# Any tips to guide to a successful first Con?



## Greycoat (Dec 8, 2012)

I'd like to one day be able to do artwork at a Con, but I have no idea where to even start. I don't know anyone personally I could ask and I'm honestly terrified that I'll just wander in blind. Currently I'm just working my way up to prepare for a Con and would like to know what direction I should aim for before the chance comes.

General questions I have are
-How do you sign up to be an artist?
-How much should you save up for it?
-Whats a good thing to sell for the first time?
-What kind of behavior should you expect?
-Proper etiquette for dealing with Clients and others.
-The portfolio. How should you display it and what should be in it?
-Guessing you work while there, so what tools should you bring?
-Additional thing to bring
-Best/Most professional way to stay in contact with clients/new friends

Also, is there something small that you can find to test yourself out on before leaping into a Convention? Like a little get together? I'd actually like to find some kind of group to learn from. Plus it would be grand to know a few people so I wouldn't go it alone.


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## Bulveye (Dec 8, 2012)

-How do you sign up to be an artist?
http://www.anthrocon.org/alley
Each con will be different, but AC uses a lottery system. 

-How much should you save up for it?
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the fee is just 5% commission on sales.

-Whats a good thing to sell for the first time?
Art!

-What kind of behavior should you expect?
Non-lewd. This means no waving your penis at patrons. 

-Proper etiquette for dealing with Clients and others.
Just set a professional tone. Shake their hand, introduce yourself, all that fun stuff. 

-The portfolio. How should you display it and what should be in it?
I walked by a few and they had a binder with their work in it for anyone to flip through. That seemed to work. 

-Guessing you work while there, so what tools should you bring?
I'm no artist, but I assume artist-ey stuff. Pens, pencils, paper, paint, easels, canvas, maybe some kleenex for when someone weeps from your beautiful painting. 

-Additional thing to bring
Schnapps. I mean, a mojito is preferable, but who has time to muddle that in their hotel room?

-Best/Most professional way to stay in contact with clients/new friends
Business cards. You can get them pretty cheap.


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## Teal (Dec 8, 2012)

*-How do you sign up to be an artist?*
Go to the convention's website. It will tell you how.

*-How much should you save up for it?*
??? I do not understand the question. If you are talking about "how much is it for a table" then itv depends on the con usally $50-$200(once again check their website).
*
-Whats a good thing to sell for the first time?*
Art. What else do you have to offer?
*
-What kind of behavior should you expect?*
From who?

*-Proper etiquette for dealing with Clients and others.*
Professional and friendly. Similar to how you would act with costomers on the internet.

*-The portfolio. How should you display it and what should be in it?*
A lot of people use a binder with their art in it. Which is what should be in there.

*-Guessing you work while there, so what tools should you bring?*
What you draw with.

*-Additional thing to bring*
Business cards



> Also, is there something small that you can find to test yourself out on before leaping into a Convention? Like a little get together? I'd actually like to find some kind of group to learn from. Plus it would be grand to know a few people so I wouldn't go it alone.


 Just go to a convention. You don't need to go as an artist the first time.


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## RailRide (Dec 8, 2012)

Greycoat said:


> I'd like to one day be able to do artwork at a Con, but I have no idea where to even start. I don't know anyone personally I could ask and I'm honestly terrified that I'll just wander in blind. Currently I'm just working my way up to prepare for a Con and would like to know what direction I should aim for before the chance comes.
> 
> General questions I have are
> -How do you sign up to be an artist?


Since you're new to this, your best bet is to sign up for what is known as "Artist's Alley". It's like a dealer's room, but:
--table space is typically free and the con usually handles the money and taxes for you (in which case you get a receipt book that you record your sales in and use to get paid at the end of the day)
As a result of the above, certain amenities are missing, like:
--- power outlets (and the right to use any that might be nearby--the con is charged for power use)
---full-sized tables
---reserved space
---and the right to sell items you yourself did not make)
Dealer's room tables let you do more, but you have to pay a substantial amount for them, you have to provide your own cash box and change-making funds, and you have to register for a tax license in the state the con is held in because state tax authorities know about these shindigs, and _will_ be looking for their cut, (and you can't have a dealer's table without the taxman's permit). Generally, a dealer's table only makes sense if you expect to reliably make more than you spent on your table fee.



> -How much should you save up for it?


Consider travel expenses, hotel charges (note: sales and accommodation taxes are not typically quoted in convention room rates. They're not state secrets--the con organizers typically forget to mention them on their websites), convention membership (admission), and money for meals, stuff you may want to buy and of course, emergencies. This all varies from con to con, so you have to do your own research once you decide on an event to attend. Most everything but meals, merchandise and emergencies can be estimated in advance with a few browser windows. 
(Protip: don't depend on a debit card to pay for your hotel room--extra $$ is reserved by the hotel for additional charges you might incur, leaving you with less money than you think you have until your bill is paid up and the hotel releases the hold on the extra--which won't happen till after the con.)



> -Whats a good thing to sell for the first time?


Being you're most likely to be in Artist Alley, prints of images you think others might like to buy, but mostly on-the-spot commissions (1)



> -What kind of behavior should you expect?


Friendly, reserved,, noncommittal, indecisive, curious, not interested, bored etc  (you generally won't have a problem with social misfits unless you become well-known for freaky porn)



> -Proper etiquette for dealing with Clients and others.


Beyond "professional", it's not easy to pin down. Generally that which would make people want to do business with you. Picture yourself in the position of the prospective customer.



> -The portfolio. How should you display it and what should be in it?


The portfolio is usually just a loose-leaf binder with examples of the kinds of work you do, both for yourself and for others, but primarily what you can do while sitting at your 'Alley table (2)



> -Guessing you work while there, so what tools should you bring?


Whatever you use to produce the kind of commissions you can offer. (3)



> -Additional thing to bring


A means of recording copies of the work you did, in case the commissioner forgets or otherwise fails to scan a copy to send to you (it's accepted protocol). Most use their digital cameras. I started using a netbook and USB-powered scanner last year and it works well for me. Less work cleaning up the pic afterwards that way. Only fire up the duo to perform a scan and they should last all day (assuming the netbook's battery is good).



> -Best/Most professional way to stay in contact with clients/new friends


Business cards. A mini-example-pic of your work, with your name, website and contact info. One never knows when a commissioner is unable to pick up their work by the end of the day (or the end of the con), in which case they'll want to be able to contact you outside the confines of the convention to get the work they paid for) (4)



> Also, is there something small that you can find to test yourself out on before leaping into a Convention? Like a little get together? I'd actually like to find some kind of group to learn from. Plus it would be grand to know a few people so I wouldn't go it alone.


Probably the best way is to do your first few conventions as a typical attendee. You can get a feel for the 'Alley without any strings attached (you won't be able to leave your table  to take in other events during the day without losing your space)
-----
Notes:
(1)These would include drawings in sketchbooks, drawings on separate sheets of paper (have a supply of page protectors for those), con badges (ID-card-sized character portraits that one can clip onto their clothes). PS: it's a good idea to have badge holders/clips to go with them--factor the cost into your prices.

(1a) Be aware that as an unknown, you might not get commissions every time. I've been around long enough, have enough pics online here, and have enough watchers that I have actually run into total strangers familiar with my work at conventions, and yet there are some cons (like FA:United 9_9) where I have yet to get a single commission. (I use the time to catch up on personal artwork when that happens). 

(2) You'll want to keep the pics in the binder in sheet protectors too. Extra copies for sale as prints can be stored behind the main pic (assuming you're only maintaining a couple of prints per example.

(3) My example: Mechanical pencils, extra leads, separate eraser, ruler, T-square, compass, pens, brush+ink (I sometimes ink with a small brush), white-out, cardstock paper (for standalone commissions and badges), scissors and/or x-acto knife and a more-or-less compete set of markers (only for conbadges, though). Everything but the paper travels in a two-tray ArtBin case, which fits neatly in the bottom of a medium sized rolling suitcase (the rest of the space is for the paper, portfolio and scanner)

(4) I also take down the commisisoner's contact info in a small notebook, so they can be notified as soon as their work is completed in case they're nearby. Also if time to finish the piece runs into the next day or after dealer-room hours. I've had both situations occur. The records are handy for when I post my copy and want to properly attribute ownership of the character I drew. They also work to identify prints to replace (and which ones actually sell).


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## Tignatious (Dec 8, 2012)

_-How do you sign up to be an artist?_
The con website should have links where you can fill out a form/application and/or a contact email for their artist alley/gallery.

_-How much should you save up for it?_
Depends on the con and if you're getting a hotel room in the host hotel, room sharing, or staying with someone locally. A hotel room can easily set you back $500. Add in another $200 for gas and food for 5 days, plus another hundred for buying random things, emergency purchases (like I had to get a new tire at one con I was working, that was a $150 fix). So to be safe, $1,000 roughly. Cons aren't cheap. Not to mention you'll probably have a vendor/artist fee of anywhere from $50 to $300.

_-Whats a good thing to sell for the first time?_
Prints, framed and unframed. Also offering on the spot badges, sketches, etc. That's fairly standard stock. Also if you make any jewelry or something unique, bring that too.

_-What kind of behavior should you expect?_
People trying to get a cheaper price from you, people complaining that they can get it cheaper, that they wish they could get it from you, saying that they're broke and can't buy your art and then seeing them an hour later with $200+ in merchandise from someone else. I worked conventions and ren faires for 6 years, it happens every where. Oh and probably one or two overly clingly/attentive people who won't leave you alone.

_-Proper etiquette for dealing with Clients and others._
Be professional and polite. Don't yell at someone. If you have an issue with an individual, contact con staff/security, especially if you think that someone stole from you. Don't outright accuse them, calmly and discretely notify security and they will investigate.

_-The portfolio. How should you display it and what should be in it?_
Most of my artist friends have several binders, usually two, with exactly the same images in both, that way it can be view by more than one person. They're typically in those page protectors and have your best images to show off. I've also seen it done where they have the prices listed on the images, so people know what to expect, in addition to a price list.

_-Guessing you work while there, so what tools should you bring?_
Sketch book, pens, pencils, laptop, whatever you work with. I've even seen artists bring printers so they can print out more prints on demand.

_-Additional thing to bring_
Business cards with an email address and website address on it.

_-Best/Most professional way to stay in contact with clients/new friends_
Business cards with a business email and either a web page or a business facebook. You can get free ones from Vista Print.

_Also, is there something small that you can find to test yourself out on before leaping into a Convention? Like a little get together? I'd actually like to find some kind of group to learn from. Plus it would be grand to know a few people so I wouldn't go it alone._
Depends on the area, but you can find local furry groups to hang out with and meet new people. You should also look for local college cons as they normally don't charge anything for artists.

Remember 6 hours of sleep, 2 meals a day, and 1 shower a day at any con you go to, artist or con goer. It'll save you a lot of stress and will help keep con crud away.


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## Validuz (Dec 8, 2012)

Tignatious said:


> Remember 6 hours of sleep, 2 meals a day, and 1 shower a day at any con you go to, artist or con goer. It'll save you a lot of stress and will help keep con crud away.



Should be in giant bold letters at the entrance of all cons. ^^


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## Greycoat (Dec 8, 2012)

Wow! That was actually pretty helpful and informative. It sounds like its what I would have expected so I feel a little more confident and some people offered advice I didn't even realize was an option, so that tickles all kinds of fancy.


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