/cgl/ - Cosplay & EGL

>>7558728
Those white borders on prints never look good.

I'm looking at that google doc, and AA at American cons is cheap! It's about $350 here, and rising every year.

>>7558888
Australian?

>>7558894
Yep, how'd you know?

Time to dump some prints setups.

>>7558930

>>7558931

>>7558935

>>7558937

>>7558941

>>7558942

>>7558906
The price sounded familiarly painful. Which cons do you table at?

>>7558942
ngl, I really hate setups like this because it hurts my eyes; usually just end up bypassing the booth

>>7558967
I used to do Supanova and Animania, but not for the last couple of years. I'm thinking of getting back into it though. You?

I need some opinions. I've doodled these up and I had planned on getting prints made to sell at a local convention in November. They are fancy lookin' blueprints for the weapons of the original Power Rangers. They aren't done yet, which is why red looks so bare and yellow is missing entirely, but anyway.

What would be some good sizes to get these printed in? I'd love to get them printed on 24"x 36" poster stock, but I can't imagine that many people would want to buy a full-size MMPR weapon blueprint at a con. Postcard size seems a little small for what they are.

Also, how many of each should I get printed? The attendance is expected to be around a thousand and I imagine that only about a quarter of those people would have any interest in anything to do with Power Rangers. Johnny Young Bosch (second MMPR Black Ranger) is going to be there, so I figured I'd get a few more sales from people wanting him to sign them or something.

>>7559963
Also also, they are five separate prints, not all five designs on one print.

>>7558972
how does it hurt your eyes anon? just wondering because mine is somewhat similar

>>7559963
If you want to boost your sales, maybe you can do... something more obviously power rangers-y to them. The logos are good but at first glance nothing jumps out of the whole poster. Maybe make silhouettes of clearly the rangers in their signature poses and then superimpose them faintly in grey behind their respective weapon setsl. As for sizes 11x17 is generally the biggest one should go if you actually want people to buy.

>>7559963
Maybe try making them available online in poster size so people can buy after the con if they want them?

>>7558972
It's set up like that so impulse-buyers see something they like instantly and buy it.

Thought I share a picture of the cube grids someone mentioned last thread that could be found in Dollarama (in Canada, I guess there's none in US). So I went to check and there they were! They are a bit smaller than the ones found in Target, as those are 14" on all sides, while these are 12".

For $3 for one cube, it's not bad. I don't like that the connectors look a bit dirty, but I wouldn't mind touching it up.

>>7560201
Though just reminded me, I did see people using the sort of cubes that have the sides covered in some synthetic fabrics instead of being metal grids. I'm sure these would be a lighter option to wire grid cubes, but I'm not sure where to look online. The sites say they are $30-$40, surely there's a place that sells them for lesser price?

>>7560201
I actually made cages for my rabbits out of these, only I found mine at Bed Bath and Beyond (US). They were more expensive, $12-20, and black, but they've held up surprisingly nicely for 2+ years.
For anyone interested:
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/grid-wire-modular-shelving-and-storage-cubes/1016719773?Keyword=cube+grid

>>7558945
I really like how clean this setup is. I wish my tablemate and I didn't have so many prints so I could do something like this.

>>7561004
Funny you should mention that, because even that setup is busy by standards in my state. Over here, table setups are basically a folio to flip though, and a few prints pinned up behind you. (I'm an Ausfag for those who are curious.)
Table setups like this >>7558930 and this >>7558942 are really overwhelming for me since it's not really seen at cons here.

>>7560201
Pretty sure you can get these at Ikea, too. They'll be more expensive, of course.

One little note/thought :

Try to make YOURSELF look presentable too, because even if your booth looks nice, if you look disheveled or greasy with confunk, people won't want to approach you.

That's not saying dress in your finery, but make it look like you don't hate yourself. Comfy but presentable.

>>7561037
Besides art and attitude, I wonder how well cosplaying/lolita at your table does in bringing in people compared to presentable normalfag.

>>7561037
I always feel that artists in the AA are generally among the best dressed/most attractive people at any convention because you have more cutesy Asians, well-coorded lolitas, sometimes cosplayers, and more presentable normalfags than anywhere else in the con.

But I'm probably biased.

>>7561057
>>7561049
I think cosplay and lolita would do better than normalfaggotry, but at the same time, I wouldn't necessarily want to sit at my booth all day in a wig and full coord, or some complicated cosplay. But I've seen some pretty nasty looking people in the AA. Mostly weebs selling mini tophats and shit like that, but it's still a thought.

>>7561049
Depend what you're selling.
If it's fashion stuff, wear some of it! It's really off putting if the stall holder is just wearing jeans and a t-shirt and nothing from their stall.

Also, if you're a stall holder and someone comes by in cosplay/lolita/alt fashion, don't be a dick. I've walked away from plenty of stalls where the workers have started whispering about me or other customers.

You think this shit would be common sense, but apparently it's not!

How do you guys ship out posters if someone buys your prints online?

Sorry if stupid question.

>>7561049
If it looks really good (the cosplay) or you look very well put together, it does draw a little more attention, especially in hallways or smaller conventions, but I feel like it also works at larger conventions too. But it's easy to get lost in the sea of people. I think it looks better if you dress well anyway. I mean, you wouldn't roll into work as a salesperson looking a hot mess and hope to make your sales/commission. But do keep in mind that getting ready, getting breakfast, and getting set up each morning can take a little more time. Sometimes I skimp a little on the makeup (go with basics to look nice in person, not photoshoot level makeup to save on time or I add a little more makeup at the table after setting up for the day before it gets busy.)

>>7561066
In a tube

Has anyone here ever sold t-shirts or some product with custom printed fabric? I'm curious what the general price (+-5 dollars) would be for printing a 4 color design on the front of t-shirts.

>>7558871
i know officemax has them. do you cut them off yourself, or pay an extra few cents to not have to deal with the frustration?

>>7558941
is that you, anon? you're super cute.

>>7561351
Nope, I just collect pics and dump them.

>>7559963
I would remove the words, they look dumb. Or use a more "technical" font.
Also the logos doesn't jump out to me because it has the line width variation that the weapons do.

I would also consider making TWO versions of it, just changing the words in japanese and use the original sentai logo for those who like the sentai over ranger, takes little effort in your part and you get more fans.
Like I personally hate power ranger but love sentai. I find a lot of sentai stuff at anime cons though because japan

>>7561066
mailer tubes.

Although I've also shipped original art on stiff paper too and that required taping two pieces of cardboard together.

Find tubes at places like staples or kinkos

>>7561368
>it has the line width variation
*doesn't have

>>7561066

The paper that I print my prints on doesn't really allow for rolling [stiff matte card stock], so what I use is rigid/stay flat no-bend mailers. I've never had any issues with them, but just to be safe I always mail my prints between two extra pieces of cardboard or chipboard just to be safe [and these mailers can be found pretty easily on Amazon or Ebay].

If I had big enough prints that I COULD roll, I'd definitely use tubes though [just for convenience]; smaller prints [8.5x11 and under] I wouldn't tube.

Good luck!

>>7558871

I only ever like them [and use them myself] when it LOOKS like it was intentional. Usually that's the more graphic or "artistic" sort of print that takes advantage of the white space. But yeah, on normal print that shit just looks cheap.

How do you guys hold cash? I'm new to AA and especially worried about this.

Fanny packs are the way to go but don't have time to buy one in time for the con ...but have heard about using wristlets?

I think one advice I hear is the best is paperclips to hold cash more organized.

Would love to hear the take on this!

>>7561907
>mfw i'm attending my first AA and i invested in an actual cashbox
oh well, i guess it's better to be over prepared than under prepared.

speaking of, how much money do you guys usually bring with you?
at my retail job i typically have 25 ones, 20 fives and 5 twenties to last me an eight hour shift, but i'm thinking it would make more sense to have an assload of ones and fives for an artist alley.

also, i went ahead and setup a paypal app on my phone with a little paypal card reader so i can take credit cards and paypal transfers at the con.
i'm wondering how many people are likely to take advantage of it though

>>7561907
I got this notebook from target (like the one in pic, but mine is a cute blue color.) It's held close with an elastic band. You can write your sales in the note paper while you put the money in the files. They even have tabs to write the note types so every thing is organized. Only problem is you end up holding the damn book all day or need a hiding spot behind the tables to store it.

As for cash, I tend to go with, 20 $1s, 10 $5s, 2 $10s, and 2 $20s (for those ass holes who give me 50s in the beginning of the day). Over time I learned to get less singles because I'd end up with like $200 worth of singles after the con. Boyfriend would make fun of me because the weeks after I would be paying for stuff with my "stripper money"

>>7561918
well, you don't really need an assload, because it's pretty likely that some people will pay with 5s and 10s throughout the day. keeping your prices at rounder numbers like 5, 10, 15 helps with keeping the need for different types of change low too.

but i usually take about 10 dollars, 10 fives, and 4 tens with me and it works just fine.

i have a cashbox too, it's a little heavy duty but it needs to be to hold all that moolah. as for paypal readers, i tabled with a girl who had a reader once and i think the whole weekend she had three people pay with it, so it's not a bad thing to have.

>>7561938
>>7561938
>Boyfriend would make fun of me because the weeks after I would be paying for stuff with my "stripper money"
why not just go to the bank and change them?

Hello friends.
I'm going to be on an art table in a few weeks to sell all my old prints, but I thought I'd be a total sellout and make some of the most sure-fire, fanarty, sellouty things I could to sell as well.
I'm thinking badges of cute zombified Pokemon. Is that somehow still too niche?

>>7561948
I've had people give me big bills at the start of the con, so I usually bring a few 20's. I sell mostly accessories, so I have a lot of $20 items down to a ton of $1-5 items.

I've got a fanny pack, but I've used a coupon file folder in the past to sort my bills. I bought a cash box for my next con. Though I may just keep it in my room to sort my money at the end of the day. I'll see how it goes. I kinda worry about traveling around with it. But I'd probably take the money out and put it somewhere a little more inconspicuous heading to and from the con center every day.

For change I use one of those cat banks where the cat takes the money. It's clever way of using a tip jar, (small cons I get about $10-20 extra, bigger cons usually about $30-40 extra) and people who pay with change for small item things can keep themselves entertained for a minute. Plus it draws people over when there's a crowd of giggling people pointing at it.

I use a square reader. I prefer that one since the fees are a little less than paypal and the whole amount can be deposited into your bank account instead of just the $500 limit per month. But I normally don't make THAT much in card sales. Maybe about 200-300 at a larger con.

The file folders are a great idea though yeah seems a bit of a hassle to hold.

Oh a tip jar? I've heardddd very little about it / never really noticed it in the AA what are people's thoughts on that?

Also that's a good idea for those cat banks I have one too and sort of want to use that now too... but I'm also a accessory/non 2d art person would that be okay?

>>7562025
I just tucked it under a spot under the table where I keep my big storage bin to transport stuff. So it worked fine.

I don't see actual tip jars at all really? But the cat bank works well for one for that reason. IDK, just an extra way to get a little more money that you didn't have before that's entertaining for your customers. I've seen them at 2D art tables and like I said, I use it with my stuff (accessories and stuff) So I think it'd be fine. I just saw it mentioned awhile back in some AA discussions/tips threads or a guide and thought I'd try it. It's been a staple at my table since then.

>>7562047
Good idea. I have seen tip jars but usually hear people get them when they do commissions if anything

Do you put a sign with it? Like feed me lol
That's not a bad idea I sort of want to try now too.

Oh man, looks like I missed a lot over finals week. Let's see...

>>7549271
Bwah your style is so adorable!

>>7555173
If you're still here, the person that posted the image wasn't the artist, but the artist's storenvy is raspbearys, so her tumblr is probably the same or similar.

>>7555107
Pic related, I have a clean style and a somewhat more painterly style. I have all prints available in smalls, mediums, and larges (with some exceptions; I don't sell detailed prints in smalls, and I don't sell plain images in large)
>Small [4x6] $2.00
>Medium [8.5x11] $8.00
>Large [11x17] $12.00
And have a deal where if you buy two of any size, you get a free print of a smaller size.
I average around $1.5k at cons with between 1k and 5k attendees. I'm going to my first "large" con in a couple weeks, and I'm terrified.
>7556632
It's a nice piece, but it's really hard to distinguish anything from the thumbnail (although that might change if your colors are distinct enough, which knowing the color scheme, it'd be difficult). A lot of times, people will be attracted to your art from a further distance, and that's what's going to pull people in, so you need interesting or distinguishable silhouettes and or colours. (And, unfortunately, shiny dodge and burn pieces with obnoxious schemes also tend to do pretty well...)

>>7559963
I don't know anything about power rangers, but I really like this concept! It's very clean and well executed as well.

>>7560199
Really? I've never really thought of that, but I guess it works. I do see where >>7558972
comes from though; it's a tad of an eyesore. But considering they have that full display, AND a portfolio beneath, it looks like they just have too much merch to really be able to do much else...

>>7561049
I draw what I like, and cosplay what I like, so very often, they tend to overlap. I get a lot of fans of a series I'm cosplaying to notice me first, then notice the fanart later, which works out nicely. If you're at a fashion or accessories table, and dressed in the fashion, it gives you that much more credibility. I also like it a lot when you can see someone's personality reflected between their clothes and their art.

>>7561907
>>7561918
>How do you guys hold cash?
I used to use a cashbox, but now I just keep it in a sorted envelope. It's more discreet, and I can keep it on me at all times. A small hand held cashbox is nice and professional looking, but if someone really wanted to steal it, a small lock isn't stopping them.

>speaking of, how much money do you guys usually bring with you?
I bring $50 worth of 5s, and $50 worth of 1s. Conventions pretty much always start with people giving you 20s, and as it goes along, they'll break down and start giving you fives and singles, so in my experience it's tended to balance out

>>7562025
>>7562047
>>7562055
I figured tip jars were really only useful for commission artists, and otherwise (or even so), they'd be a bit tacky.

For plush / jewelry / etc (not 2D artist) how much stock do you make for items? At a lost for Anime Expo + ALA next year ...

And MyFebronia, if you're there, I still like your stuff and appreciate your help in these threads.
>;_;

>>7561228
I once got a run of 24 shirts printed at a local printer, one color silk screened, and they came out to 9 dollars each

>>7562063
>free print of a smaller size

So if I buy a medium and large, I can only get a free small, and the same with small/large or small/medium?
The only way to get a free medium is to buy large/large?

>>7562080
After the shitposting in the previous thread I feel I should've been spending more time on my own work. I'll be around still if any hard questions come up.

> <3

>>7562096
Sorry, I worded that incorrectly and I guess I'm just really really tired; It's a lot clearer the way I have it listed on my prices sheet.
Basically, two larges gets you a free medium, and two mediums get you a free small. Two smalls don't get you anything.

>>7562130
I do similar except in I don't really have medium prints. After purchasing two large prints you get a small print for each additional print.

>Buy two large get 1 small print
>Buy four large get 3 small prints
It does pretty well.

I do have a question though. I don't think I have a good variety of merch yet. I do have prints, buttons, and charm pins but I want to do other things like books and lanyards and such. I don't even know how to begin with those type of products.

>>7559983
I like the idea of the silhouettes, but it would clutter up the the artwork. I added the little helmet in the corner to see what it would look like, but I'm not entirely sure how I feel about it yet.

>>7561368
Yeah, I'm still trying to figure out the font. I'm liking this new one.

As far as the Japanese version goes, that was actually the first thing I did when I started working on it. Everything was in Japanese, I used the Japanese names, and there was a neat little Zyuranger 'Z' where the helmet currently is. I've got a screenshot of it somewhere. I'll probably make that version available online.

>>7562063
Thank you B)

>>7561977
I like the idea. Is that an example of your work?

>>7562078
I have a mix of 3D and 2D, and for my 3D stuff, I limit myself to making around 10 per item. Less if they didn't do better the first time I had them out.

Any examples of charm/keychain setups?

>>7564235
Sure is!

>>7564287
Ah, cool style! Do you happen to have a version of Eevee or Vulpix?

Also, what do you guys draw on-site commissions on? If it's just inked, no watercolor. Do you use a specific type of paper?

>>7564292
Just Jolteon so far.

I use normal plain white printer paper, but a selection of ink pens of varying thickness. A 0.1, a 0.2 and a brush tipped pen that creates thicker lines the harder you press are a good combo.

>>7562025
I used a tip jar for one of my conventions. I don't do prints or commissions. I sell little accessories and junk. I made my jar interesting so that people would stop and read it. It's one of my characters with his mouth open and a hole cut out. I also made a speech bubble saying that the proceeds would be going to new equipment to make better products.

People liked the jar because it was cute and silly (and you could feed him money). Most of the people that donated were men who liked what I had going on art wise, it just wasn't their style or something they would buy, but still wanted to show their support. I made a pretty decent amount in tips.

I had one guy give me $2 and tell me it was more fun than he thought it would be.

I'm at a con this weekend and have a corner table in the Alley ( Seems like a good spot, 2 lanes of traffic).
But I have a felt fold out board and it takes up a corner of my table. Should I put it on the outer edge, almost enclosing the aisle or the inner one, which would obscure the artist next to me and be a bit rude?

Pic related - my table is circled red

>>7564702
I would just ask them when you first meet them. Worse comes to worse, they'll say no.

>>7559973
I'm not that anon, but it hurts mine too. To me it just looks cluttered, and unorganized, and I don't know where to look so I just don't bother looking.
It's like looking at rainbow vomit. If they were maybe at least by colour or something, they would be so much easier to look at.

>>7564339
do you have a website anon? these are super cool, I would definitely pay for these.

>>7565645
http://cannibal-cartoonist.deviantart.com/
There are plenty more if you do some digging, but I was gonna do newer, cuter ones.

Hey all... I was wondering, how do you prepare your art for printing? As a traditional artist who has intermediate experience with gimp/photoshop, it can be difficult for me to get my prints to print correctly.

>>7565687
I love how the arms are attached to the side of the head, but dude, it needs to be a little less scrotal...

>>7565844
Thanks anon, now I can't unsee.

>>7565844
>>7565855
Psssh, that ain't nuthin'.

>>7565640
It vaguely looks like they're organized by series (i see KLK and League in their own sections), but yeah, I see where you're coming from.
Also, who the hell names their group "asian girls that draw"?

Would anyone be interested in something like this, on a keychain or a pin or phone charm or something like that?

This was just a quick doodle, assume it's cleaned up and of a character you like.

I'm trying to figure out some smaller trinkets to sell, and pins seem to be popular lately. (like acrylic pins, not those button ones)

>>7566106
Aaaaaaand I forgot my pic.


Also open to other suggestions, or character suggestions. I could also change the face, but they'll be pretty small so I figured dot eyes would work better.

So for people who sell plushies- how many do you usually bring to a con? I'm selling for the first time at my local on in August, and I've been trying to work up a good stock of small plush and a few medium sized ones, but what is a good number? Since my small ones are going to be between $12-15 bucks I was thinking around 30 of them, maybe 40, and then the big priced ones at only about 10 or so since they take up a lot more room.
On the small ones I plan to have about 15 of those be digimon, 10 be my own creation animal Puff, and then like 10 of different designs like bat or bunny or cat.

>>7566114
Sounds like a good number, and I'd suggest putting up a sign and taking requests / commissions. Keep one of each for a display model, not for sale, and then if more people want than what you brought, you can make more at home and ship them out. Just keep a book with everyone's info, and have them pay up-front or give them your paypal and tell them you'll make / ship once you get your payment there.

>>7566110
Honestly, it's edging into TOO simplified to appeal. Perhaps it would look better if the face was colored with a gradient blush and little cheek shines

I ran a table a few months ago but i never made phone straps or keychains, but now one of my commission clients needs a design to make some for a con in about a week and she's stressing. How do you guys get your things laminated? do you get them printed and cut somewhere or do you do it yourself?

>>7566110
add some eyebrows too, if the lines above the dotted eyes are supposed to be brows they don't look like it. they just look like the top lid of the eye you'd normally see on a chibi.

>>7566114
Depends on how big the attendance is for me, I've gone to either 1-day or 3-day events with attendance around 500 to 2000 (really small compared to bigger more famous cons), and my latest inventory for a 3-day con went something like this:

>$6 to $9: four different types around 6-8 quantity

>$10 to $14: about three different types of items ranging from 12-30 quantity
The 30 quantity was for the few popular items ($10-$12), usually sell up to 25 so having a small leftover is nice to stock for another event.

And then anything $20+ I make 4-6 each.

>>7561049
I totally stopped by this AA table at ACEN for the cosplay and cute SnK chibi pillows

>>7566207
I can see the eyebrows personally, but I agree on maybe some sort of blush or something on the face. Just something light though.

Cute though, I think there is likely a market

>>7566198
I do everything myself. I bought a laminator from Walmart for $25 I think? And then bought the laminate from Staples. If you guys weren't in a pinch I'd suggest getting the laminate online since it's a little cheaper

What are some unique items or unique spins on normal items I could do so I can sell more stuff?

since we are doing this - what do you guys think of this style for acrylic keychains? I'm torn between doing fullbody keychains or just the heads for buttons.

>>7566397
oh god do you by any chance have the website/contact info for these two? I traded some cute/awesome stuff with them and forgot to get their card to promo them DOH

>>7567828
def. keychains

>>7567828
If it's keychains, I prefer it not to be too big, leaves options to be a phone charm too. Otherwise, if buttons, it's a hit or miss for the head designs because it might look too obscure but that's just me.

>>7568775

keychains would be about half that size, I just have them this big for printing.

Monster anon from the last thread. I finished the hair fascinator design and started pumping them out (pic related, I snapped it while I was getting ready to take my Etsy photos). I'm thinking $10-$15 per item.

I have two questions:
1: I'm looking for empty lucky rabbits foot settings, like the metal that holds the foot not the foot itself. I know some people use empty bullet shells, but I can't buy them in bulk for cheap.
2: How do you ladies transport your gear and products to and from the con? Since I've never done this before,

>>7569392
Monster anon I've been digging your stuff since the crafting thread a while back. I def want one of those hair fascinators.

>>7569392
>tfw fans on an anonymous image board
I'll be posting them on my Etsy in a bit

>>7567828
Seems okay for keychains, I prefer the fullbody. Maybe do heads as phone charms?
>>7566110
Like a lot of anons have been suggesting, I love the cel shading on the hair but the face needs to match. Just a bit of shadow around the hairline and some blush spots should do it.
>>7562121
You got beaten up last thread for no reason, but I like you and feel your advice is valuable!

>>7569392
I have no helpful comments about your merchandise, but I just wanted to say that you are way cute, anon

>>7569392
1. Crimp beads like pic related, maybe? These are super tiny though, but it's a word you can use for searching anyway.
2. I've only done it once, but when I did I just used a rolling suitcase since my stuff was all soft and relatively small.

Do comics or original works ever sell well at artist's alleys? Whenever I happen across someone trying to sell original work their tables always seem empty compared to the craft or fanart tables.

Kigukid maker from last thread.
Made a new one as well as a smaller one on suggestion. I've got another face ready to make a "twin" for the larger one using the same fabric as the smaller one.
The next convention I'll likely table at won't be until next spring...I'm going to have a lot of these things laying around.

>>7570085
Aaah! They came our super cute! The small one should *certainly* have a bow like the bigger one. Maybe use patterned ribbon to speed things up a bit?
What's your hours on a single kigukid at this point?

Nice to see updates of some of my favorite artists here!

>>7569392
That sounds like a fair price.
1) Sorry not sure where to look for them, but I'm excited that you're seriously considering those bad luck monster paw things.
2) For transportation, with some help, I tend to haul 2 large luggages, a backpack, and this neat gym back that has a extended pocket for long items (aka. PVC pipes). What I do to make more room for my stuff since most are plushies of sorts, I store them in thick plastic bags and force out most of the air before sealing it. They bounce back mostly into shape or else some gentle massaging helps.
I also pack:
>cash fanny pack
>table cloth
>clamps
>PVC pipes
>tape and ropes (ropes helped keep the clamps steady in case)
>box of plastic bags (got them from ULine long time ago but I learned it's better to get it from clearbags instead)
>mini laptop for records
>disassembled wirecubes and locker stands
>bottle of water, snacks, food that doesn't need to be refrigerated or warmed up

>>7570085
Ahh way too cute, go kigukids! Have you made any with the crotch height lowered like the baggy sort of kigurumis?

>>7570085
>>7570113
A lower crotch height may also make your sewing time faster as well as being cute.
I also can't tell from your photos, but if you turn the pieces before doing a final decorative stitch around the edge, it'll make that much easier.

>>7570113
I managed to find a website that sells huge bell/bead caps thanks to another anon further up the thread. I'll do an order and check back in with a review, since they're the kind of things that charm-making anons could use.
(I totally loved the idea, by the way. I'm super excited about it, I'm just waiting for a new box of Sculpty).

>>7570112
Thank you! The little one will definitely have a bow! I just haven't gotten around to it yet.
I still haven't timed myself...I don't think embroidering the face took me that long, so maybe I'll get the rest of the other one done on a timer today.

>>7570113
I haven't considered it, but I certainly could make one like that! It would probably make sewing go faster too.

Approximately an hour and half to cut and sew a regular sized kigukid, that's including minor problems/distractions, not including face embroidery. I think I'm still at around 2 hours to make one.

>>7569392
After some googling I found that the finding is specifically called a "bell cap"

>>7569392
After some googling I found the term that you are looking for is "bell cap" or "end cap".

Lately I've been dabbling into making perfume and scented items (lotion, body wash). Does anyone think that would be something that could be marketable in the AA? I focus on lolita scents, but I'm also trying to make more "dude" scents.

>>7570389
How are you finishing the edges of the bow and around the face? Turned under or fray-guard? They look really cute!

>>7570507
On a similar note to you, I've been experimenting with making bath bombs/fizzies! I was thinking of trying to make some anime-related ones as gifts for online Christmas swaps this year, but I've also thought about if they'd be sellable at cons. I found one etsy group that does some for Pokemon, MLP and some other random stuff but aside from the scents I think they could be cooler looking visually.

>>7570513
Thanks. I'm leaving them raw, since I personally don't mind and like the look of fraying. Around the face shouldn't be handled much anyway to cause serious fraying.

it's always nice seeing really good gundam art

Does anyone have experience selling original, canvas paintings around this skill level, not just digital prints? I'm gonna be entering Otakon's Art Show thing and will be putting some paintings up for auction. Do congoers care if something is the original and not a print, are they willing to pay much more because of that, etc.

(material cost is not a factor since the things I'll be entering are cheap Walmart acrylics and HobLob canvas)

>>7570616

Some people do care, yeah. It'll look super nice if you put it in a frame, too.

>>7570085
Wow these are adorb. How much do you usually sell them for/

I do cross stitching and have thought about selling them at cons, but I don't think they'd be popular enough for me to expense a table. I've considered outsourcing them to a friend who already has a table, but I just don't know.

Opinions? They've got heat n bond on the back so they can be either bonded to fabric for framing or bonded onto stuff as patches.

>>7570653
I prefer embroidery 'framed' in their hoops personally. As those are, they are hard to display.

>>7570653

They're a nice alternative to the perler bead pixel art. Sturdier.

>>7570653
do you take commissions?!
Ive been looking for someone to make a patch for a jacket I have,

>>7570661
Agreed. As a customer I would also see it as being worth a higher price if it were in a hoop.

>>7570668
Perler bead art has a good idea going but it looks so cheap in the end.

I wonder how long it takes for you to do something of that size though? I also sell crafts for about $25 each and am fortunate enough that they only take me less than an hour to complete. If it's well made people will definitely buy but I'd say people at conventions get more reluctant to purchase at around $30.

Alternatively, set up an etsy shop and see how that goes. People can commission you there as well which is nice. No one has been interested in commissioning me at conventions (they'd rather have the instant gratification of a product on display already) so your best bet is going online to appeal to more people.

>>7570690
Depending on what it is? Pixel art is obviously the easiest thing to stitch.

>>7570722

I never thought to leave it in the hoop, but the wooden ones are fairly cheap at Joann's so it wouldn't make them too much more expensive. Etsy is definitely an idea.

>>7562063
Raspbeary/Milkydayy's name is Oskar. They're male.

Hey everyone! So uh, I'm an amateur hobby artist and I've been thinking for a long time about doing an AA table. The thing is, I'm really self concious about my art and I don't feel entirely confident about my skills. I'll post a few more examples, if you want, but I'm wondering if I could get some honest opinions about my work?

>>7570801
You can't sell low-res head shots of characters nobody cares about.
Work at a high DPI, produce polished pieces, and do lots of fanart of popular things until you get enough of a following that people might want to buy your original work. You seem to have some skill and you've got a unique style, play that up and draw people in with things they'll recognize. Make 'em stay and build some loyalty by continuing to produce consistent, interesting work long after the con is over.

>>7570801
You've obviously got skills and a unique style from what I can see. My only problem is the black lines. They don't seem bold enough and aren't very consistent if that makes any sense. I also think learning how to shade using different colors rather than just different shades of the same color will really improve your art as well. Looking at color pallets and experimenting with those should help since you seem to know what you're doing when it comes to shading and highlighting.

Keep it up, anon!

>>7570812
>>7570814
Thanks for the feedback!

>>7568665
not sure about the levi but the erwin's tumblr is papaerwin

>>7570642
Thanks! I actually haven't started selling them yet. I went through 3 prototypes before settling on the pattern used now. The small one is also a prototype.
Consensus seems to be $20+ though.

Got an upcoming con and I'm wondering what people's take on super kawaii bright art is

>>7571646
Weeaboos love it.

So I quickly drew this up last night. I am *not* going to be using this for a print (it's not large enough, detailed enough, or anything), I was just wondering if my style and line thickness would work well for customers, or if I'm deluding myself about my drawing skills.

>>7571646
I would assume bright, cute, art would sell. Both of those words are pretty positive. Can you post an example?

>>7572862
I think your style is appealing but try grabbing a bit more variance in your colors.

Skins have a lot more reds in them. Drag it more into the reds and bottom right to darken it.
Pic related might be able to help. Just my two cents tho. Experiment! It's kind of bland to just see different shades of the same green.

>>7572862
You should draw more than heads

While we're on the "Am I good enough" train... I'll go ahead and post.

I won an artist table at an upcoming con and I'm kinda freaking out about having enough product because to be honest I am a very very casual artist.. would something like this (Wip, placeholder anchor for composition idea) be a good print? Or just a keychain or something?

>>7573148
I find the stylized anatomy to be a bit awkward, and the lines to be weak, but your color theory is pretty solid and aesthetically pleasing enough that you'd probably do well in the Artist Alley. It's cute and it's bright; there's a huge demographic for that that doesn't really notice or care about the aforementioned weaknesses. I think it'd be much better as a keychain or sticker, but you might be able to pull off a small print (4x6 or 5x7). I wouldn't say anything bigger then that.

Define win, though. If you won it out of a lottery, I can see a bit of a concern, but if you got it for free, it's fine if you don't have a lot of product. Take it as your opportunity to test the waters. And if not, use it as motivation to pump stuff out. I'm sure all the experienced AAers in here can testify to the feeling of last minute con crunch.

>>7573157
Yeah, I won it for free in a t-shirt design contest, so it'll be a good opportunity to try out the experience on my own.

Can you recommend any tips or resources for strengthening my line work? It's something I've been struggling with for some time.
Thanks for the feedback!

>>7558747
>Am I good enough train
Ok so a few of my fellow friends were thingking about selling our print in our local con. Just though if my body is read for it.

>>7573163
It's just me that I don't find that picture suiting Mikasa, but again that's just me.

I think you have potential, but I can't get over those hands and eyes... especially the eyes. They seem a bit off putting and... familiar.

>>7573163

She has a really long body.

>>7573162
Smoother, more fluid lines. I know it's a bit difficult on a tablet, but your lines need to look as if they were one stroke instead of multiple ones put together (especially prevalent in the hair, where you can see where you stopped and picked back up.) I really think line weight would help tremendously in your pieces, as the lines tend to look bland and boring with only one sort of consistency. A lot of it is just experimenting, and see what works for you, though. Wish you the best of luck.

>>7573163
Err. There's clearly a lot of technical skill prevalent in the art, which is always nice, but it just feels a bit too... uncanny valley for me. The face looks pretty derpy, and the shading of the clothes just a bit too rubbery. Also, I don't know where you're getting the green-ish light source from, but it brings a strange tint to the piece. It might be undersrtandable if you had a background or something of the sort, but as it is now, especially from a further view/thumbnail, it looks rather odd and kind of brings a nauseating tone to the piece.
Eh, it's all just my opinion though. I definitely think the skill is there, and there might be a market for that art? It just doesn't seem very appealing to me. Also agreeing with >>7573177, fans of the series would probably find it a very offputting and strange expression and pose for Mikasa, and that in itself can dissuade someone from buying a piece.

>>7573163
When would Mikasa ever look like this??

>>7572862
It's...boring. There's a million heads just like this all over tumblr. Your lines are confident but there needs to be deeper contrast in shading and color variety, like the other anon said.

>>7573148
This is probably more subjective than helpful but personally, this type of art style weirds me out. What I'm talking about is how her hand being so close to her face/eyes forces the viewer to compare their sizes. Which...would be forgivable if it were flat colors and simpler anatomy, like actual chibi, BUT it's basically a proportionate adult body with a huge head. If she were less curvy with chubbier and shorter limbs, I would buy it. But that's me.
The composition with the anchor is good though.

>>7573163
Just all around amateur. Shiny-desu coloring, she's not really looking at anything...and it's horribly OOC. Also, for future reference, thighs are longer than shins, and while this pose requires some foreshortening, her feet should not be that far past her butt.
I think you should work more before you try to sell.

>>7573191
>>7573182
>>7573180
point taken

>>7573148
I;m sorry but you aren't ready. Your coloring is great and you do seem to have a developing sense of composition but her anatomy is all kinds of broken. To stylize effectively you must have a good grasp of the real human body. Please practice anatomy somewhat before trying to sell. Her center of balance is off, the lines of her body do not flow well (particularly lower half), her eyes are set incorrectly on her face and her head set incorrectly on her neck (the hair does look great though). You're already ahead of probably 90% of the chibi-style artists out there though so take heart, you only need somre more practice.

>>7572877
i'm not that anon but this is really good advice. I always shade skin with a color that's not only darker but redder, otherwise it can look ashy and not alive enough

>>7573148
Hope this helps anon!

>>7573163
What is this? An egg coming out of her head?

>>7573497
it'a a kawaii tumor, duh.

>>7572877
Thanks for the con/crit! I only recently switched to digital coloring, and it's still super weird. I'll try it out, but I want to stay away from the bright red nose 'looks like they have a cold' Tumblr look. I'll try to find a happy medium.

>>7572888
I almost never just draw heads, this was just the only full color example I had that I was happy with. All my other stuff is b+w lineart stuff.

I'm tabling for the first time, and need some help figuring out what style is good enough for prints. Generally my style is really inconsistent and all over the place, but out of the three, which do you guys prefer? (You can think of the linework and the coloring styles separately.)

Also, is there a guide for making prints that tells you what size to make your prints, how much to leave for bleeding and trimming, what resolution to make them, and all of that stuff? I'm as new as it gets to this business.

>>7573668
I'd say color of 1 on linework of 2. You have a nice style btw, it's very sellable.

>>7573163
i like it, the eyes are what brings it in for me and the overall colors are very pleasant.
yeah theres plenty of room for improvement but one of my favorite things about finding artists at an aa is seeing their work improve. if i saw your works at a con and you had a print that interested me i d totally buy one and talk to you for a bit-

>>7573668
The colored lines of 1 with the shading in the style of 2. Style 3 is nice but I think your painting style can improve a bit more and become more defined before selling it. Overall 3 doesn't feel as confident as the other two imo.

>>7573668
Maybe something between 2 and 3?
3 is way too sketchy, and I like 2 the most but I feel like the eyes and clothes are too blandly shaded.

>>7573668
2 is nice, but it seems to me like a style that translates better to digital art being seen on a computer. 3 is pretty, but it looks unfinished. I think you need darker shadows and brighter highlights.

>>7573668
If you're ordering from a company or service place, they will give you guidelines and templates to work with regarding size and resolution.

>>7573680
>>7573687
>>7573688

Okay, I think I'm going draw in the style of 2 then, thanks a lot for the feedback!

>>7573697

That is most definitely the case. I'm a really casual artist, but hopefully I can figure out how to make print quality drawings soon...

>>7573698

Thanks! I'm going to have to settle on a printing company.

This is fun and I've been wondering this for a while so am i good enough yet? The thing im most worried about is the time it takes me to make something, this took (and I'm embarassed to say) around like ten hours. (I'm still getting used to coloring in photoshop) and i don't know if id be better off at an anime con or comicon.

>>7574122
I hate when people try to sell this sort of art at an anime con, it's good for comicon though, just, not anime.

>>7573162
San Japan? Or some other con?

>>7573163
>misaka final.png
really out-of-character fanart of a character whose name you don't even know? come on, anon...at least pretend like you care about the fandom you're trying to capitalize on.

>>7574125
Thanks for the feedback. I dont think i can go full animus, i could try though. Its just that for some reason i feel line the people at comicon are cheaper than the people at anime cons... I'm worried about breaking even. A small comicon table is 250

>>7574133
You don't hafta go full animu, just try drawing animu characters and incorporating some animu elements into your style (which is really nicely developed). Just be sure to pay attention to body-types and do more research than >>7573163 about their personalities so you don't look like a tryhard.

>>7574138
Oops, I meant to add that by "anime elements", I mean things like slightly larger/more detailed eyes, more obvious hair shine, that sort of thing. I really like your style though and I don't want to recommend other things like cel-shading to you because I really like the shading in >>7574122.

Hoping on the am I good enought train
This is all I have at the moment since my laptop is in another state

I'm looking do expand the cons I go to and since anime conventions have more Western media included in them than they used to, I'm hoping to table at one soon.

The trouble is, my style isn't exactly anime. There's a bit of inspiration there, but I mostly have a Western cartoon lean in my proportions and design especially.
I'd love to do some anime fanart encorporating my style, but I'm not sure if it would sell.

Additionally, at my tables at comic cons, I sell minicomics showcasing original artwork and characters. I also have a webcomic I promote.

Do things like that take well at anime conventions or is it mostly fanart that sells?

Pic related is an example of my work taking anime characters to somewhat Westernized style, but I understand that's hit or miss and REALLY up to personal taste?

If I wanted to go that route, what changes should I look into making to appeal to that crowd more?

>>7574138
>>7574133
Yeah I'm >>7574125 and I agree that full animus isn't 100% needed, but when people don't try to incorporate it into the media at a con it urks me.

>>7574172
Oh wait found one more

>>7573479
From what little I can see here it looks like you have a grasp grasp of anatomy and a good idea of how to make a chibi look appealing. Also that seems really helpful, too bad the artist didn't seem to see it.

>>7573511
But actually, what is it?

>>7574122
Your style is nice but more painterly, where as typical stuff usually tends to look more like >>7573668 and >>7562186. It seems only natural that something that detailed would take you longer. The only thing is that prints like that usually cost more, if you're worried about con goers being cheap.

>>7574172
The proportions on the body look strange. Even though it is a chibi I don't think her stomach should be that wide, nor her legs.

I'm also not a fan of your shading in >>7574186. A flat style would probably look better.

Don't mind the weird accidental blue shading of the polkadots, what do you guys think of this?

>>7574172
>>7574186
Have to agree with >>7574203.
I feel like your style would be really cute if you smoothed things out. Everything is so boxy and harsh for some reason and it looks odd on small, chubby things.
Also, try to bring out their necks more. You draw them really thick, but they're like.. melting into the upperbody

>>7574203
I also have this style coloring
Again sorry for werid images im stuck with what I have on this phone

>>7574216
There is something wonky going on with the face here.

>>7574218
Im sorry also the skin is really bright since im colorblind so I haven't fixed it yet

A lot of you people who are worried about your skill level should also be worrying about your print quality. Huge canvases and high DPI (300+) give you the freedom to reproduce your work in a wide variety of sizes, don't limit yourself just because you've confined your comfort zone to 800x800 pixel canvases.
Also, overall you guys should work on your print environments and try to avoid using a lot of white; one or two pieces on a white background won't kill you but if you use it as a crutch your potential customers won't give you a second look because that shit is boring as hell. Think of the background at your sketch stage, don't slap it on as an afterthought once you've finished coloring your character(s).

>>7574206
Is it finished?
The light source is all over the place, the shading doesn't look strong or certain enough, the same goes for the wrinkles on her clothes. Proportion is fine, but anatomy is a bit strange, especially in the shoulders and legs. My biggest issues is her shirt, the shading, and the background.

>>7574222
And one more that isnt the whole image but its finished
It shows my cg style then anything else since it's old

>>7574206
I just went ahead and flipped this for you.

Always flip your art while you're drawing (especially sketching!) so you can better see the flaws. It looks like you traced the hands/face since they're the only thing that REALLY doesn't need help. Also, don't be too shy to shade! Be more confident with it! Use bolder, more drastic colors and experiment!

I'm not perfect either, but hopefully this is an okay starting point for you. Good luck!

>>7574216
>>7574218
Eyes are too far apart and the mouth is too wide.

>>7574226
this
i do all my prints drawn at 350dpi or 600dpi
the canvas size is 8.5" x 11" or 11" x 17/14" depending. it s really really important

>>7574216
This is definitely your best style of shading

>>7574175
I would buy anime art with that western element, or I guess western art of anime characters, anon. However I never even look at the original comics and whatnot at anime conventions. I feel ill anime conventions are a lot more fan oriented and less open to original, especially western, work.

>>7574227
It's not actually. I actually just started using the tablet, it's my first tablet drawing so I figured it would be kind of meh.

>>7574245
Thanks! Like I said this is my first drawing solely on tablet. I'm actually really strong with hands and faces(even so the right hand has some fucked up fingers going on) I'm almost flattered it looks like I traced it. Haha!

>>7574321
Do you have any examples from without a tablet?

>>7574249
>600 dpi
shit son, do other people do this?

>>7573479
Do you have a tumblr or something, helper-anon? Your art style is gorgeous.

>Am I good enough train
I know it's really static and boring sorry, but I really want to sell at an AA (when my skill level is high enough, that is)

>>7574334
This looks really messy and unpolished. You have potential, but instead of mixing up the shading styles you should continue to shade the entire image like you shaded the hair and not try to blend so much. Like on the faces, their skin looks really blotchy due to your awkward blending. If this was cleaned up I'd say it could sell, though.

>>7574326
This was the last thing I drew by hand that wasn't 100% sketch(like 2 years ago) I actually have been drawing backgrounds and the like since then and the girl up there was the first animu on my tablet.

Mainly trying to get into anime so I can incorporate them into the backgrounds.

>>7574145
>>7574203
Thanks a lot for the feedback, its really helpful. I'll give it a go. All the anatomy I worked on this past six months is going to be mostly useless (the muscles and stuff, cause I don't think thats as well liked?) and my weakness is color schemes but I look forward to the challenge. It'll help me improve all together.

>>7574337
Your art is REALLY generic and your anatomy is completely off. Instead of trying to copy anime, go practice drawing from real-life figures instead.

>>7574334
Bad composition and it's really stiff, not to mention pretty boring with the lack of background, but I think with the way you color clothes you could work on those things and you could start selling well.

>>7574334
I have to agree with the other anon, but if you used the shading style you do on the hair on the rest of the drawings I think you'd have gorgeous prints. Your style is unique in a good way and I think it would sell.

I will say that Ryuuko's hand is at a very strange angle though.

>>7574337
It looks very sort of beginner anime art to me. I wish you luck improving though!

>>7574334
Oh, the other thing I forgot to mention was that you'd benefit from looking up some skin tutorials, since you don't seem to be using a full range of colors and the skin looks desaturated.

>>7574349
>>7574344
Yeah I really need to work on my anatomy, I mainly do backgrounds like pic related.(this is my worst one actually) I just wanted to be able to do anime with them since no one wants to buy backgrounds without characters, I've sold backgrounds for games and things before though, the anime aspect just seemed fun.

>>7574359
If it's really your worst why would you post it? No need for humblebragging

>>7574203
I dunno how serious of an answer you're looking for but anyway. Regarding the Mikasa drawing it looks like they're influenced by kind of dated bishoujo art, like the stuff you still find in Key games (pic). The big sis to moe art. It looks like the most basic shinydesu anime style but honestly it's hard to do well and I have yet to see a western artist pull it off.

>>7574359
Hot damn anon, stick to what you're good at!

>>7574364
Mostly because it's more anime related, the less realistic sun is there for a more comic/fantasy affect. And I feel weird about posting other things on 4chan since most of it is commission work and not free materials, usually experiment things are free game tho so I'm fine just posting it willy nilly.

>>7574365
what is.... a non outdated style? o.o

>>7574365
little busters is so old tho. shinydesu was replaced by sameface dime a dozen moemoes like pic related.

>>7573479
Thank you so so much for the feedback!

>>7574371
can you link us to some of the games you drew for?

>>7574379
KyoAni moemoe

>>7574175
well I never go to anime cons BUT if I saw this I might buy it because its always neat to see interpretations of well known characters in different styles (i think)

>>7574383
It is, I just chose that pic because it has the tumor bangs. Even if they're newer lot of eroge styles in general fall into the bishoujo category imo, still shinydesu but more refined. Compare it to like, a lot of moe girl light novel covers that are usually drawn a bit looser/less detailed. it's a very thin line between them though I guess

>>7574394
http://www.winterwolves.com/nicole.htm
The natural backgrounds with minimal buildings as well as more 'classic' style building, as far as I know the interior buildings are all done by another artist, in this game called "Nicole" by a western english VN company is the only one that maybe you know, most are for german, untranslated indie games since I am from germany but I can post those if you'd like.

>>7574418
>'classic' style building **interiors

Sorry don't know where that went.

>>7574418
Pretty cool, anon. Is there a big indie game scene in Germany for these things? How many have you done?

>>7574206
>>7574418
But the quality of the background in the first image just drops drastically compared to what you can do
Anon, it seems suspicious

>>7574443
Especially since, as >>7574245 pointed out, the original drawing shows a lot of signs that it's pretty likely traced.

>>7574443
It's still a WIP, I guess I'm just bad at figure drawing... Here's something I'm currently working on right now, not for anything specific, just trying different techniques.

>>7574452
I hope it doesn't look traced, I'm pretty bad at figures but I didn't think I was that bad... I guess I should just concentrate on backgrounds and finding people to put pretty people in them for me.

>>7574454
Holy tits, anon, just from this I can say I would pay money for that, normal fags would pay fucking money for this shit. Dem clouds.

>>7574395
I hate that fucking Kyoani cute/shocked face so much

>>7574395
Why would you use this photo if almost half of it is artstyles taken from pre-existing VNs

>>7574454
>>7574461
Can't tell if samefagging or just clueless. Artist anon, you should visit /ic/ if you want some crit from people who know what they're doing. What you have there is very, very basic. I like your colour choices though, so I'd love to see you improve.

>>7574555
Not artist anon, I don't even know how to draw, haha! It just looked like a photo when I was scrolling down so I was kind of floored by the details and shit.

>>7574425
It's not that big, not big anywhere really. I've done 3 or so.

>>7574561
>>7574555
Thanks anon~ I've been on /ic/ a bit and while I do very basic stuff most times and I mainly take from classic realism using a similar colour palette etc. Most things finish in only a few hours so to finish and have them looking good enough for me, but I don't have much time to draw so if I start on intricate projects I end up watering them down to finish them up.

I need to work on (art) prints for a con in July, but I have no idea what the kids are into these days. What do you guys think will be popular by July, in terms of video games/anime/etc?

>>7574712
Off the top of my head I can think of Sailor Moon, Kill la Kill, Madoka, Free!, and obvious classics like ponies and pokemon.
Find the tumblr thread, follow everyone in it, watch your dash for a day or two and you'll get some more ideas.

>>7574573
You need to work on your speed then. That picture should only be a rough to check your layout and colour palette. That should take about 10-15 mins tops, and then you spend the next couple of hours painting and refining.
I like what you've got, you're heading in the right direction. You said that you stop when it looks good enough for you though. Don't settle, push yourself. Get advice, work more efficiently. Are you using the blur tool a lot? It looks fuzzy and unclear. Try to just use the brush with different colours and opacity settings.

>>7574175
My art is somewhat western styled also and I do well. It does well at the places I go to. With mini/original comics it really depends on the con. Try looking for cons with fanart limits (50/50) as original art gets pushed more.

What sort of interest would there be in needle felted figurines? I make loads of them in my spare time, and have been working on a full Pokemon set. All 700+ baby.

Would anyone be interested in needle felted figurines? Pokemon, Titans, chibi anime characters, Animal Crossing stuff, etc? Would you prefer a keychain option? Considering the time it takes for me to make them (especially with base already made), would commissions be interesting?

So many questions, but I want to know before I get too excited about this.

>>7574997
Oh shit titans. I don't know how needlefelting works but it'd be cute to give ones like kawaiitan and mom-eater embroidery thread hair.

>>7574997
Can I we see some samples?
I collect villagers from my AC town and pokemon.
If you can do on the spot commissions they'd do well I think!

>>7575001
I've actually been experimenting with embroidery versus more wool, and I really can't decide. Embroidery thread looks very raggedy-ann but wool makes it anime in a strange way.

>>7575004
I'm camping right now, so no real pics. I modeled my first little dudes off this Numel though, and I try to keep this general look with all of them. Try to make them as accurate to the XY models as possible.

On the spot commissions would be my ideal sell point honestly. Pokemon/Villagers for impulse, commissions for "come back in an hour/watch!".

>>7574964
I was trying to find your blog by searching for this image on google and it gave me smurfs and gyarados instead
I tried to be sneaky and failed so hard, but I'd love a blog link if you have one!

>>7575020
geekysideburns.tumblr.com

>>7575012
Ah man that Numel is adorable. I want one. ;n;

>>7574857
Are you actually an artist? There's no way those clouds would take 15 minutes.

>>7575012
I'd so buy from you if I saw you at a con. These would probably make great keychains or figurines.

>>7575246
Not the anon you're talking to, but that's about the amount of time they'd take for me. They're really not that difficult.

>>7575246
Are you?
Part of being a halfway decent artist is being able to drop that simple of a concept quickly. Not because it indicates skill in speed, but because taking too much time on something too simple will probably cause it to be distorted and lose it's fluidity. That applies to almost every type of art. 15 minutes, maybe with practice. But something like that? No more then 45 minutes at any point, ever. AFTER that, you refine, detail, other rendering, etc.

Posted in the last thread and didn't get much critique (except that I need to fix the derp eye Ed has, which I WILL be fixing). I'd really like to get opinions about my recent fanart + an original work (last year or so) as I try to formulate a plan for where to go from here.

I am doing AA at a midsize con but that represents my biggest foray into fanart in about 2-3 years. My senior year of college was crazy hectic, I took a year off before grad school and moved to a new state, and then this year started grad school. I used to draw fanart all the time, but school and my design career took over.

I know right now my style seems to be more "canon," though I feel like my original piece is definitely "my style," I've just always been attracted to having my characters look canon.

Thank you in advance for any critiques or comments.

>>7576090
You have a really great style for your ideal demographic (fujoshis). I really like the posing in the first two, but the Kuroshitsuji one feels really stiff and awkward to me. I'm guessing either you used references for the first two, or the third is just an older piece?
Regardless, you have clean, nice colouring, decent foundations, and you're going about the right way to appeal to the people you're trying to reach. The reason you probably didn't get much response is because you're in that middle ground where your art isn't so horrible that everyone has to comment simply to rave about how awful it is, and it's not so god-tier amazing that people throw everything aside and freak out about it. It's just average for your con artist. The best advice I can give you now, the same as any other artist; practice, study. Study from life, study from masters, study from other artists, break out of your comfort zone once in a while and try something new.
Wish you the best.

Might as well contribute. Does my lineup look ok? I do know I should push myself for more dynamic compositions, but otherwise?
Top ones are pretty recent, sketches are WIPs (still deciding on what to do for one more portrait-oriented print), and bottom three are old ones that I have spare prints of, so I might end up putting them out just for the heck of it.
Kind of lacking in anime, I know...But I figured everyone else would be doing anime anyways, so there'd be enough already. It's a mid-sized con, by the way.

Hey guys, I'm trying to put together my table composition for right now, and I'm trying to arrange my prints to optimize them. Do you guys have any tips or trends you've noticed?
I'm putting the most eyecatching and large ones at the top of my vertical display, to be noticed from further away (it works with where i'm seated, normally I wouldn't try this if i was just in an aisle due to the small space from one row to another), then my most popular/well drawn ones at eye level, and then my niche ones on the side panels.

>>7576152
I have to disagree with you. I think the posing looks bizarre in nearly all of them, although looking closer maybe it's because the anatomy is off. Most importantly though, is that all of your faces except maybe the FMA print are really wonky.

>>7575012

how much would you sell these for? I'd buy the fuck out of custom commissions if you started an etsy store

>>7576181
looks really good to me, especially since it has so many different styles. I really like the Okami style Avatar one

>>7576181
You've got a great style, and your colors and shading are spectacular. As for your line up, it does look a little random and isn't exactly cohesive, but it seems like you have something for everyone.

>>7576207

I used references for all of them except the Black Butler piece. Can you elaborate further about the faces being wonky? What could be improved in them to make them not wonky?

>>7576090
>I know right now my style seems to be more "canon"
Definitely seeing that with the chibi drawings

With the other ones though, the Free picture has some issues with Blue guy's (rei?) head in proportion to the blonde. The face isn't that bad but the head itself is pretty large. And Alois' torso is very long in comparison to his legs. With that one you should probably try redrawing the furniture and then placing Ciel and Alois on it to make the more proportionate to it, it'll help with the anatomy. I don't have a tablet on me but I tried outlining some of the areas in paint. There's something about the eyes as well but I can't put my finger on it, it might just be me not really used to the eastern/western style fusion art.

>>7576181
Looks like you've improved since he old ones, if you ever go back to them I'd just say to check the girl's face on the right of the Soul Eater pic by flipping it

>>7576207
I don't think for a second the anatomy isn't off in all of the pieces. But on it's own, the poses are more dynamic and interesting then what's normally seen, and I appreciate that. They said it was referenced, so that's due to the original reference, but I still enjoy an interesting pose besides a boring looking pinup once in a while.
Plus, their anatomy issues are miniscule enough and numerous enough that all you can really do to improve is to study EVERYTHING until you finally fix those kinks that'll get them to finally start looking right.

>>7576152

Thank you, I appreciate the critique. You are right on target about my audience, and that is mainly what I'm trying to go for, is to just nab the fujoshi crowd (selling at an all yaoi table with friends). Again, thanks for the critique!

>>7576207

I used references for all of them except the Black Butler piece. Can you elaborate further about the faces being wonky? What could be improved in them to make them not wonky?

>>7576210
>>7576213
Thanks. I like to have a lot of variety genre-wise, but without stretching myself too thin. Now that I look at it though, all of these have wildly different styles from each other, haha.

The Okami/Korra one is actually one of my personal favorites, but it's the one that sells the least, unfortunately! Even during the summer that Korra first aired, when I had first started selling it. I guess the demographic for that one is a bit too small, huh?

>>7576222

I can definitely see what you're saying. And for style, would "canon" be bad, other than it being perceived as potentially unoriginal? It's just something I've noticed about my style in general (with art, fanart, design) is that I start out as a good replicator or style and that I build my own "style" after all of that.

>>7576181
You're right about working on compositions. Your centered portrait ones work but the landscape ones are rather empty. The position of the boat in the Link illust should be changed asap. Where that boat begins is right in the middle creating a visual split, and where it ends is touching right on the border creating a tangent and that's just a big no-no. The Sylveon one is better since it has more use of the rule of thirds. I'd push it a bit more and def add some flowers and cherry blossoms in the wind or something.
Other than that, your stuff is pretty appealing. Maybe try playing with values more since some of it is a bit flat even with shading. Also, Finn's nose is kind of huge but that's just me.

>>7576246
Will do, thanks for the tips.

>>7576234
Some people might like it that way, especially if the fanart is something in the original style but an image that depicts something not normally in the series. A good example would be the infamous Code Geass illustrations made by some of the seires' animators. Personally I don't think it's that big of a deal, if you have the fundamentals down there's a lot of free reign to what you can do.

>>7576226
The anatomy in the free piece seems really strange. The blonde guy's left leg and foot seem broken, and I don't know where the blue haired guy's lower leg has gone. In addition the blonde's right hand is contorted strangely. I do agree with you about them being dynamic, but I think it's coming with a cost of wonky anatomy that isn't seen in the other, less interestingly posed pieces.


>>7576227
I expressed myself in image format, I hope you don't mind. I think the problem is that your faces remind me a lot of yaoi manga, but either when mixed with the original style or when colored and not close up the faces sort of get lost. Also you seem to do this stylistic thing where you draw the bottom of the face less full, and then this pointy yaoi chin.


My favorite thing is your chibis though, and if you're aiming for fangirls they loooove keychains and stickers of guys. Have you thought of doing chibis of some popular pairings, either holding hands or joined by the string of fate or something? I can see them being big sellers, especially if you color them the way you did the one on the far right.

>>7576231
That's too bad. I would have thought it would be a big seller. Maybe it's because of all the empty space? It sort of looks like something should be there.

>>7576255
Also, I'm not specifically directing this to you but instead of people trying to copy a certain style or artists by redrawing what they think it should look like over and over (I see this kind of encouragement on Tumblr all the time) I think it's important to learn about the artists themselves.
>What kind of mediums do they use?
>What kind of art education have they had? (traditional, architectural, digital ect)
>Are there any specific artists, art periods or hobbies that they're inspired from?

I know this would probably be really difficult to do with some anime series since there are a lot of no-name animators but when it comes to comics and manga it's just really interesting to read up on the artists and how they tick.

>>7576262
Here's my incredibly poor attempt to clarify what I mean

>>7576272
That melty chin thing is a problem Free and the recent Eva films have. It looks like they're fixing it with the former's second season but it's very off-putting.

>>7575753
>>7574857
Anon, I meant an entire completed picture not just the clouds. Also it probably looks unclear cause it's still unfinished.

>>7576262

Curse of the yaoi chins! Thanks, anon, I will take this into consideration, same with the eyes (I think maybe my largest eye shine is TOO large now that I consider it). Honestly I had no idea I was making yaoi chins, and I hate them so much in yaoi manga. Though I prefer the pointy yaoi chin over the super square seme chin, but still, I can't let this trend go on!

I prefer to do single chibis because of their ease, but I have done pairing chibis of my OCs. I also feel like if some of my prints are pairing centric, I'd rather the chibis be single so I make it more inviting for anyone who doesn't like the pairings I've got presented, but still likes the series.

I am actually planning on having a lot of chibis at the table and spending a good half of my time producing new art just as chibis because of their ability to sell. I was planning on offering them with the option to be keychains, cell charms, or magnets, one set price, you just tell me how you want it finished up.

>>7576296
I was worried I was too harsh, so I'm glad you found it helpful. But yeah, the pointy yaoi chin is definitely better than the supersized body part trend.

Your plan for options on the chibis is genius though. I can't believe I've never heard of anyone doing that before.

>>7576306

Nah, not too harsh. I figure this might increase the transaction time given that when someone picks the chibi I'll have to take the time to affix the cell charm loop, or keychain, or magnet, BUT the option will be worth it. Do people use cell charms with the smartphone plug in, or would the old style ones be fine? I have a set of the regular style to use, but not the smartphone ones. I'm still on a flip phone so I'm a bit smartphone stupid.

>>7576266
That's a possibility, though I couldn't think of anything to put there that wouldn't diminish the style of it. I was going for a scroll-type thing, you know? I dunno, maybe I'll think of something.

>>7576181
I think the Windwaker one can be pushed a lot more composition wise. Most of your landscape prints suffer from nothing interacting with anything. I think Link would do a little better on the left side and Dragon Roost on the right so he looks like he's leaving the island. Make the clouds larger, make the island bigger. Have some overlap between main elements of the piece so the image looks more like a whole.

Your Kingdom Hearts (I think it's KH) rough sketch is a great example of elements working together.

>>7576350
Great tips. Out of the top ones, that one is the least recent (from about a year ago maybe?), so back then I really didn't put much thought into anything, haha...I'll see if I have time to redo it before the con in July. I will take your advice into account.

>>7576262
>matches style nicely
>feels a little anime
??????????????

Are you forgetting we're drawing for mostly anime cons here. Use something better than just "lol so anime" to describe something.

>>7570616
Wow, the colors and rendering are really nice are those, but holy fuck you need reference for hands. Those nubby fingers..........

>>7576200
I've been seeing a lot of artist make compilation poster of their prints all together. So maybe you can incorporate that into your display.

They way you have it is pretty good too. It's like a cereal aisle technique. Adult brands on top shelves, popular ones on middle, kiddie stuff towards the bottom so kids can have eye contact with it.

>>7558871
agreed

>>7576443
That was a ref pic for 'around this skill level' and not necessarily their own work. Reading comprehension.

>>7576510
Haha, nice samefag, there was nothing about that in your original post.

>>7576514
Dude... I'm not either of those people, but seriously?

>>7576510
>>7576514
I'm the original poster, that is my work even though from the post it is actually impossible to tell. Also yeah not my best anatomy-wise. A lot of parts are wonky because of mid-finished body resizing. No ref on the hands and you're right, it shows.

>>7576553
Hey anon, you have a tumblr or a deviantart? I like your stuff.

>>7576296
I think it'd be great if you had a deal for buying chibis in pairs since you don't want to confine them to strict pairings. A "sail your ship" kind of thing where buyers can choose their ship from the same series, or you can push it as a BFF type thing for them to share with a friend.

>>7576317
3DSes still have the little loop for old style cell phone charms, and tbh I know more people who stick their charms on cameras, handheld systems, etc. Dust plugs might be a good option to have, but tbh they seem too easy to lose/a pain when you want to listen to music, so I think old style ones will still be a big seller.

>>7576711

Didn't think of that exact option, but I like it. Y'all tell me if this seems too expensive, or too cheap. I was planning on 1 for $3, 2 for $5, or 5 for $10. Maybe I'll devise names for the categories like Husbando, OTP, and Orgy. For comparison with prices, I'm doing prints in tabloid, letter, and half-letter/postcard at $15, $10, and $5 respectively (there will be deals of course).

>>7576753

Good to know. I think I'll stick to the regular set I have and not worry about the dust plugs.

>>7576090
Where is the guy in purple's other leg? Am I tripping myself out?

>>7577346

Bent and then under the one that you see? I'm having difficulty explaining the position, but he's sitting half cross-legged/Indian-style. It's probably me not drawing it properly or shading it well enough for it to be clear.

>>7578960
I was next to Lucky Squid Studios at my last con.
These guys were honestly nightmares to be neighbors to in the artist alley. They showed up late everyday and asked us to help them with their setup/watch their stuff constantly.

>>7578960
Was this taken at the Edmonton Expo? I saw their set-up when I was there and couldn't help but think "Jesus christ, what an eyesore."

>>7577346
You can see his bet knee under Ciel's butt.
Until you see that it's pretty confusing yeah, but it looks like that's one of anon's weaker/stiffer pieces anyway.

Anyone have any experience making and selling candy at cons? I assume it's actually up to the people running the con to decide whether or not it's allowed.

>>7579638
I don't recommend doing something like that unless you've gone through all of the proper red-tape to do something like that. Think about the potential issues you might run into if your candy ends up making people sick and you weren't licensed to do it in the first place.

http://www.sba.gov/community/blogs/community-blogs/small-business-matters/starting-home-based-food-production-business-

>>7579638
I don't recommend doing something like that unless you've gone through all of the proper red-tape. Think about the potential issues you might run into if your candy ends up making people sick and you weren't licensed to do it in the first place.

http://www.sba.gov/community/blogs/community-blogs/small-business-matters/starting-home-based-food-production-business-

>>7579884
Not that anon, but in most states, candy is labeled as no risk, non time-sensitive foods(ie. it's pretty much impossible to get people sick with it since it can be kept at room temperature indefinitely) the actual issue has nothing to do with anything in your link.

The reality is that convention centers and hotels generally don't allow for that sort of thing whatsoever, even dealers barely get to sell food at cons, so even if you had the proper licenses you wouldn't get to most likely.

>>7579902
But is the "production" of candy still okay under that?

I understand where you're coming from in terms of selling candy but my concerns fall under the production stage.

Ok so which one of you had the "YOUR FAVOURITE ANIME SUCKS" booth?
I want to marry you.

This is a babby's first print question:

So this WIP is at 300 dpi, I want to make it a 16 x 20 poster for an auction, and this is it at "print size", which snaps it to 24% for whatever reason.

It's 4800 x 6000 pixels.

My question is, why is it so MASSIVE? Is it supposed to be this big when you make something to print? At 100% a head barely fits on screen. Am I supposed to halve the pixel dimensions or something...like I can't imagine you guys working in a space so large.

Again sorry for retarded babby post

>>7581959
Yes, it's supposed to be that large.
Yes, you're going to have to learn to work that large when you make prints. If you do it any smaller, it'll be noticeably fuzzy when you print it out. Halving the pixel dimensions will make it suitable for 8x10" and below. That's just what you have to deal with when making a huge poster print.
You've already seemed to start doing it, but all you can really do is sketch at smaller dimensions, then create clean lineart in the large dimension. Wish you the best of luck.
(Also, the larger you work, the cleaner your lineart looks from a distance, which can do AMAZING things to the professionalism of the piece.)

>>7581982
Thank you so much!

Alright, I'll get used to it and will have to free up some harddrive space I suppose. Fortunately I haven't started lineart; anything on there is just first-draft redrawing from scanned in pieces. Wanted to be sure first before I started anything.

cross postan' from the anime expo thread just in case

i am still desperately looking for someone with a table for the artist alley that's willing to share.

i live locally and can supply pvc pipes and pegboards and whatever else you might need if you're coming in from out of town and don't feel like dragging your setup with you.
i'm also willing to pay for half of the table of course.

email's in the field

>>7582432
that feeling when you wish you lived close enough to awesome artists just to share a table with them

>>7582432
Man if you were going to AWA I'd share a table with you. ;n;

captica: loveliest nergasm

Just got back from selling at Anime North. I'll post some of the AA display tables that I really liked.

I've been thinking more and more about my display and how customers view my table. I think it's finally sinking in, after 7 years of course, haha.

(1/5)

>>7583740
I really liked this one with the curved pole and flags. I'm a sucker for displays with flags.

(2/5)

>>7583740
that's a pretty ugly setup there.

>>7583751
Sorry, meant to point out what I liked was the button display just being a printout, that way there are no thefts/buttons falling off the display. Their sign could be much better if it had a backing to it so it wouldn't curl.

Also, sorry this photo is all crooked/weird. I was holding a couple prints when I took this.
One thing I wanted to mention to her is her keychains are really susceptible to theft. I would have made some kind of hooking system so to take them off the display it would have been obvious if someone was trying to take it off.

Nevertheless her stuff was really cute!

>>7583784
And last (guess I only had 4 pictures on my phone)

I think he could have made a banner with perler beads, that would have made this display. But his little stand for the flower pots was cute.

I find the crafters tables displays way more creative than the prints artists like myself. We've all either gone the route of PVC pipe or the wire storage cubes.

So, my thoughts on an idea I had at AN:

I had a lot of old stock from previous years and decided to get some plastic easter eggs to make mystery eggs. As the sign says they contained a couple items and 3/6 items were suggested. (So if San from Princess Mononoko was in one I put "Ghibli Film" etc).

I'm glad I put the suggestions or I don't think a lot of people would have bought them.

I made about 30 of them and sold out by Sunday morning. Kids really liked them and I had a lot of gamblers.

>>7583861
grab bags are the best thing about cons, if more AA tables did things like you did I would be inclined to grab a couple

Has anyone ever paid for a commission they never got in the end? I asked this artist at a recent con for a commission and he never got to doing it. He said he was swamped that weekend but he said if I gave him my email address he'd email me an uploaded image of the art and send it in the mail free of charge.

It's my first ordered commmission at AA so I'm just a little skeptical.

>>7583985
Yeah, I gave $30 to an artist that dropped off the face of the earth. Never got the commission, they never tabled at Fanime again. I'm still wary of commissions through the mail.

>>7583998

Man I'm nervous then. I mean why would someone makes really good art scam someone?

Monstergirls seems to be kind of popular every time they pop up at a convention. But I never see any Monsterboys. Why is this?

>>7582447
I've never had any luck with the AWA jury process. Of course, every year I look back at my old stuff and go, "Man, good thing I don't draw like THAT anymore."

>>7583985
Yeah, a couple years ago I gave someone in an AA money and my e-mail address after they said they wouldn't be able to finish it by the end of the day. Never heard from them again...and then sometime later in a drawing request thread on another board someone uploaded a picture that had a mysteriously strong resemblance to what I requested as an example of their art. Not sure if coincidence but it all made me wary of doing that again.

>>7584019
>>7583998

What if this person has a website online? I thought them having a tumblr/website was a sign of good credit.

I'm just worried man, the guy said he'd email sometime this week and I haven't seen an email yet.

>>7583998
Never pay up front for commissions, honestly. Everyone and their mom has a paypal these days. You want a commission? Get their email, or deviant art or whatever and then contact them there for more information.

Most artists wont be angry at this request, and if they take commissions at cons, they probably take them online too. If they do get angry, they are probably sketchy as fuck (pun intended)

>>7584063
>Never pay up front for commissions
Most people wont draw unless they get at least partial payment first. I hear more stories about artists doing a commission and then no one picking it up and paying for it later than stories of people who didn't get their art. Usually because the artist has a tumblr or deviantart and doesn't want a bad reputation.
If you pay, and then they say they don't have time, ask for a refund and a website so you can commission them later if you still want to.

>>7583985
Yeah. Back in 2011, he was pretty busy. Handed the dude ten bucks and have been too shy to bring it up again. I did get to commission two other artists and got my art in the same day. I think that doing the cell phone number exchange works.

>>7561032
>>7560201
Is this true? I've tried to find these from EU for a while now but had no luck so far (I also tried to look from IKEA's website but I didn't find anything).

>>7583861
It's a nice idea, but $2 for two buttons and four keychains? Considering my keychains cost $3 each, and that's pretty standard, this is a major undercut.

If you make amigurumi jellyfish and don't put a frickin' Princess Jellyfish fanart next to it... It doesn't compute... ACEN 1/?

>>7585642
2/?

>>7585654
I liked the idea of a mini comic hanging from the booth. Took a second glance! 3/?

>>7585658
fujoshit banner but lack of table display means it failed the AA test

>>7585666
5/?

>>7585671
I liked the idea of using chipboards to hold up your charms 6/6

>>7585654
This is my first time seeing all these arcs around artist alley tables. Is this now a thing? Also, how do you make them?

Shit like this really pisses me off.

Hey, me again, from a few days ago. I made some edits to the Wind Waker print - Hopefully it's got a bit stronger of a composition now? I didn't want Dragon Roost to fill up a lot of the area since I wanted to emphasize the whole "wide open sea" thing.
There isn't a lot I could do without completely redrawing the piece (which I definitely would if I had the time!) so hopefully this one is an improvement.

>>7585931
Old version for comparison.

>>7585611
These keychains are a little smaller than 1 inch tall on shitty laminate. And they're from a couple years ago so I'm really critical of the art and just wanted it gone. If it was from stuff now I might do it for $5.

>>7585931
A lot better. Moving Link in some helped a lot.

>>7585666
Considering that's probably the creator of Tea House, they weren't lacking in sales anyway. That comic has a huge following.

It's Wednesday and still no reply from about my commission. He's just busy, r-right guys?

>>7585931
It's better but it's probably not going to be as good as just flipping the boat, hah