It's been a while since an update here, so here is the final part of the Conventions series of posts! This time we'll look at Merchandise.
Commissions
As an artist as a convention, there is one major thing that will be expected from you and wanted from you: Commissions. But what do you offer?
The bread and butter of the convention artist are Con Badges and Sketches. Mostly, these are the two items you'll offer.
Sketches are the easy part: you only need your trusty pencil and a few sheets of cardstock or Bristol! Many customers will also want you to draw in their personal sketchbook. Remember to always treat the customer's sketchbook like it's made of fine bone china! Keep them very safe. They might contain literally YEARS worth of sketches and memories and be very precious to their owner. Also, make sure you can return the book in a timely manner. Taking someone's book at the start of the convention and not returning it till the end of the last day is often upsetting for the customer because they are unable to get sketches from any other artist or friend. Always seek to return the book by the end of the day you receive it (unless the customer doesn't return for it on time, of course).
Con Badges are simple in theory - you choose a medium to make them in, and draw - right? Sorta. You must decide beforehand on a type of badge which will be speedy for you to make (and still look nice) and you can charge a reasonable price for. Furthermore, consider your limitations with packing. Will you have space to pack a laminator and laminate? If not, you probably want to use badge holders like the type sold in Staples. Do you usually work in marker with pencil, but suddenly find yourself struggling to fit them all in your luggage? Consider going for marker or pencil only, and trimming your convention art kit of very rarely used colors and unnecessary shades.
Other Merchandise
So, what other options are there for merchandise? This is essentially limited by your imagination! To get you started, here are some of the more common items.
Artwork Prints
Matted Artwork Prints
Stickers
Original Sketches
Magnets
T-shirts
Keyrings
Bookmarks
DO NOT rush into spending all your money creating a ton of merchandise for your first con. In particular, t-shirts are extremely expensive to make or have made: they are not a beginner's piece.
Assuming you are just a 2D artist, a good start would be to take a modest supply of prints (more on those in another post), stickers, original sketches and/or bookmarks.
Don't stock up on 10s or 100s of each product. There are not THAT many people at a furry convention compared to many other large cons or fairs. Take along a small supply, especially your first time trying out a new type of merchandise. It's all too easy to say "I need 100 bookmarks!" but you'll be hurting if you end up selling 3.
Work out how many of a merchandise item you'll need to sell to break even. Don't invest more than you can reasonably make back. If it costs you $3 to make 10 bookmarks, and you'll sell them for $3 each, that's a safe bet. If you spend $100 making 100 prints to sell at $2 each, that's much less safe.
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The final make up of your table should show a clear sign showing WHO you are (your most-used fandom nickname - what most people know you as) and prices for the main things you offer. For example:
WHATSITWOLF ART
Con Badges $20
4x3" Badge in Marker
Sketches
One Character $15
Two Characters $25
Graphite pencil sketch
Prints $5
You should lay out your prints in a folder, seperated by Adult and General if applicable. Have at least one con badge example, preferably two or three, for people to see how awesome you are. Decent quality prints of badges you are proud of are just fine too - they don't have to be originals. Finally, jazz up your table with some other small piece of merchandise if you have it!
Stand back and check your table looks neat, easy to navigate and attractive. Practice this at home beforehand if need be. And you're ready to go!
Good luck!
