/cgl/ - Cosplay & EGL

Can anybody recommend some good November/December cons? I'm in the Mountain Area but if the attendance is good I don't mind traveling.

I've been telling myself I should do one of these things some day.

AX15 AA was kind of lacking this year. Sad to see my favorite artists stopped showing up.

I'm not sure how I feel about this new 'prism' phase that's going on. Everything just looks...the same. I wish there were more services offering some sort of holographic lamination besides that one.

I want to make a Fatal Frame fanart. Is there such a watermark where it's only visible if you shine a bright light at it?

>>8467210
Like UV coating?

Just curious if that Homora print anon got my explanation for what I did to tweak her picture?

>>8467198
When used on the right type of print, it looks good. But everyone just slaps it on any old print and it's just become gimicky. Artists think it makes things look more expensive or cool or whatever. Honestly, people should take advantage of spot varnish before prism print.

Thus is probably a stupid question but I'm clueless so here goes. I'd like to get into making brooches like what peppermint fox or mulberry chronicles do (I mean on wood and only with resin to keep it from damage) but besides making the drawings I'm not sure how to proceed. Does anyone have suggestions on how to get started with that kind of thing? I guess I'd like to do more craft stuff in general. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

>>8467299
>>8467198
holo prints remind me of lisa frank

>>8467210

>>Fatal Frame Fanart
Be my friend, please.

>>8467324
>tfw nobody uses iridescent film for their stickers anymore.
I was spoiled by Sandylion's holo, iridescent and flocky stickers...

>>8467198
I hate prism so much. It has its place but people started putting it on shit like dark and bloody touken ranbu prints and I went from indifference to venomous hatred because I started noticing it rather than just ignoring it.

>>8467295
Yes I did, thank you so much for the explanation! I saw the old thread was gone was going to say I got it in the new thread but you beat me to it. I understood everything, you were very clear and it helped me figure out what blending layer did what, since I usually just go through the drop-down list and pick what looks good lol.

>>8467408
>>8467198
The only time I've ever liked it on a print are those Kill la Kill ones, because they're actually fitting to the content material.

>>8467457
I don't think I've seen them but I could believe it. show by rock is probably the only other series I can think of that I would be alright with a prism coat and even then, it's gotta be the right band and prism pattern. Basically, artists need to retire prism

Well thought out spot gloss on the other hand, I love but have only seen it in business card format and once in a blue moon in small postcard size. Any sources on larger format spot uv printers?

is the hate for full-size prints, bookmarks, or just prism in general? I personally love prism.

>>8467527
I love it but when it comes to stickers, It's sad nobody offers the service.

>>8467533
I mean, if you wanted to, you could purchase prism "prints" of your sticker designs then run them through a sticker machine.

>>8467517
I have one prism print and it's actually just a business card I got for free with an original design (which I have on my wall cause it's just so nice). It looks good because it's very bright and colorful. Every AA now though is PRISM EVERYWHEREEEEE and like said, it's just tossed on cause it's trendy. I wouldn't mind so much if there was some variation in the design and such but it looks like there's only that ONE place that does it and it's pricey as fuck. I tried looking into buying some film, but all I can find is professional/super expensive stuff for large businesses (which is a shame cause I saw a cool one with a star design. I would have thought this sort of thing would be sold for scrapbooking but I guess not.

>>8467436
Ok, cool! I understand what it's like being shitty at photoshop and all things digital so I wasn't sure if my explanation made much sense or not lol.

>>8467699
there are different places that do it, and there is scrapbooking sparkle, too.. idk where you're looking but

there's also a difference between hot process and cold process sparkle. you can't do cold process at home, and hot process is easy to mess up if you don't know what you're doing and don't have a laminator.

How do you guys really settle yourself down and create a branding for your business? I still go to AAs and I started with selling my art. But recently I started dabbling in making accessories and they've done really well for me at cons. I'd like to continue pursuing this and start an online store, but I still have all my old merch. Currently I take both to cons, I dont really have a problem with it. But do you think selling both in a single online store is OK or will it be sloppy and confusing?

Basically
>do you think having two different styles of merch in one online store will look unprofessional?
>when trying to move more into original works, do you still do fanart from time to time or give up with it
>How to stay true to your businesses "brand" and style.

>>8467198
I love holographic anything. Sure, it should be vaguely relevant to the subject matter, but as long as it's not on some dark and brooding image I'd take sparkly over non-sparkly any day.

>>8467436
>I usually just go through the drop-down list and pick what looks good
Don't worry anon, I use photoshop almost every day and I still do that hahaha

Any thoughts on this style of keychains? Do they sell well and/or do you like buying them? (Mine PROBABLY wouldn't say I <3 Texas, but you get the picture.)

Just curious but when you're not selling at an AA and you're just browsing what turns you off from buying from someone? What types of displays attract your attention?

Personally:
> Having a teeny tiny opening to talk to you.
I get that you want to display as much art but I see it really often where its overcrowded and I just can't be assed to look for you behind all that stuff.
>Prints that look like you only printed them from your home copier.
>No variety in colors or visual appeal in your artwork
I guess that one is really common and pretty subjective.

Another thing, what do you see in AA often where you just go "How do they even get people to buy this stuff???"

>>8467981
I will never understand what people see in ramy and amuria.

>>8467945
honestly these always looked super tacky and low quality, the art in them is also never good. Now with the advent of acyrlic charms they look especially bad to me

>>8467981
If the artist is really good, but when approached the artist can't be bothered to stop chatting and greet the customer then I don't buy from them. I also don't buy from artist who look like they'd rather die than be sitting in AA. I know sitting at a table all day is super boring and exhausting but really it looks bad when you look like that. Greet people, smile, look somewhat inviting.

Display wise I do not like over crowded tables either. It's just too much to look at. I like the usage of well thought out props that match the theme or name.

>>8467742
I've just been looking on google in general, alibaba, and aliexpress. Maybe I'm just not typing in the right keywords. If you can provide me with links I'd appreciate it.

(also don't worry I'm well aware of the different methods of lamination as I use them often at school)

Reading this thread I've never thought about 1) selling at a con being boring and 2) if displays actually affect success. My first con is in August and suddenly I'm wondering if sitting there for hours is going to be torture, and if I should put more thought into my display other than "prints hanging up and a tablecloth".

Personally I don't pay attention to anyone's table when shopping and just look for who's art looks good lol.

>>8467981
Things I look for
>merch displayed in an organized manner
>prices easy to see and displayed
>artist not buried behind everying
>attentive to potential customers
Things like colors or packaging or content are all very subjective. I think my expectations are pretty basic. My biggest pet peeve is artists that have too much merch cluttering their table. It's hard to look at and makes the customer consume time and space.

>>8467981
I try to make my booth visually appealing. I've used some ideas of booths posted here. Like >>8467981 said, artists should be friendly. Even if I'm busy with commissions, I will always greet a customer even they've been to the table before. Just a 'Hi! How are you?/How's the con? If you have any questions or need help, please let me know' just to show that you've acknowledged them. Having a friend to do sales helps too in case you get too busy.
Also, bright eye catching things help, even if it's just your sticky note for your prices or a big ol' sign. Also free shit. Candy if the con allows it, old prints (I gave away some old art prints of OCs from 6 years ago so I could just get them out of my face), or even something as simple as a sticker.

Things that turn me off
>"HEY YOU COME LOOK AT MY TABLE!"
>Tables that have no standing displays.
>Lack in variety, same face
>Traced shit, obviously copied, poor quality

>>8468104
Are you going to be by yourself? It can be hard, but if you make friends with the tables next to you, that would be good.

>>8467981
cluttered displays may turn you off, but for a successful artist taking away a print to make more room so it "looks better" can mean a loss of probably a couple hundred dollars per print. So i guess the decision to make those display is, if i sell (for example) 20 copies of every print, will removing 3 prints gain more than 60 sales to offset that? (are there 60 people like you who actually would have bought something or are you just complaining about art you would find some other reason not to buy anyway?)

I'd say it doesn't, and that's why people do the tiny window thing, oh well.

Not quite on topic but a lot of you here might be able to help. I'd like to sell quick painted chibi/SD commissions once I get the hang of the style I want to pursue. What's the best outlet these days? Tumblr? dA?

>tell artist you like her art
>get m@d pu$$y
is this still a thing?

>>8468152
Cluttered probably means more like haphazardly thrown around without thinking about the composition of the booth. I like to make sure my booth has some sort of balance.

Uh oh. I like to explore the con. If I go afk and leave everything to my assistants, does that reflect poorly on me?

>>8468189
>implying that was ever a thing

>>8468189
As long you have reliable helpers and it's only for an hour or two, nah.

>>8468177

I definitely mean a display that isn't thought out. I understand where >>8468152 is coming from but I certainly didn't mean it as some trivial thing to be turned off by. Of course if I really like an art style I will definitely ask to see more and likely buy. I've seen artists who have an additional portfolio to flip through to buy more prints from. I get that it wouldn't always work for some people, people wanna see shit they like and will approach an artist that has just what they want. Personally, if you don't have art of subject matter i'm into I will definitely ask you about commissions.

>>8468171
Implying that was ever a thing.

>>8468189
As long you have reliable helpers and it's only for an hour or two, nah. Though with me the moment I leave my station is the time everybody I know decides to drop by to say hi.

>>8468189
Same. Except I tell them advance that I like to wander and get distracted very easily. I come back with food though, does that make me a better person?

>>8468171
i've been hit on multiple times in the alley.
the most awkward time it happened though is when the guy bought my art, then he comes back 15 mins later and says he forgot something. i said what did you forget? he said my number. i awkwardly explain that i'm flattered but i have a boyfriend... the guy sitting right next to me. sorry guy.

>>8468219
Why do guys confuse 'being nice' with 'being attracted to them'. Is it because they're used to acting like a douchebags to those they aren't sexually interested in, and thinks that mentality is applied by everyone around them?

>>8468189
No as long as you aren't gone for too long. I once shared a table with 5 people cause I was a noob and desperate. Well the one girl didn't stay at the table the whole con cause no one was buying her prints that were on lined paper and photographed with a camera. No lie. The other girls were nice but they also ditched me for a long time Saturday. I was alone trying to handle everyone's shit with a crowd. Eventually I just stopped giving a shit unless they were asking about my art cause I was getting too stressed out.

>>8468142
My best friend is my "helper", so now that I think about it it can't be too awful.

>>8468219
tbh that's kind of cute

>>8468115

8 out of the 10 booths I visited at AX, the artist (or whoever was sitting there at the time) never said hello to me or looked up. And I was at one booth that had these cute little cell phone trinkets and I stood there for 10 MINUTES, looking right at them, and they didn't even say hi. I was thinking if I should get one or not, and then after the long silence I said to myself, "If they say hi, I'll get it". Whelp, there went your sale.

>>8468346
ngl but when people say this kind of stuff here and aani it is really weird, like the artist could have been busy with something kind of pressing but you're using them as an excuse for not buying stuff? like you could have said excuse me, but for some reason you're using a really weird and petty reason to not buy something. Just be honest and admit you didn't like their stuff enough to buy it.

>>8468346
This is the most autistic thing i've read in these threads.

>>8468379
Idk I've had artists not pay attention to me when I wanted to ask them a question because they had headphones on or when they answer they have this really snotty attitude like I am disturbing them by wanting to ask a question about a price. That's a turn off. I completely avoided a table at a recent con because I've had bad run-ins with the artist in the past despite actually liking their art.

>>8468384
You need to relax.

>>8468379
NGL, there are times when I'm like "Geez, at least give me a nod" when I'm browsing someone's AA table, but I agree that if you want to buy something from someone then talk to them. This isn't a retail store where employees are required to talk to you and give you super perfecto customer service. And even at retail stores you have to approach an employee first if they're doing something and don't notice you right away.

Especially at an AA table, maybe they're counting bills or doing a commission or working out something else or they're tired because they've been there all day. "They didn't look at me!" "They didn't greet me!" "They didn't act like we were friends or whatever!"

I mean, yeah, there's something to be said for being nice and friendly, but if you want to buy something from someone and they don't notice you right away SAY SOMETHING.

>>8468396
Sorry, but artists don't depend on you enough for you to demand they suck your dick to make a sale.

>>8468379
>>8468396
>>8468402

I'm just saying that if they had at least looked up within the ten minutes I stood there, looking at their stuff, I would have been pushed over into buying something.

I went to the next booth and bought something that I liked and the artist said hello and asked if I was a big fan of the series, and she liked it too and bid be farewell with a fun time for the rest of the con. She got my money.

>>8468409
And I agree if they were busy, I wouldn't have given a shit. But the fact that they decided to just stare at their nails or the floor, I was lift a bit annoyed I guess?

>>8468410
So...you don't actually know what they were doing or if it was important or not. I can understand feeling annoyed; I've felt that way too when browsing AA but you seriously stood there ten minutes? Admittedly, if one is selling at a con, they should pay attention to their table, but I dislike the idea that if they're doing anything else (even if it is just spacing out) they should just KNOW that you're there and no effort should be made to get their attention.

>>8468166
go with both, it gets you more exposure to more people imo

Anon that send charms to the Taobao clear acrylic supplier and had the sides printed wrongly(I sent a psd file with a different front and back, but they printed both sides with the front image) After sending a mail to my agent asking if they can fix it, they replied me with this:

Hi,
I asked seller, but he told they always print 2 sides designs like that way.Their customer never point out this problem before. He can't fix for you this time. But he will tell this problem to the factory. If you order from him next time, you can tell that you want front and back on your image, then he will ask the factory to print as you requirements.Will you be kindly to accept the keychains this time?
Sorry for the inconvenience caused.

...Isn't this weird? I can clearly see several double-sided charms printed on they review page. What should I do?

>>8468403
Either you're stupider than shit in not understanding how the exchange of money typically (you know human interaction with the passing of bills from one hand to the other) goes or you're bait.

>>8468417

I might be exaggerating when I say ten whole minutes. It felt like forever for me because I was deciding if I wanted to spend money on this tiny little thing. And she a bunch of my favorite characters, so I was also deciding which one I liked best. I'm just saying had she just said one little thing, anything at all, I would have felt like we had began a social contract and I would have been 99% more likely to cave in and buy something.

The piece I did end getting even has a little back story to it, because the artist told me that she drew it before the character died, so she felt very emotional attached to it because she couldn't bring herself to finish it for a few months. She said it hurt too much. That made me laugh and I bought it. See what I mean how my buyer/seller experience was better than nothing at all.

>>8468396
I think that's a completely different situation, if you made the basic minimal effort to say hi or excuse me and the artist reacts rudely then yes, of course you can be annoyed and decide you don't want to support them.

But standing at someone's table for "10 minutes" like waiting for the artist to say hi, is incredibly strange and idk, passive aggressive to blame it on the artist.

Maybe i'm biased because it's a pain in the ass for me if an artist goes overboard trying to talk to me like they're desperate for a sale. I know when i want something and nothing you say (unless i ask) will convince me otherwise. That turns me off much faster than someone being busy.

>>8468440
>But standing at someone's table for "10 minutes" like waiting for the artist to say hi, is incredibly strange and idk, passive aggressive to blame it on the artist.

No, no. I wasn't standing there waiting for them to say hi, I was standing there trying to decide if I wanted to buy something. She had really neat stuff, but in the end I just went MEH and moved on. The fact they didn't do anything about the fact they had a potential customer is just something that may or may not have impacted my decision a tiny bit. You're 1 artist of 100? I'll go talk to someone else. Some of those guys were just hanging off their tables, just itching to catch someone's eye contact and beckon them over to chat and make a sale.

>>8468435
this is exactly what i mean when i say i hate these kinds of interactions, both as a customer and as an artist. I don't wan my purchase to be because i felt like i entered a "social contract" an that i "caved". I buy things because I want them. I sell things to people because they want my things. I don't "convince" people or oblige them to buy them with stories.

Just weird. I don't encourage this as seller and i don't want it as a buyer. Of course i make conversation if i hit it off and the customer clearly enjoys/reciprocates but i would hate for a customer to feel like they only want something because they entered a nebulous social exchange of my time speaking -> they have to buy a thing they don't even want that much?

>>8468456
So wouldn't say hi because you don't want to be pushy or over bearing? Saying hi isn't going to convince anyone to get anything, but it will let the other person know you give the tiniest of shits.

>>8468463
it's not that i wouldn't say hi (for the record i say hi a lot), but i don't believe that me saying hi or not is the single reason people buy or don't buy from me. I am busy some times (counting money, checking or replying to time sensitive emails, etc.) and don't notice people but they've always said excuse me or hi first if they wanted something and i've always apologized and helped them.

so when someone comes in here and says essentially us having things we need to tend to other than the con hurts our sales, i find it hard to believe and kind of weird since in my experience (both seller and buyer) it's not true?

>>8468451
>You're 1 artist of 100? I'll go talk to someone else

I'll agree with this. You're also probably selling the same 4 fandoms as everyone else, so I hope you're not just sitting their with eyes glazed over.

>>8468473

Well now you know, saying hi or not saying hi can cost you a sale.

Fucking stupid? Sure, but you'll be aware that some people are just like that. My mom's actually like that. If I go shopping with her, she'll never take a free food sample unless she's offered it. And when she eats it, she'll end up buying it. A penny for your thoughts.

>>8468484
I'd say you and your mother are in the minority and that most human beings would say excuse me and that you probably learned this really weird passive behavior from her.

I'm okay with losing a tiny percentage of sales as I'm very okay with the amount i make, i guess. It always seems like those having trouble making bank that need to resort to advice like making their browsers feel indebted enough to buy things lol

>>8468426
Thing with taobao is that its pretty easy to get away with using photos from another seller (altho they may get caught but). I've never done custom stuff with taobao so I really don't have a large say in this.
Has the supplier offered a refund for this order of you don't accept it? If they say no to refund, I'd say accept it, and have those in a "clearance basket" and sell for relatively cheap (like 5 for $10 of the like). If you still have funds (or they offer a refund) I would suggest trying again and specifically point out the front and back layer and ask them to clarify your order /before/ they start printing just so you and the supplier (and possibly the taobao agent) are all on the same page. If they offer proofs (photos and the like) before mass producing definitely use it to your advantage!!!
This is about the best advice I can really give ;-; I am still AA noob so I might be wrong. If anyone else has better advice listen to them!!

>>8468426
I would accept them and discount them. If you return them they'll probably sell themselves to recoup loses. Sorry that happened to you, anon.

What's up with all these cats talking like establishing contact with a potential customer and showing that you're available isn't Making Business 101?

No, you're not obligated to talk to someone or put everything down just 'cause someone approaches your table, but keep an eye open and if someone shows interest give them a smile and a "hello" before returning to comissions or counting bills or w/e. Show that you're available and willing to communicate. Lots of con goers are socially awkward and feel weird about contacting you if you don't take the first step. Regardless of whether you find it principally stupid or not, not opening up for contact with your customer is bad business.

>>8468426
in my experience Chinese factories will either immediately offer to fix it OR they will offer you a discount for next time. they are not artists and do not care that much because to them the product is close enough and still sellable so why should they reimburse you? It's kind of part of the price you pay for outsourcing.

>>8468522
i don't think anyone is disagreeing with this. re-read the original post, people just think it's weird that person just stood there waiting for a hi to justify buying or not buying and putting it all on the artist.

I think everyone agrees, we all greet people when we notice and try to notice to the best of our capabilities. Like you said, it's 101.

>>8468484
Are you somehow using 4chan from the early 1960s? Because I can totally envision you and your mother wearing matching cats eye glasses, pushing a shopping a cart through piggly wiggly and silently judging the free sample ladies. Just sayin.

>>8468219
>Guy walks by my table with his group of friends
>Tells me he's looking for a specific print
>I ask of what
>He tells me he's looking for a print with my number on it
Qt guy with a qt pick up line; I've definitely never heard that one before.
But yeah, it happens a lot. The worst are always the socially awkward ones that just attach as a booth barnacle.

Has anyone thought up of a lightweight setup for prints? Aside from photo backdrops and PVC pipes, is there anything lighter and portable for travelling artists? I hate checking in my backdrop at the airport, waste of money, would rather have something lighter and more compact to fit in a suitcase aside from pipes.

>>8467799
>do you think having two different styles of merch in one online store will look unprofessional?

It depends on what you mean by two different styles of merch. Selling prints and accessories isn't uncommon and it boosts your chance of reaching a wider target. As long as they are still cohesive in some way.

>when trying to move more into original works, do you still do fanart from time to time or give up with it

I use to do fanart for fun but when I started AA I gave it up completely. Having original and fanart at your table can work, but I was often told people will only buy the fanart and not notice the original. If you are serious about one day going full original I would start weeding out the fanart. It builds a more solid brand.

>How to stay true to your businesses "brand" and style.
Choose something you like. For me, my first style for my brand was really cute, but in the end I felt like I limited myself too much so when I started getting a more professional AA look I changed my branding to something I like, but is also very versatile. Don't limit yourself to something you can't grow with.

>>8468484
you sound like a retard. they probably know you from your bitching in aani and ignore you

>>8468379
>>8468402
>>8468403
>>8468440

If you guys don't care about getting more sales why are you even arguing? Just let people walk away, that's your prerogative.

>>8468884
>why are you guys even arguing
>continues the argument

>>8468930
>asking a question is arguing

Oh shit now I'm arguing.

>>8468765
> http://skimlines.tumblr.com/post/87311894078/my-momocon-setup-was-like-this
It's not as sturdy as the usual PVC/wire cubes, but it's still the lightest option so far.

>>8468765
I own one of these if I'm traveling by air and my table is 6ft. It's about the size of a large umbrella so you can fit into a tote bag pretty easily.

Highest it goes is four feet from the table. Hope this helps you!

http://www.amazon.com/StudioFX-Adjustable-Tabletop-Background-Photography/dp/B00CXYNOGI

>>8469257
>aside from photo backdrops

>>8469264
>It's about the size of a large umbrella so you can fit into a tote bag pretty easily
>It's smaller and more portable.

Unlike a traditional backdrop this clamps onto a table so it smaller and lighter. That's why I recommended it.

>>8467981
As a buyer, I only buy prints and stuff if I like the art style. You could have a print of a super obscure series that I love, but if your anatomy and art is shit then I won't bother to buy it. I'm just very picky about the things I hang on my wall. Unfortunately, I wouldn't buy from a good amount of people I've seen posting in these threads before.

I also like nice displays, and when the person is nice. If they ignore me, I probably won't buy from them. Same if they're heckling me to "Come buy my stuff!!" I like it when they make polite conversation with me, but it can get annoying if they overtalk, it scares me away. I also look for pretty decent quality prints. I sometimes help my friends with their AA stuff, and a few of them have a personal printer that they use for con prints, but they're super fancy nice ones.

But yeah, main deciding factor is pretty much how good your art is.

>>8467945
Tacky and cheap; it makes you look like you can't be bothered to order charms and a company despite it being better in every way.

>tfw assburgers
>tfw either go full mute because I feel uncomfortable/nervous or overtalk

Anyone have some tips? Should I just try to keep it at "hi" and "is there anything you're looking for?" when tabling?

>>8469368
I'm similar, in that I get nervous about talking to people. I usually try to give as friendly of a 'hello!' as I can muster and let people do their thing. If I have any specials or sales I'll tell them about that too. Sometimes I'll ask people how their con's going if they seem friendly enough too (though lately I've had the rotten luck of people suddenly breaking down sobbing when I ask that? So I've reigned that question in by a ton lmao).

TBH though usually if you give a hello to acknowledge somebody, that's all they need. I've not had any negative impact on my sales with just giving people a hello and some space.

>>8468044
>>8469350
Do you guys mean that particular shape, or picture-insertable acrylic charms in general? I'm trying to keep production costs low, and I presumed that >>8467945 was better than laminated paper.

>>8469435
Picture-insertable acrylic charms in general. Laminate looks cheap and shitty, but that looks cheap, shitty, and tacky, like something my grandmother would bring home from a tourist spot.

>>8469435
agree with >>8469450

Laminated charms still look cheap and fragile, but at the very least for whatever reason it seems like you put all your effort and heart into it, like every piece of it is your labor. The plastic thingies scream too much effort in the wrong direction and remind me of shopping at a $1 store in the 90s. They simultaneously look cheap and manufactured.

>>8469435
for the record i would prefer shrinky dink over laminated instead of these plastic inserts.

also posting this in the help thread-
does anyone have a good tutorial for resin for a beginner? i'd like to make some cute stuff using molds. i love it when people make sparkly resin pieces, and i want to do it right! is there a catchall blog that explains it? and where should i buy the resin/what brand should it be? how would i get a rainbow effect like pic? thanks!

>>8469965
look for crafterzdelight on youtube.

Would things like shaped soaps and bath bombs sell well? I was thinking of making some in various shapes.

>>8469965
There's literally a million on youtube I have a bunch in my liked vids. I'd link but like seriously just search resin and you'll get almost all the ones I have. That's how I learned.

I use EasyCast cause my local ACMoore sells it so I just use a coupon. Molds, I'd say go on Storenvy and type what you want for some specialty ones. Otherwise, aliexpress had a bunch of cheap ones (that I picked up for like $0.70 each) if you don't mind waiting. OR make your own. I'm actually creating sculpey pieces atm so I can bake them then make a mold out of them. Molds wise, try to get silicone cause they're easier to pop the resin out of. I have a few plastic ones and it's treacherous sometimes lol.

Coloring wise, I use eyeshadow (like cheap shit ELF or w/e), chalk pastel, acrylic paint (careful cause too much will effect them curing) and sometimes food coloring. Each type will give you a different effect. Don't be afraid to experiment. Glitter can sometimes color as well, usually finer glitter works better for this. Definitely get some fine glitter, it looks reaaally nice. Also tinsel glitter, confetti, and cellophane glitter are nice too.

I'm no pro, I only started using resin a few months ago. You're definitely going to make mistakes in the beginning. If you have any other questions you can ask me. Resin work really isn't difficult. Pic is the first batch of resin I made back in like April.

>>8470074
I've tried it in the past and they didn't sell well. People are picky about ingredients for things they use on their body, and there's always a risk of allergens for some people as well.

>>8470133
I remember this girl on etsy made bath bombs that looked like pokeballs and had a pokemon toy inside of them- they sold like hotcakes, she was constantly selling out of them and had to take a break because she had so many orders. Bc of that I think people are still interested in buying that kind of stuff. I was planning on making the soap organic and listing the ingredients for all products, as well as making some that are scentless/very simple for people with sensitive skin. If I do go through with it I'll be selling accessories and other things at my booth too. Do you specifically know why people didn't buy them from you? For example, I could understand not wanting to buy it if you don't know exactly what the soap contains. Thanks!
I really want to have an AA booth, but unfortunately I'm not good at drawing (I can do small simple designs but nothing print worthy), I thought bath bombs/etc might sell a lot if I do it right. I'm just afraid that I won't make any money and take a huge loss.

>>8470074
I make bath bombs with a friend and sell them. They do pretty well. I do Rupee shaped ones as well as D20 shaped ones. The D20 ones have a dice inside and so we sell them for a little bit more. I'm planning on expanding to shapes like the gems from SU or ones shaped like bells from AC.

>>8469985
thanks, i'll look it up when i get home!
>>8470130
thanks! and those are so cute, they look like the kind of resin charms i want to make. if you don't mind me asking, are there any beginner mistakes that i could easily avoid if i know about them? and do you have any tips or tricks that i might find useful? thanks!

>>8470149
keep in mind a pokeball bath bomb with a toy inside is a totally different experience than just a bath bomb no matter the shape. They were successful because they sold that experience, not just a bath bomb itself.

>>8470149
For things like that I feel like you're better off doing it via etsy or some other online format, at least at first. You need to develop a following before you'll find that kind of success and a weekend in an AA won't give you enough traction. Plus AA is a huge capital cost for inventory that might not move whereas online you can at least sort of match your materials and inventory to demand

>>8470130
Anon I'd be really interested in buying some of your stuff or ordering from you if you ever just want to sell just the charms.
I'm terrible with resin, but I hate the fixings and things people add to their charms. I just want to glue gun my own brooch backs and things onto someone else's charms.

>>8470154
A mistake I made in the beginning was not adding enough glitter or thinking about how the glitter moves during curing. If you want something with a sticker in the front like some of the ones in that picture, you're gonna want to pour in the resin then add the sticker. Make sure to keep an eye on the stickers to make sure they don't move too much. Don't add glitter for about an hour UNLESS you want that glitter to be on the same layer as the sticker. If you add glitter too soon, it will sink to the bottom. If you wait til the resin is gooey, it will stay on the top of the resin rather than sink in. If you accidentally add it too soon, the glitter can float to the center of the piece as well. Some people just add a second layer of resin JUST for glitter so experiment and see what works best for you.

Some useful tools are popsicle sticks, a straw (to gently blow out air bubbles. I find it easier than using a lighter. If you have a heat gun tho, you could use that just be careful), and a nail file. When the pieces are done you'll want to use the nail file to sand off rough edges.

Another thing is, if your silicone mold is not shiny, your piece won't be either, but when you dome them (most of the videos you find will tell you about doming) they'll look just fine so don't worry about that.

That's about all i can think of off the top of my head. Good luck making your resin c:

>>8470153
Do you know what specifically made people buy them? Was it the shape, the scent, etc? Thanks!
>>8470162
That's true, it was probably so successful because it was such a creative but simple idea.
>>8470163
I was thinking about opening an etsy store once I get the hang of things. Thanks!

>>8470174
thanks for all the advice! i'm going to order some molds soon, i hope everything goes well!

>>8468231
not sure. but i'm smiling at them because i'm selling my art and frowning/not paying attention to them turns people away. but they.. don't seem to get that.

>>8468598
oh god you reminded me of another awks story. a booth barnacle was stickin around for what felt like maybe 10 minutes at a small-ish con. not a lot of people walking through the alley at that point. then after a little chat about my art, he asks me for my number. i say no, sorry, i'm flattered but i am in a relationship. he says oh, does that matter? i say uh, yes? he says can i have your number anyway? just to be friends? i promise i won't call you ever. i just want it. i say uhh... no. you can't. he lingers for about 2 minutes longer, trying everything he can to get my phone number. i remember thinking that i really wanted to hide my business cards. he leaves.

an hour later he comes back and asks if i'm still in a relationship. i loudly say "YES I AM. YOU CANNOT HAVE MY NUMBER." i don't see him for the rest of the weekend. thank god.

the worst thing about being hit on in the alley is that you can't leave your post. you can't just walk away from it.

>>8470166
That would be fab if you would like to haha, I have some that have no backs on them (still needed to be domed), some that do (since I had them at a con I was selling at for table filler). If you want me to take a pic of what I have, I can do that. Also, I started an etsy shop the other day, tho I only have 3 items up atm.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/PrismDream

When you add backs and stuff, don't use hot glue tho, I won't bond well. I recommend crazy glue or the epoxy glue (E6000 or something?) hot glue falls off too easily.

>>8470181
I think what made people buy the D20 ones was the novelty of getting a dice out of it similar to the pokemon ones that another anon was talking about.
As for the rupee ones people liked them because they were about half the size of a D20 one but still big enough where one was enough for a bath. The price for a rupee one is $3 while a D20 one is $6 though I do a deal where people can buy two rupees for $5 or two D20 ones for $10. The scents I have are blood orange, pink grapefruit, and lemongrass. I'll be getting new scents though when I purchase more supplies.

I'm so tired of seeing Yumi King's shit everywhere.

Christ...

Finni Chang at SDCC

>>8470401
Me too. I thought her channel was awesome at first, but the only thing that she does right is finishing her fabric edges. Her dress bodices have no shape and no zipper, and she uses hotglue for everything.

Her dresses are only nice on camera because you can't see the shoddy craftsmanship. I'd never wear anything like her dresses out in the public.

>>8470402
1.5 yards.....how? Is it apron style and not knee length?

>>8470486
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__LECgqEWdU

It's a tube top sewn onto a mid-thigh circle skirt.

>>8470301

Her tutorials are shit for lolita and shit for sewing in general. I watched one where she turned a regular button up into a lolita blouse (which, the concept was there, the execution was not) and for real, >>8470476 glue everywhere. Plus ita raschel and it's just a nightmare.

She has no concept of patterning or tailoring.

What size badges are usually the most popular? I was thinking I'd go for 57mm or maybe that's too big?

What size do people like best? Or which size do you guys like in your opinion? Sell well etc

>>8468456
I wouldn't buy anything from a snotty bitch.
So yeah, I agree with the other anon.

>>8467981
Saw this girls table at ax, nice digital paintings and I really really wanted to buy something from her but couldn't find a print I can "connect" to.
>tfw when I realize I am looking at her school portfolio work.

>>8468043
I bought a tshirt for my niece or nephew from ramys booth and a print or 2 from amuria for my brother is what I saw.

>>8468104
>suddenly I'm wondering if sitting there for hours is going to be torture,

The torture part is keeping yourself from looking dejected as people begin walking by going to the table next to you. Most girls I see avoid this by drawing (looking down) doing work, but that works against them if they don't pay attention when someone stands there for a few minutes and not get acknowledge or greeted.

>>8470301
>>8470402
man she's really annoying. she doesn't contribute anything useful. she just shits up the group with random threads praising yumi king.

>tfw captcha thinks a snow cone is ice cream

does anyone mind posting some cute artist alley booths? maybe fairy kei, larme kei, otome, and mori inspired ones? i need some inspo for mine, and i just love looking at them. thanks!

>>8469257
Thank you Digit! I was the poster who asked, so this is really really helpful <3 I love you.

>>8469257
>>8469284
Wait, sorry Digit, but another question -- when you say large umbrella, I'm imagining those super tall ones that don't fold. So when you say tote bag, I'm imagining a huge one too. Is it small enough as a carry on? About how long is this setup when it's not extended and stuff? My photo backdrop stand is too long to fit inside my biggest suitcase, which is 29", so I'm wondering if this can.

>>8472348
I just measured it and it's about 25 inches in it's holder. I never took it on as a carry on. I just throw it in my tote since it takes up little room. It should fit in a 29 inch suitcase.

Here's a photo for ref. Hope that helps.

>>8472470
Thanks a lot Digit! Do you have any upcoming conventions soon?

>>8472262
Seconding!

Do resin charms sell well? I was thinking of making a ton and having them as pins and putting some on cute necklaces (not just a plain chain). If I make a large amount, would people actually buy them? I make sparkly ones with stickers and stuff (no pics but you get the idea). Thanks!

>>8473082
I've sold some in my local store and people were very receptive about them. But I like to put a lot of shit inside aside from the sticker, similar to this(That one is more pretty tho, I can't make my resin look that clear for some reason)
You can always try making a small batch of different styles and see what sells most.

Here are two cute booths, hoping some other anons will come thru
>>8472805
>>8472262

>>8474838
different angle

>>8474843

>>8474838
>>8474843
W2C on the gatcha machine? I've been looking for one for my buttons but I can't find a cute one, only those metal ones you see at malls.

>>8474860
Seconding this! I found lots of cute gumball machines, but they're impossible to use with anything that isn't a gumball.

>>8474860
Same. the only think I've really found is a teeny one on aliexpress.

>>8474877
>>8474897

Could something like http://m.aliexpress.com/item/32392550940.html work?
I'm not sure how big the capsules are (haven't asked the seller) but the machine seems big enough to hold 1 inch capsules.
Since it only uses its own tokens, I guess you'd have to have the person pay you and you hand them a token.

>>8468521
>>8468522
>>8468529
Thank you everyone! I decided to pay shipping and just wait for them. I don't want to fight over this. What happened was:

As I placed my order, the agent requested me the files so the store could calculate the keychains. Since I didn't have much money I thought it would be better to send them one sided. It turns out that 2inch one sided keychain cost 4 yuan, and a two-sided keychain of the same size, 5. The difference is minimal so I chose them to be two-sided and asked the agent to wait for my updated files. I did that after two days after payment. But then this happened.

To me, it looks like the agent never sent the updated files to the store, or the factory assumed the first files I sent were the same as the updated. Technically one side is fine, but the other is flipped.

Does anyone have a Patreon? Do you promote it at conventions you attend and if so, what have you found that works really well to promote it?
Recently i made one and was wondering if anyone could give advice?

How do you guys price lucky bags?
And for resin charms, how would you put them in a lucky bag.
I'm planning on having resin charms as pins, necklaces, rings etc, and then having some plain ones. the buyer can choose what to put on the plain one (attach it to a ring, turn it into a keychain, etc).
Let's say I price each resin piece for $5. If I put 3 in a lucky bag, how much should the pack cost? And should I put just plain ones or pins&rings (not necklaces bc they would be priced higher).

The problem is if I put plain ones the buyer will have to pay more after because turning it into a ring, etc is a separate cost.

>>8476234
Is this with Vograce/Coco?? :O I wanted to get stuff from them.

Has anyone ever gotten "Jimi" style products from Alibaba/Taobao/somewhere other than Jimi? Like screen wipers, notepads, clear files, etc at a reasonable price? I kind of want to try making some but I'm not sure if any other places offer them at a reasonable quantity...

>>8476919
I would say Patreons are successful if you have a good following already and you are active both online and off. Meaning, you do art streams, interact on social media, attend various conventions, constantly make new things. Do you have something to offer your patrons aside from drawing stuff for yourself? Can you provide tutorials? Fulfill requests? Give resources? If not, I find it Patreon a bit tacky for artists who expect the money to just flow in without doing anything. But if you already do a lot of the things mentioned above, most importantly having a steady following that have previously supported you in other means, then all you really need to do is just make sure you list the link on your social media. Make a small sign at your artist alley tables, don't make it overbearing. Feature it when you stream.

>>8477587
Arts Bovine has glasses cleaning cloths and notepads.
Their cleaning cloths are really expensive and not worth it since they're $4.99 for the smallest size and I doubt anyone is willing to pay more than $5 for a cleaning cloth.
I'm not sure about notepads, but they're $3.99 for a small one and I'd be willing to pay like $7-8 for one if the paper was really cute.

>>8478159
My friend just ordered a bunch of notepads and they came out like shit. Almost 3/4ths of them were misprinted and not even just slightly misprinted. It is shifted by a quarter inch in a random direction, leaving an unprinted edge (each pad is different for whatever reason) and often crooked.

>>8477546
I'd say $12.
If possible maybe add a few smaller things like stickers or pins

>>8477587
I would pay 5-6 $ for a cute eyeglass cleaning cloth just because I've never seen anybody sell them. Also, if you could give out alcohol wipes (they are really cheap if you buy the ones marketed towards first aid versus eyeglass cleaning and they are the same thing) with them that would be perfect, my glasses are alway get greasy / dirty especially at places like cons.

>>8477577
No, no. This is a Taobao clear acrylic charm supplier. I guess I just had bad luck overall.

I'll have a table at a con soon. problem is I'll only have a space of half a meter.
most of my illustrations are A4 and I was thinking about bringing more stuff but how could I fit more than an open binder in there?

So I do a lot of sculpture and art involving weird, goofy-looking monsters. The best comparison I can think of is Aardman/Wallace & Gromit-esque, or like some of the weird background monsters you see in the Muppets. I've been toying with the idea of making and selling some sort of craft for a while - possibly little keychains, or M.U.S.C.L.E.-style rubber figurines. That being said, does weird shit like that even sell at cons? Most of the original art I see in AAs is either anime-influenced or cute mascot critters.

What about instead of a clunky binder you get a small portfolio book for the art you can't fit on the display. Something thin that takes up less space. Even smaller if you get copies of your prints at photo size. That's really the best I can think of.

>>8479041
Aw man that sucks. Arts bovine seems to have some really bad misalignment issues with the zipper pouches as well.

>>8479308
I'd be ok with the price too, but it really depends on people who buy stuff in the AA.
I think they wouldn't pay that much but I've never sold glasses cleaning cloths so I could be very wrong.

>>8479743
I think a Chinese artist at Anime Midwest did that, so you can browse in one corner with your friend on the various prints? This works especially well if you have like a kabillion prints and don't want your display to be just a wall of prints and a little hole at the bottom for transactions...

>>8479717
i feel like it would be really niche, and not "popular", but that's an amazing idea and i wish it would be. i have a ton of the M.U.S.C.L.E. figurines myself haha

>>8479717
Do it. I keep an eye on the booths around me that sell non-animu type things and they make bank.

I would love to get into charm and print making but for now i'm really new to fan art and digital art in general. I did a practice piece of pearl from steven universe in my own chibi sort of style. Any ideas of how I could improve my style to be more suited to things like charms or something as well as don't it in general?

>>8480437
Pearl's face seems misaligned with her head. Other then that, your line quality needs work and I would put a pink border around her instead. I also think that softer lines do not work as well as harder ones do. It's not bad anon, it's better than my first digital attempt for sure, but it's not suited for a charm.

>>8479717
You should look into the vinyl toy/independent toy makers scene. That kinda stuff goes over better at things like Designer Con or other alternative cons as opposed to anime cons, price point being one of the critical factors. I've shelled out over $100 for original sculpts of what you're describing (around 3"x5" in size) but good luck finding buyers like that at a standard anime con.

Hey it's the annoying washi tape anon. I've given up on washi tape and have switched to stickers and maybe lanyards if I have time and money.
As for charms, my samples have been made and will be shipped out soon! It's a funny feeling seeing your own art on merchandise •w•) this is all very new to me so these threads are actually a lot of help.
Once I receive my charms I will do some stress and water tests!

>>8481139
Oh and forgot to mention: I forgot to mention the sizes so these are all 2 inch >< I made sure to tell vograce that when I get the final product the sizes are different so I'm glad they were understanding there.

I want to make Amulets from The Elder Scrolls. Ideally, I would love to use metal (I have some experience) but have no studio to do that in. What are good cheap materials and how can I (somewhat) mass produce them?

what's the usual turn-around time for vograce? i was thinking that if i contacted them within a week or two from now and got my order in, could i have the charms be made and shipped before september rolls in? i'm attending AA at a con in first weekend of september and i'd love to have some acrylic charms for sale there.

where could I find modular cubes outside of Walmart? I'm in Europe and I can't find them anywhere

>>8481833

Are you doing A-fest, anon? I'm going to be ordering from them and my goal is to have all my chibis done by end of July so I can order and have them by then.

>>8481900

Amazon?

>>8481919
can't find them at my national amazon and I don't wanna spend a ton on shipping

>>8481919
Do you have any stores like Bed, Bath, and Beyond? Some place that offers home goods & decorating might have them.

what's the most expensive thing you think you can get away with selling at a con? I do plushies and make a decent amount of various sized things that sell between $10~$45 but, anything like a plush of a character that isn't just a simple animal (think Tiny Floating Whale from SU) would have to be above that range.

I don't do shit felt plushies or those simple sushi ones you see everywhere & making a decent character plush takes a lot of time. However, do you think anyone would drop $60~$80 at an anime con?

>>8480763
Thanks you for the critique. I'll fix it once my computer gets fixed

>>8482058
Double sided dakimakuras are easily 80-90 if the art is good enough.

>>8482058
At this year's AFW (Sunday), someone spent like $1000+ on shit at one table. Figures, art books, posters, other...And since I was also at that table at the time, I can tell you that at least 2 of those figs were about $99 and $120+ and the art books were in the range of $50-100+.

Can't say how much the plush works were but..If your stuff is good, anon, someone will fork over the cash. Don't expect it to go as soon as you get there but someone will most likely buy it. Personally, on the grounds that its something interesting and looks good (and if its bigger than the moderately sized alpacas you see in cons which are about 45) I could probably go up to $90. People will definitely pay much more if it can be used as something-a pillow, a couch...If someone bought that to a con I know I'd drop real shit on that.

> Sorry for the obnoxiously long statement

>>8482058
Depending on how clean your product is, people will hand over money if the quality shows. I had a friend who would sew large quantities of character hats and made a gigantic Gyarados plush/hat which he sold for around 500 to a very eager customer. If you're not sure, maybe offer a range of prices and sizes so people with different budgets can take notice.

>>8482465
>>8482348
>>8482343

Thanks for the feedback, I don't do dakimakuras but I'll definitely keep in mind that if it's bigger/has a good use and of good quality people will pay for it.

I definitely make plushies big enough to be used as pillows and am working on stuff that can sit on your shoulder/a shelf and look really nice. Along with plushies that work as cosplay props.

>>8482058
it has to be very high quality. do you have any examples of your work? i am a fan of handmade plush but i myself am very picky. but if it's something i like, i would spend a lot.

>>8483186
I'm not so amazing just yet but, I think I'm pretty decent and maybe in a year when I have plenty of patterns I've ironed out the kinks from I could try for AA.

This pic is probably of the best thing I've made so far, since it's the 4th version of a pattern I made myself. But I did it a few months back and I've already advanced so I could do better next time.

>>8483373

And here's the most recent thing I made, first try at a new pattern. What do you think?

>>8483376
Pretty cute, anon. I used to sell whale plushies that were pretty bad when I first started but because they were cute they sold like hotcakes. I sold them for $20 for reference.

I really like how yours looks, the only thing I would suggest is try to make it more 3D. I might be wrong but it looks more pillow shaped from the pic. It would be super cute if it was fatter at the bottom to give it a good squashy beanbag shape.

>>8483391

Yeah I was definitely thinking of doing that too! Also giving the head more of a round shape for extra beanbag instead of the ovalish thing its got going on now.

Thanks for the feedback.

>>8483376
Is this an original design or is it from something? It's face is making me so happy.

>>8483373
i think the stitches on the front look strained, but the pattern looks good. just be careful to make sure all the stitching is flat and perfect. >>8483376
the mouth here needs work. it looks like it would fall off or something. even if it won't, you don't want it to look that way.

I wanted to order my very first set of acrylic charms, but I'm a bit leery of the price and Zap is way super expensive for me, since I live in Australia.

I was thinking of maybe trying Vograce from Taobao that was listed in the google docs, since the pricing seems a little bit more geared towards my budget, especially since I don't know how my charms would sell and I don't want to make a huge loss if they didn't sell at all.

Does anybody have any experience with the acrylic charms from Vograce? Any feedback or reviews? Or should I just bite the bullet and splurge on Zap?

>>8483376
is this the weird dream whale from steven universe?? so cute

I'm normally a traditional crafter and I tried perler beads last for the first time in decades. I know they get a lot of flack but damn even with a pattern those suckers take a lot of patience to assemble and fuse without fucking up. Unpopular opinion bit I have a new appreciation for them and would rather see a couple more perler bead tables in AA than more mediocre prints, charms and buttons of SU, FEA, Pokemon, AT and Sailor Moon.

>>8484248

>>8483428
>>8483428
>>8484232

Yeah it is the weird dream whale! Ahaha, I'm glad it's cute.

For the Goomy, guess what i fucked up about the stitching? I found out about basting which I thought was awesome BUT I never actually read that you...Take the basting out...After you machene sew it. That's why the front looks kinda shitty. For the mouth of the whale I didn't notice so I'll definitely make it more secure looking next time, thanks for pointing it out.

>>8484227
Havent gotten my vograce stuff yet but Zap is unreliable, especially during con season. When they're good, they're good. When they fuck up, often due to workload and iffy quality control to begin with, you get fucked and they won't offer any support to help you out because their customer service is shit.

As an EU person, is it better to take the risk with Zap, or shell out the extra money on shipping for the better chance at not getting bad quality items?

>>8483373
>>8483376
Looks promising but don't expect the best prices with fleece. I put fleece very close to the same tier as "shit felt plushies"

Move to minky & embroidered details and they will command even higher prices.

I am planning on printing illustrations at home. I can set up my printer to gimme really good results and I'll be using glossy photography paper.
how much should I charge for each A4 and for each A6 (postcard size) print? what's the average price?

the saltiness from the AX issue is delicious

serious question though, is the priority thing that people are complaining about applicable to artists who have had a table for a certain # of years or whoever had a table prior to the upcoming AX? Either way, I wish AX had some sort of jury to at least weed out some artists.

>>8485349
How many prints do you bring to your cons? How many cons do you go to? Is your ink expensive? I'm just wondering if printing at home is worth it, since printing from a company only costs .20-.50 cents for those sizes. Anyway,

A4: $6-$10
A6: $2-$5

is this a cute style?

>>8485495
whats the purpose in adding period stained underwear other than to be edgy-but-not-really

I'd probably see this and think "oh cute" and then "oh nooooooo"

>>8485495
Not really... I mean, it's creepy-cute in a way a kawaii corpse would be cute. The stomach looks bloated in a post-mortem way.

>>8485510
i drew it for the cup, our team has/had period-stained shorts. i was asking more about the style itself than the content, but i guess i should have used a different drawing lol

>>8485519
Ah alright. The style is pretty cute. Might translate well on a keychain or something. I Probably wouldn't buy a print of this style because it's just too sketchy for me.

>>8485111

I understand where you're coming from but, I honestly hate minky. I think plushies loose their handmade charm in minky & look more like beanie baby knockoffs. I mean, I think that material is fine for small display-plushies you'd keep on a shelf and only cuddle every once in awhile but, minky gets nasty much faster than fleece if you're rubbing it against your sweaty face at night (ultra-cuddle fabric too, I've found, gets disgusting very fast), and fleece is so much easier to wash. I also prefer felt details over embroidered because embroidered ruins the overall softness of the plush, again, something nice to look at but not really to use as a pillow/rub your face all over.

Either way, thank you for the critique. I'm completely fine on being on the lower end of the scale of plush-making and probably won't ever go over $100 (and only with really big/detailed things).

What do you (or anyone) think would be a reasonable price for the tiny floating whale though? Considering its over a foot long and nearly as tall.

I've found that when I sell comedy/stupid prints, they sell way WAY better than my normal ones. Should I continue making more silly ones, or would too many ruin it?

>>8485539
I just throw minky in the washing machine.. i mean that shit is made for and marketed to *literal babies* to cuddle with, i think it can handle the way an adult cuddles with plushies. Frankly it sounds like you're just making excuses not to use a more difficult material that's superior in every way other than it's difficulty to handle.

To you it loses it's "handmade charm" but to me, it means more effort and thought were invested in the plushie which in turn means i'll pay more for the same item even if the pattern were identical. The charm comes in your pattern, not your crappy materials. Fleece to me says it'll wear out and the person was too stingy to invest in a slightly more expensive cloth.

The whale is more or less a flat pattern despite the size and because it's fleece i would probably go $25-30 tops, i'm sure con goers who can't sew at all would pay more.

>>8485495
do you have any other examples with a character in a different pose? this feels too stiff and and like another anon said, too sketchy.

>>8485539
>sweaty face
I don't know about u but I try not to run a marathon before going to bed. Please make your plushies with better material. I hate fleece with a passion, it looks cheap and not cuddle-material.

>>8485593
>>8485639

Hey I like to work out before bed.

But alright, maybe I am just being cheap and shitty. Maybe I'll just use all my fleece for practice stuff I can sell for cheap and then move on to bigger and better things, Your utter disdain is very convincing for me to move against fleece.

>>8485495

the style's cute but the drawing itself is kinda boring and not very dynamic

>>8481900
you can always try taobao for those modular cubes!!! http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=40091822363

>>8484773
Thanks for the tip, Anon. I've heard bad stuff about Zap's customer service, which, if I'm paying so much for the charms, I would have expected better.

Could you please let me know when your Vograce stuff comes in how it looks? I'd really appreciate it!

current in progress screencap of something i'm working on right now. i'm very new to digital, so i don't really know what i'm doing. i've kind of been stumbling along using trial and error.

>>8485495
is this a finished drawing, or a wip?

>>8486020
i should explain that the blue nonsense in the bg are gonna be fluffly clouds

>>8485591
Do you have examples of your silly work vs your regular work? I'd say do try and keep a balance, depending what kind of stuff you like making more. I had the same thing where my silly prints would sell more and overshadow everything else, so I pulled back to give the prints I wanted to sell more room. (I compromised by doing silly commissions instead.)

>>8485539
You just sound like you can't work with Minky.

>>8486460

I've literally never tried so.

>>8485858
consider showering after working out and drying your face

minky is legitimately harder to work with but you should at least be honest about being stingy or scared of it or whatever instead of making up clearly Bs excuses. how does minky make smoething a beanie baby knock off, 95% of professional plushies are minky, are they all beanie baby knock offs? makes no sense.

anyway yea, i look forward to seeing your work in minky. If you can ever get it, an embroidery machine would kick them up a notch too. people pay big money for good plushies that companies don't produce.

>>8486470

I double checked and I've worked with something similiar before, ultra-cuddle fabric is like a shittier version of strechy-fuzzy fabric. I was okay at it, it just took forever because I had to baste everything.

Anyway, maybe I was traumatized by a beanie baby as a child or something because I legitimately do not like the look of minky because it reminds me of beanie babies.

I'll get over it though, thanks for the stellar advice, I'll post something here again whenever I get more professional.

I could really use some help.

I was recently offered a freelance job to do a branding package for a small business. The package includes logo, business card, menu, employee shirts, and a few other things for the shop. I have done commissions before for the general con-goer, but clearly this is far from a standard commission. Should I charge an hourly rate per piece involved in the package or should I charge a flat fee? Around how much should I charge if I go for a flat fee?

I work in a chibi style if it helps.

>>8487287
You should charge by the hour

Just want to say thank you to everyone who has upped their keychain/phone charm game this year. Double sided clear acrylic charms with no white edge on them? Phenomenal. Absolutely phenomenal.

I got some coupon codes for you guys from artsmoomoo
1. Any 10 selected items here for $20
Coupon code: ZCRAYSALE3UKCQ, Expires on 09-16-2015)

2. $0.99 Custom Allover Print Tank Top with Free Shipping.
Code: Z099TANKTOP3TH99, Expires on 09-16-2015

3. $0.99 Personalized Cosmetic Bag with Free Shipping.
Coupon code: Z4YBSJ6NX, Expires on 09-16-2015
Sorry for copy pasting but I'm a lazy butt •_•;;

>>8487287
should be careful and setup some agreement when pursuing this. if you are lucky they won't be picky, but cover your butt on making sure they approve designs and that any mistakes later discovered will not be your fault, but do allow maybe 2 changes for free (usually obvious ones so they feel good about themselves) and add if future editing changes a per hour fee minimum 2 hrs or something.

>>8487287
Gonna disagree with the other anon, you would normally quote a flat fee for each piece in this case. Most commissioned or contracted work is done with a flat fee. HOWEVER you should arrive at this flat fee by calculating your hourly rate (and definitely don't undersell yourself - even if it's cool work, it'll be work) and estimating how many hours it will take.

As the other anon said, see if you can figure out a revision clause - you definitely don't want to be doing extensive changes. However that is unfortunately part and parcel with freelancing, and you'll find most clients won't accept a per-hour deal. Check in with them at each stage of development so you don't waste your time.

Good luck!

Where would I get things like these made?

I know washi tape has been asked here a lot but what about deco tape? Technically deco tape is cheaper than washi. I will be looking for suppliers.

>>8487310
>>8488100
>>8488103

Thanks guys! After a few emails I don't think this is working out. I calculated my hourly wage by the estimate of how long it would take me to complete the whole package and came to a rather large sum.

The client wasn't expecting to drop that much so I offered to work within budget and in split payments per project (6 projects in total still within the price range I quoted).

They found me on Deviantart so I explained that this was a commercial commission and thus it would cost more than a personal piece. They told me my price was reasonable, but they were also talking to another artist in a different country with lower rates than me.....(she must be charging less than $100 for the whole thing if my asking price is too much)

They wanted to pay me my asking price for just one of the projects, but I feel like it's a scam because even if I did do the logo a cheaper artist is just going to piggyback off my work. Should I let it go?

>>8489451
Hard to say but "x artist is wiling to do it for cheaper" is always a huge red flag for me. This is how people end up with shitty art for their businesses because they don't realize they're paying for quality.

>>8488779
How about this?
>http://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Deco-Tape_697995811.html?spm=a2700.7724838.35.1.aLb6Lq

And has anyone looking to print washi tape checked out this supplier? Sorry if they've been posted before.
>http://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Various-pattern-candy-color-rainbow-Christmas_60287591191.html?spm=a2700.7724838.35.1.aLb6Lq

>>8489451
Drop this shit. Logo design on a professional level starts at no less than $1000 - if they're the type vetting for logos at that $5 or some shit range you don't want to work with them.

>>8489451

I'd forget those guys. 100$...that. is. a. ripoff...
If they want to go with someone cheap let them, they may be bluffing you to drop your price, but with a reply like that - forget it, don't waste your time.
A logo design by itself is a project alone commanding top dollar before anything else can be made. If the business can't respect a fair rate for that, you can bet there will be problems all along associated items to do.

>>8487359
not an artist but a buyer that's just looking the thread....this. there's been a surge in super cute, unique, artful charms this year. I also appreciate the recent trend in cool paper and cool stickers.

Anyone having some problems with inkitlabs recently? I've ordered with them before with absolutely no problem. My package arrived right on time.
I'm probably just being overly nervous. It's a couple (work days of course) days past their turn over time + I added on a couple days for shipping. I mean, it's less than a week late so I'm not sure if i should message them or not. I really wanted my charms by next weekend.

>>8489939
Guessing you counted business days into right?
If something is late you should ask sooner rather then later. You don't have to be rude just say hey just wondering if everything with my order is alright, it was place x date and just wanted to check in to make sure it's still arriving by y date etc.

This goes for all companies, the order could have slipped through the cracks and the longer you wait to ask the longer it might be overlooked.

>>8489948
Yes, sorry! When I typed work days I meant business days.
You're right, thank you for replying. I'm going to shoot them a quick message. I hope my charms haven't slipped though the cracks. This is my last con of the year.

Artist alley impressions at Dokomi this year. Germay's biggest artist alley.

Not really sure where to ask this so I'll ask here.

Let's say someone is selling a handmade item and they want to show that they can make the item in different colors. Would it be dishonest/shitty of them to take a picture of one of the items they made and then photoshop it in different colors to display instead of actually making the items in different colors and displaying pictures of those instead?

I really don't want to vendetta so I'd rather not post an example of what I'm talking about, but I just want to know if this is an okay thing to do and if I'm just being a paranoid/shitty customer or not.

>>8490489
Don't lolita brands do this?

>>8490489
Depends on the product. If it's some jewelry it'll most likely work well, because it's just as it is. You can add more real photo examples after finishing an individual order.
If it's for cosmetics I'd say no no, because it just won't look the same on your skin/nails/whatever as in any sample.

Whatever it is: Say that the color is just an example you digitally edited to show possible colors and that the result may slightly vary because of monitor settings. I think it's also important to give the colors a clear and specific name. (Not just brown but honey brown or hazel brown.)

So I'd say it's okay as long as you're honest and it works for the product.

>>8490489
I'd rather see real examples, or photos of the raw materials-- fabric samples for a plushie, or assorted beads, etc. I don't think it's necessarily shady but if I'm paying money for a custom order I want to know exactly what I'm getting.

>>8490518
>>8490635
Thank you both for your inputs, I appreciate getting a second opinion on this. The item that I'm thinking of is made with brightly colored acrylics so chances are the paint will be mixed in order to get the right hue.

Fortunately I was able to look at their other works for a comparison. (I tried to search for them before I posted but I think I may have typo'd their username.) I'm not 100% positive if an order will look as good as the shoop but I certainly won't disconsider buying one solely because the main ref is a shoop, especially since the artist seems pretty experienced. Again, much appreciated insight.

is this a joke?

>>8491306
Mods are pressured into removing drawn tiddies but a straight up plaster-cast vagoo is OK.

Some needs to buy this and use sand to form the word AANI. New group image.

But seriously, non-AA'ers need to get the fuck out of this group.

Is bringing 15-20 buttons per design enough for a mid-size to big con? I have like 35 different designs.

>>8491306
What the hell.
> bloody vagina!!1!! so edgy!11!

>>8472262
I also need some ideas.

>>8491688
It's sort of summer time for AANI too where people are joining assuming it's an art sharing group even though it says in the rules that there's only 2 days for sharing art.
Idk why they'd join AANI when there's already groups specifically for sharing art on FB.

>>8468094
diff anon asking but im curious if anyone has figured out where to get prism printing done for stickers? i tried my luck with alibaba and taobao too but couldnt find anything

the pic im referencing is from an artist that said they print their stickers themselves and then they just overlay some sparkly adhesive lamination film that they get overseas onto their designs but I literally could not find it anywhere....

>>8489914
>>8489476
>>8489748

I took everyone's advice and wrote a pretty firm, but professional, e-mail back explaining that if they want to go with a cheaper artist they should give the job to them. I explained my past work history with clients and education background. The e-mail was worded in a "I'm qualified for this, but I'm not taking any BS, good bye" kind of way.

They replied that they have been burned before dropping 1,000 on an artist friend who gave them crap which is why they are reluctant to do the same for me without seeing the logo design first. They told me they are still leaning to work with me more instead of the other artist.I told them I will not draw anything until a contract and payment has been made. I offered to give them my updated portfolio since they found me on my DA account (which isn't updated with my newer work since I wasn't feeling like I was reaching anyone on DA). Now I'm waiting to hear how it goes.

I just wanted to say thank you everyone who gave your input! I really appreciate it!

>>8492673
Isn't it stuff like this?
http://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/laser-sparkle-texture-item-MH24-cold_60284358656.html?spm=a2700.7724838.35.1.sQUo2C

I thought cold laminate IS the one you could o at home?

I'm a beginner in wanting to get some of those clear acrylic charms. The ones with the front and backside views; do any seasoned AA Artists have any tips or recommendations?

My samples are here!!!!!
And they sent me samples of their new products *w*
GUESS WHAT GUYS
VOGRACE DOES CLEAR ACRYLIC CHARMS NOW
also rubber straps but those have been on the website for a bit now lol
I will put up a full review later in the day! So far what I'm looking at, they are super nice and the colors look great!!

>>8492673
>>8492979
I actually bought some cold holographic laminate from taobao. Still doing tests with them. They aren't as vibrant as I hoped.

Pretty pissed about my most recent Vograce order. I've ordered multiple times in the past and had 0 complaints to speak of, but everything went to shit with this order. They arrived too late for my event, and they're all smaller than they're supposed to be, and blurry/pixelated to shit. I'm gonna see if I can get them replaced, but if you're expecting an order soon, make damn sure you get sample photos to approve of first (they didn't give me any this time which I thought was odd). Even if they'd still arrived late, I would've rather they be something I can use for another con. Gonna see if they'll replace them, because over 150 charms I can't use or sell is nonsense.

One on the left is from a previous order, one on the right is the shit I just got, for reference.

>>8493382
hot press is usually more vibrant, but it could also just be the lighting you're in. i've tested with some other stuff and it doesn't really show up unless it it's the proper lighting.

can i ask where you got yours though?

>>8493416
holy shit the next order looks like some shitty bootleg version of the one on the left

>>8492673
http://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Laser-Crystal-Cold-Lamination-Film_60236954285.html?spm=a2700.7724838.35.1.eB2ex0

Is this the stuff they were using?

Either way, I'm asking if I can get a sample. At this point it almost seems too good to be true.

what size button badges do people usually buy the most?

>>8493416
I think whomever proceeded to print out your job either decided to auto-level the image, thinking it looked too washed out/faded or they went to another printer/pc that was not calibrated.

>>8492979
oh thanks for the link! I guess I missed this while I was looking, so I'll try ordering this to see what it looks like

>>8493382
crap really? do you happen to have an example of your tests?

>>8493437
yea I saw this one and got excited, but I dont have a means to a huge laminator. unless there are print shops that would be willing to swap out their lamination film for a roll I bring in? idk if places would do that but if you happen to get a sample sent to you, I'd love to see as well!

>>8493424
Some taobao shop I got to by using the search bar. I threw it into my order since I was doing a haul anyway. The price for an A4 sheet was like... a bit more than 10 cents? So I'm not sure how 'worth it' it is.

>>8494013
Well, I just laminated a couple of charms at home since I don't have a machine. I feel like I'm groping around in the dark.

I was thinking of using it for laminated charms, but the sheet itself is quite thin so I might have to try double laminating (maybe do thermal lamination and then stick the holographic film on top?). I'm just worried that it'll cloud the drawing too much.

I can take a picture, if you want?

>>8494059
yeah i would love to see pics if you have any! but damn I agree, I would be worried too about losing the drawing with all the laminating going on... i like the idea of prism stickers but i feel like its such a pain in the ass if you dont have access to a large machine ugh

>>8493416
Just got a reply from Coco. Apparently they did mess with the contrast (despite me not asking for that and being fine with the art in the past).

She's talking to her director to see if they can be replaced, but at the very least I'm gonna get a bunch of discounts. Hoping I can just get them replaced though, because I'd rather not have to pay again to replace crap I didn't ask for.

>>8494013
couldn't you just cut smaller pieces from the roll and apply the film by hand on your prints/etc or something? i was thinking about doing it like that, like i print my stickers on A4 size paper and would just cut A4 sized piece from the roll and stick it on. unless that's somehow impossible? the film is one sided (i think?) so i don't think it should be a problem.

>>8494132

>>8494493
Yeah! I was talking to my table mate about it and we're thinking of just trying to use some handroller to do it but I also dont want to fuck anything up... I might just end up buying a cheap machine with some profits I make at my next upcoming con and see what happens!

>>8494533
Cool, thanks for the pics anon! these look cute but I see what youre saying on how theyre not showing up as much as you want... which laminate film did you end up using!

>>8493437
The company replied, they're willing to cut me an A4 size sample sheet, just pay shipping. I'll let everybody know how that goes when I get it.

Samples from vograce
Kylin also wrote me a hand written letter apologizing for being a bit slow and messing up the sizes of the samples. I thought that was pretty nice. Also she threw in some extra samples of their new products as a gift.
Stress test, if I tried really hard I might've been able to peel the layers apart for the flat charms but the epoxy one is tricky.
Water test, 39 minutes in water and it seems like the flat charm, though pretty much impossible to see in the photo had a bit of water seeping in throughout the border of the charm, whereas the epoxy one was fine, except a small section where the hole is. That area is also missing a bit of the epoxy so I'd say if the epoxy was all around it would've survived without a problem.
Art wise, I really like how the colors came out and im pretty satisfied.

Also, here is a picture of the extra samples Kylin sent me.

>>8494738
>that plastic charm
awww shit

where does everyone get their acrylic keychains made

>>8494762

literally the two posts above you are discussing this.

>>8494652
Cool, thanks for that!!

>>8494732
Oooh your charms came out nice! I'm thinking of doing vograce next time I do charms too because I charm traded with a couple people at AX some people who used their services and liked the end product. I think it was mentioned in an earlier thread that compared their epoxy to their acrylic but I couldnt remember the pros and cons of both... would you say you liked the epoxy better?

Hey! I was an anon that post the term for searching holographic film on Taobao threads back(I was told it was not the kind of film but it turned out it really was, since most of stamp supplies store sells them now) I'm going to buy some in a recent order. Here is the term in anybody wants to buy it "镭射膜"

>>8494059
Did you bought the 50 sheet pack? How much it weights?

>>8494533
Hmmm, well...I have one JiMi agency business card with their prism film and it's not that vibrant either...

it's summer in AANI too

>>8494609
What do you mean? Like the fireworks or the stars one? I personally like the stars one more, lol. I'm a frilly magical girl at heart.

>>8494976
Yeah. I have no idea; my total order was pretty big so I stopped caring about the weight near the end of it and just braced myself for the shipping quote. It was pretty heavy in my hand though, like small (not pocket sized) dictionary heavy.

>>8494982
Yeah? JiMi's look really bright in pictures, and I can't get my samples to look like. I realized that I've just been looking at them under warm light though. I wanted my brother to look at them, so I took them to the kitchen, and I realized that they look a whole lot better in cool light. So yeah, lighting might be a factor like >>8493424 said? The super bright light of my camera's flash make them sparkle like crazy.

>>8494059
What search terms did you use cause I was looking on taobao a while ago and couldn't find anything.

>>8494732
Do you have to be able to speak Chinese to order from them? Because I don't know shit.

>>8494976
Ah thank you for the search term! This helps a ton!!

>>8495006
I was actually curious about which specific holographic laminate you bought on taobao! But i agree - I'm really partial to the stars design because they look really cute haha

Has anyone ordered from Pinsguide before? What are your experiences and how is the price?

http://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/China-Manufacturer-Directory-Custom-Soft-Rubber_1687213909.html

>>8494908
I definitely like epoxy better, since it also feels nicer to the touch (not sharp edge and stuff). Just kinda wish they could make it thinner but it's okay eheh.
>>8495195
No chinese is necessary! I talk to Kylin (I seen others talking to Coco?) in English and Her english is very good and understandable! She is also very nice and understanding ^v^

>>8495230
awesome, thank you :>

>>8495230
Oh, can I ask how much you're being charged for each charm, and do you have to order different designs separately? Thanks aaa

>>8495240
Do you mean the price per piece for the final products? I don't know that yet :0 I also have 6 more designs to make samples of (I'm just not done with them)
The samples were however $1 per design that'll be refunded when making the final product, and if you want the physical sample you just pay a no refund shipping fee. They take a bunch of pictures of the sample tho so whether you get the sample product is completely your choice!

>>8495240
If it helps anon, any time I order a batch over 150 charms the price is around $0.50 per charm.

For anybody not in AANI, Jill from Beespoke said she's gonna start offering holo services for her products. Beespoke is a 0 minimum print place too, so, personally. Jimi may get the boot from me soon.

I'm thinking about making paper doll booklets of vidya/anime characters and lolita fashion and whatnot (different booklets, obviously). Is it something people would buy, or are paper dolls just not popular these days? And what materials would look good and still be relatively easy to cut out and fold?

I've been doing research myself, but it would be nice to have a second opinion before dumping some money into these prints.

>>8495775

I have never used Beespoke but I am definitely interested now.

>>8496118
Please do this with Star from Star Vs. I'm not even in the states, but I'd buy it on the spot.

>>8495618
Ohh, thank you so much! How much do you generally sell them for? sorry for all the questions

Have you guys ordered any buttons online? I was thinking about splurging on a button machine so I don't always have to bother my friend to use theirs, but I figured maybe I could find a place to order them just as cheap.

I was thinking alibabababa or something. Is there anywhere else you guys can recommend or a particular store?

>>8495775
Link?

>>8497856
1 second on google

http://www.beespokeprint.com/

>>8497595
regardless of how much you buy them for, acrylic charms (paper or printed whatever) should be sold for $8-12+ ea imo, customers will pay it and it helps keep prices from bottoming out

>>8497606
I like Busybeaver and they have pretty neat finishing options if you're into that (holo, glow in the dark, metallic). Their moq is on the higher side though.

>>8497595
I sell mine for $8 a piece and they're all 2.5" - 3" charms. They fly off my table at that price point, so I'd say it's a fair one.

I'm pretty new to the FB group, but are things like this common? This looks like a turd sausage tree and doesn't seem like anything that would be in any AA. Are these art show people or is it just summer? It just seems like an awful lot of that FB group doesn't understand what AA is...

>>8497606

Try Kyle with CheapestMagnets.com. The quality isn't A+ (sometimes the colors are darker and you can tell it's regular paper), but his prices are the best. Will warn you that whatever deadline you really need these by, up it by a week. He's reliable, but in the sense that if you need these on say, Wednesday, you will get them Wednesday and no sooner. If you're the type who likes things to arrive earlier than you really crunch time need them, def move up your "need by" date. When I order I try to give myself 1-2 weeks before the con so I can get them all packaged.

>>8493262
> *w*
calm the fuck down

>>8498470
>I'm pretty new to the FB group, but are things like this common? This looks like a turd sausage tree and doesn't seem like anything that would be in any AA. Are these art show people or is it just summer? It just seems like an awful lot of that FB group doesn't understand what AA is...

>a turd sausage tree

I wish someone would post this on the group. Great encapsulation of aani and the work it can produce in general.

>>8498506
get the fuck out

>>8498593

If I wouldn't get in trouble, I would. In other FB groups, if you post off topic stuff, it gets deleted. I think that in this case, it's clear this is not Artist Alley material, even if perhaps the artist will try and sell it as such. It's just such a drain. I don't want to leave the group because it has been a big help (even if I lurk), but stuff like this drives me up the wall.

Part of me wants to give an honest critique, but is AANI like other groups where concrit is frowned upon unless asked? Even stuff like the Robin Williams piece, while very well done, doesn't have a place in this group, in my opinion. This isn't a general art critique group, it's for Artist Alley. Ugh.

So, I'm doing my first AA this weekend; it's a pretty small thing (estimated 4k attendance)...100-150 should be enough for change right?

>>8498964

I'd bring 200 just to be safe, and plenty of 1s, but also maybe a few 20s. There is always that person who wants to pay with a $100 bill and it's like a $5 purchase...

>>8498964
I usually only bring about $60 in change to a con of any size and I've managed. 10 ones, 6 fives, 2 tens.

>>8498987
Well, I wasn't planning on taking any hundreds. Since it will be the weekend, I don't think any banks will be open and I don't want to be that person who has to ask one of the food vendors or whoever for change.

I may go with 200, though. Thanks!

Where do artists buy the little star shaped beads that they attach to their acrylic charms?? I find them really cute but I don't know where to find them in bulk and the correct type....

>>8499779
A little ebay searching will get you a long way-- I've gotten results with "wholesale acrylic star" or "acrylic star charm".

how do you guys usually make your prints?
on photoshop? other programs? im using photoshop but idk what setting to use, any tips or recommendations? thank you!

>>8499942
Ahh thank you!!

>>8500066
Make as in the drawing stage? Or the formatting stage? I use clip studio for drawing/coloring, and then photoshop to format everything and/or adjust colors and such.

>>8500104
do you have to pay for that program or do you get it for free online?
yea like the sizing, the cmyk or rgb, pixels, any information that you include in documents before you begin

>>8500066
> photoshop -> sai -> photoshop
I use PS to upload and level my scans, then I do the lineart with Sai because it has a line stabilizer, then I go back to PS to color because I'm more used to its interface (is that even the right word?). I only have Elements though, so I can't into CMYK, but for resolution and sizing and my purposes, it's fine.

That being said, do you guys usually start your prints in CMYK? Or do you draw in RGB and then adjust it as needed when you see the sample prints.

>>8500157
isnt sai only for windows though? i have a mac and ive heard that it does not work on macs

>>8500174
I have Windows, but I do think there was a version made for Mac? Or a way to get around it, at least.

>>8500157
You should only use cmyk if your end result is going to be an offset print. Otherwise, use rgb. Even mid-tier photo printers will have a wider color gamut than cmyk in most wavelengths. The color conversion engine that your software or printer uses will be able to do more with rgb.

>>8500198
also adobergb > srgb. Work in Adobe RGB, then convert to srgb for any web images.

>>8500127
Clip studio is about the same price of SAI, except has more to it. I managed to get it for $15 since it was on sale. Also it can be used on mac so a lot of mac users use clip studio.
Also like SAI, Clipstu works in RGB so I format my drawings to cmyk on Photoshop after I'm done with everything, then make any small adjustments that I need. Also I sometimes do a test print on my printer since my screen is super inaccurate with its colors....

>>8500200
ah ok, so if i make a file to be cmyk to print and convert to rgb whenever i want to upload it online?

>>8500200
which is the correct link to buy it?
http://www.clipstudio.net/en
http://my.smithmicro.com/manga-studio-5.html?gclid=Cj0KEQjw_rytBRDVhZeQrbzn_q0BEiQAjnbSHDUgq7xEVQxa6tTh0oNgKtFDt4WjJm4BRBRNbvJ1PpoaAnIR8P8HAQ

>>8500206
Only start in CMYK if you plan to print in CMYK. In every other conceivable case, work in RGB first.

sRGB(default on most software and Adobe RGB have wayyyyy more colors to work with. If you start in cmyk you'll really be limiting yourself on colors.

>>8500198
>>8500199
>adobe rgb
Yeah, that's what I'm currently working in (by chance though, lol). Good to know!

>>8500209
The first one is the official site that sells it! If you want some enhanced manga/comic drawing capabilities I suggest getting EX, but if you're using it mainly for illustration then PRO is fine. Make sure you check the specs to know that it has what you want!

>>8500237
thank you anon!

>>8500209
Just so you know, both of those are official links to the exact same software, so either one is fine. I know, it's stupidly confusing. And as far as size goes, as a general rule you'll want to work at 300dpi for the biggest size you plan on printing at (5"x7", 11"x17", whatever) You should probably just do some googling on how to prepare artwork for print though, you'll find plenty of info, it's the same whether it's for artists alley or anything else.

>>8500318
thank you

>>8500066
i use firealpaca actually. i power it up with lots of custom brushes but i'm fond of it.

Does anyone use any kind of screen recording software to do speedpaints? I'm looking into getting one, any recommendations?

>>8496118
I love stuff like this and have some of my own drawn/inked/colored in marker, but nothing digitally planned, so I've been thinking about it too.

Maybe laminate them, cut them out and glue some magnets underneath. I think that they could be cute on someone's fridge or something.

>>8500624
I use camstudio since if you format it correctly it won't take a lot of processing power from your PC and can have the video already sped up. It basically can take a frame every x millisecond, rather than record each and every frame. I still speed up the videos even more, since I like to keep my videos 3-4 minutes, but it helps with not taking up as much space.

>>8494533
Update, but I took pictures under stronger light and yes, the holographic effect is a lot more apparent.

>>8502411
Your style looks familiar. What's your da/tumblr?