins, they can wear them around the con or put them on their personal bags. A magnet is pretty much only going to go on the family fridge, and a kid who lives with a non-nerdy family may not want to put con magnets on their fridge.

But for adults with their own places? Hell yeah, I'd buy >>6789142

Do you guys think it's too complicated to price prints of the same size at different prices? I have some simpler pieces, like just a character over a background, but I also have a lot more dynamic pieces that can take me 50x as much effort and time. They both sell well, but I feel like I should be charging less for the first, rather than the same as the other. I'm not sure how to fluidly do this without confusing the customer though.

>>6789105
I've sold magnets in the past and they've been pretty decent sellers mostly because they are a little more unique and can be slightly more justified too, since they have some fuctionality. I actually would like to get back into them since my art is better and I think I could sell them faster.. but the magnets I had made are rather big (3x4) so smaller button sized ones may do very well, depending on the designs. If you can offer both buttons and magnets I think you'll do pretty well.

>>6791352
No. If you think a piece is worth more because the amount of time you put into it then price it accordingly. Granted with prints I tend to ignore that and consider cost of printing instead, because I'm not selling the original. Honestly, try it out at a con and see how willing people are to by something that might cost a bit more; if people ask, just explain it and if they still think you're asking to much, just stay polite and wait for them to walk away or talk with another customer.

>>6789200
I imagine that with the fluctuations of younger con-attendees (jr high to high school), they'd want to use them for their lockers.

bump

How much would you pay for little charms like these but Pokemon or other misc simple characters?
They are very small (1") and made with swarovsky crystals.
I kind of feel like the materials+labor(min wage of course) might be higher than what people would pay but they are fun to make.

>>6796077
I think $10-12 dollars would be reasonable, but most con-goers will probably only want to pay $8 at the most. So it's a bit of a toss-up.

>>6796077
I would say don't bother with the Swarovsky for con merch - or do some from crystals and some from glass/plastic, price them accordingly and see which are the better sell.
I feel like the majority of people at cons aren't all that dead-set on quality and mostly just make rash purchases.

>>6796077
that is so cute
if I saw a spinarak or joltik one I would buy it immediately
as for pricing, you're making these all by yourself, with your own patterns, so you could probably get away with charging a little more to make a profit
minimum selling price is the cost of materials

So I'm sharing a table which gives me limited space. I need easy to transport displays that maximise my space. Was thinking vertical boards, but not sure on how to construct them..

>>6797594
What are you selling? I assume prints, but I could be wrong.