I've always liked your work. I think you've got talent. It's hard to gauge whether your going to make money. But I think if you have the shot you should take it. No sense in second guessing yourself

There are not so many pictures I could print. And, also, it wouldn't be too many of them :3

Unless you've got some work you haven't shown anyone else, making prints of pictures people can just download off your FA site is a stupid waste of money, in terms of production.

Making prints of pictures no one has ever seen before is a different story, but don't expect to sell certain prints at Anthrocon, make a killing, then expect to make another killing at, say... MFF. Prints you sell at AC will undoubtedly be posted up on lulz.net shortly after the con is over.

Agreed.

Yeah, pretty much.

Well, since some time ago i carefully choose to upload low-quality versions online, and keep the high quality ones saved for prints :3

I would rather buy original art or a cd then prints myself. Though my spending money for originals at this years AC will be much more limited then in the past.

How much do you usually spend at AC? :3

well in the past I have spent 2000 or more . this year I`ll probably have 500 or so .

OMFG o____O;;;;;; Buying what? XD;;;;

commissions (those can run from 10 to over 100 ) ,pieces in the art show (those can run into 100 or more each though I tend to try to go for quantity of pieces I like then go bid crazy and any given piece because some record pieces have hit 5 figures ) , cds (10-50 ), comics (1-20 ), doujinshis (Sonic porn!..usualy expensive..like 15-25 each) it all can add up very very quickly

And don't print too many prints. Print out like... 5, or maybe 10 of each.

I was thinking about .... 2 or 3 of each xD;;;

definatly you should print stuff you did/draw new stuff you can print for sell
can only recomment this one : http://www.skifi.net/gallery/2007color/lovehurts
or the one with curr beeing on skifi which was just adorable <3
sadly past 2 years you havent move your ass much to do something your own even when you have so much talent in drawing to that is going to be waste when you dont draw something new :/
if you cant decide than print out half your own half colored for others(but than you would need the rights by the people you colored for)

That has mainly been Seel, I could make an arrangement with her :3

for printing or more? ;3 *teases* xD

Well, honestly, because you are popular, even if your work is not as good as other super uber artists, print them anyway, the more you sell, witch you will sell, not on popularity alone either...it will increase your self esteem and in turn will only enhance your art, so go for it hun! *Snug*

I have so little experience at business, i'm afraid of them xD;;

XP <3

I basically never buy prints. My discretionary furry art money goes to commissions, because then I am getting my own vision drawn up, as opposed to someone else's idea. :)

How many of them have you got so far?

I've lost track. Several dozen at least. ^.^;

Well, what's a popular artist then?

And omg, you actually DRAW stuff, not just color other people's?! ;o

teaser xD;;;

ANYWAY, if I were attending the con and had a monthly income over the margin of poverty, I would probably say yes. But in my current condition I couldn't even afford to buy cheese... real cheese anyway, not that processed cheddar product that even a hobo could afford, y'know.

I do ;3

Honestly, unless you're some ungodly popular artist that is hard to get commissions/originals from, prints are a waste of time.

^^; I see...

Or unless you sell them retardedly cheap.. then they might possibly sell XD

Actualy yes

Why? o__O

I've been told that prints don't sell a lot at AC especially if you're not a well known artist in the fandom (that's why Im only bringing 6 or so as samples). I wouldn't bring 5 prints of 10 pictures and expect more or even half of them to sell. If you're only going to sell prints I say bring a few, a small number of each and if you run out send someone to print more. Bring the files on a USB drive or a CD so you can make easy copies.

Also bring a sketchbook with samples, I've heard sketchbook commissions go pretty well.

My weak point is, you know, I'm only good with digital colors.... so my sketchbook commissions would be something too crappy xD;;; People would not really pay for them, since my lineart "colorless" is not so amazing :3

The opposite than yours ;3

Hmm, well the bad thing about selling your coloring is that you'd have to ask permission to sell every single print that you collab on or that has someone else's character in it. So if you do sell prints make sure you have permission to use everything from everyone you collaborated with. I know I for one like to be asked permission when people sell things I've worked on or that my characters are in xD

I honestly think you're too hard on yourself with your linework. I personally like it with and without the coloring and you know for a fact that I wouldn't say it unless I meant it haha.

Yeah, I know you're honest to the bones ;D

I guess my advantage is, I have mainly done collaborations with my close friends, and.... mainly with Seel... XD;;; So, since she's also going to sell prints of her work colored by me, I guess she wouldnt' mind me doing the same :3 But I don't know if she's too keen on it or not :3 (she has not even replied to this journal, maybe she doesn't want to hurt me with her opinion)

Seel: "skifi, I'm sorry, but your art sucks, you will sell nothing there. Thanks" XD;;;;

Maybe you could split the prices of the collab so you don't have to make extra prints? :>

That could be a good idea :3 Should talk about it

Your stuff is really good, but I think your focus would be better used towards commissions - only because the demand for prints can be really fickle. If you wanted, there are several print shops nearby, you could just bring some files on a USB drive and have them printed while the den/alley is closed, if you anticipate selling them?

Seconded - But I would say print one of each from the flash drive and put them in a binder. At best, you'll get requests for prints you can get on-site, at worst they'll be art samples to whet the appetites of commissioners.

Make the \"binder\" something you can easily haul around the con with you - because its also easy to pick up commissions in the zoo, the bar, the curb in front of the hotel - well you get the idea.

That sounds like an interesting, no risk idea :3

I have only bought a couple of prints from artists I really like and finally got to meet in person. But it's definitely not something I go seeking for. Usually the books people have on their tables at cons are great for flipping through to see if you'd like to commission them. So it's defiantly good to have a couple of prints for references, but I don't hear of too many people buying them.
PS: Love your art!!

I'm mainly a color CG artist, so I don't know if people commission artists for colorworks only ;3

PS: Thanks! ;3

if you mainly want to do digital color commissions. you could get contact info from people and network with them to set up coloring their images someone else drew but didnt have time or interest doing a color version .or even if you brought a scanner..you could scan someones sketchbook commissions and have them pay you to digitaly color it there at the con and then print out or give them a digital copy of what you did either on cd or transfer it to them from your laptop on to a flash drive of theirs . I have never commissioned someone to color a picture before but have pondered it before.

But it would take a few hours for each colorwork.... I could not do too many at the same time ^^;

true. you would have to charge accordingly if you wished to do it. or like i said take ones to do later and send the results to the person via email or mailed cd

My opinion, which is only an opinion, and the opinion of someone who hasn't been to many cons...

If you want to sell prints, it should be of stuff that you don't have readilly available for free download unless it is an alternate version. If you have stuff that people have never seen before, that would be best to make prints of to have for sale. I personally do like your art, but from a business standpoint... People won't pay for stuff they can get for free... Even if they DO really like the artist. o.o;;

But what if the online file is not high quality, and the only way to get a nice print is to buy it there? :3

If you consider the stuff in your gallery to be low quality you'd sure as heck be in for a surprise.

Low quality that would force people into buying is something that's very blurred out and pixely, or a 'teaser' of the image that doesn't show the thing in it's entirety. What's in FA galleries is not considered low quality for anything but resolution. Most people aren't interested in printing things out anymore :\ just having it on their computers is enough.

Mmmmm..... then they should only value a print because of the artist's real signature on the paper? Maybe with a line or two at customer's request? o____O;;;

Signatures are a cool idea, some people sell signed copies for more. I've heard of people paying other artists over 300$ just for a signature they would have done for free.

It's all a tricky way to play the market really, you have to know what consumers want and prepare for that. That's one reason why I dont put mature work online, it makes it sell that much better when I make them into prints to sell offline.

Well, it's my first AnthroCon experience (and my second convention at all) so I was not expecting to make much money, but to just enjoy the fun if we get a table XD;;; Dunno, whatever I could sell helps, but, as you know, my name is not in the people's "to buy from" list, so I would need to find out somethign worth to be bought ;3

"People won't pay for stuff they can get for free... Even if they DO really like the artist."

I agree with your comment. People are less inclined to buy things they can get online for free no matter how cheap you're selling it for or how much they appreciate you as an artist. I've seen people pass up 2$ prints simply because they say they can get it online. I personally pass up prints for that exact reason as much as I hate to say it. This is why all my prints this year are going to be far and few in between and stuff no ones seen online save for one or two.

Do you want to do something together only available at AC? :3 We could create something amazing and really detailed, and sell it together, then \"maybe\" make it available online after Otakon... or never ever XD;;;

The problem with that is I have too much on my plate already :[ if you had asked earlier I would have probably said yes. Right now im doing a collab with seel that I promised way back in November to start but never did D: so Im way behind on my workload.

My fault ^^; I guess I didn't want to distract you when you had your finals XD;;; And now it's late, lol.

How's Seel going? :3

Poorly :c... I only flat colored 2 comics

Honestly, this will be my fourth Anthrocon, and my 7th Furry Convention and in all that time I have bought precisely one print. I will always buy a sketch (of which I would LOVE to get from you), or a badge, before I would buy a print unless it is something outlandish.

The one print by the way was a 4 panel comic by  Spunky which made me laugh so hard I almost shot water out of my nose. To this day it resides on my wall and still makes me smile. So generally prints are a no for me unless it is something outlandish.

I guess when you have not much money to spend, you want to get something really original and unavailable elsewhere, ne? :3

Well to be honest my personal affliction is not the money, it is that I am a writer, and I love to see artwork of the characters which I write about. Hence the reason prints are of small interest to me for the most part.

Regardless of what you may think, you're very good at what you do. If I had the money to go, I would probably buy a print from you.

Which one would you choose? :3

I dunno >.> I'm pretty indecisive X3

I would say that, given your own statements regarding your quality of work and your level of popularity, it might be a bad idea.

Now, with that said, I like your work very much and would love to see you become more popular as an artist. What steps does one usually take to become more popular? Are there publications where you can get your work 'out there' into the public eye?

I have no idea :3 I do this as a hobby, so I never tried to do it for a living

I have no idea :3 I do this as a hobby, so I never tried to do it for a living

Not so much as a living. Call it a secondary income.

Heys--if you were selling prints and things at con, even if it was the same art you already had on FA, I'd likely still buy it. :) I might not buy much since it's already on FA, and I go with a small budget, but I'd buy not so much for the art, but because it's Skifi who I'll get to meet and maybe talk with a bit, while I'm looking through your arts. :D (Heck, I'd like to meet you, your art is good and sometimes hilarious, and... must talk FUTBOL xD ) Now, I'd probably buy a bit more if the prints would only be available for that AC.

I can't say why others buy, but half the reason I get stuff at con is because the art is a tangible link to the artist I admire. Sometimes I may not really crave someone's quality or style or, but I buy their stuff because they're so cool to chat with online or their gallery has a neat theme, or they are just kind. It's the story that I can bring back, like 'Yeah I met So-And-So-Artist, and they were so nice to me! And they're fun to be with, and even gave me some tips on coloring!...' that kinda thing that'll get me buying more than anything else, probably. :)

Everybody makes and offers art. Supply is at max. :p What might just get you ahead in selling well is offering an experience that buyers and fans will enjoy.

Sometimes, I get a print because I can meet the artist and make them sign on the print.... something you can never do when you print them yourself at home with a downloaded image xD;;;

I don't know if I would be able to talk to you a lot or not... remember english language is not my mother tongue! ;3

Ah, descuide, que te entenderé como sea. ;) And I was just giving an example. Artists are mad busy at con yes, but like... a few kind words, just complete the whole con experience, according to me n.n

I think the work would get purchased. Maybe not on a massive scale, since usually out of country artists aren't as -well- known. Not saying your work isn't known, its just that its not as predominant on the internet in the US that I've seen. However, I still think all the work, original and collaborations are good enough for sale.

Nice words :3

personally, i dont think prints sell well unless they're of very broad, general topics like "oh some vore art" or something. but, it can never hurt to print out ONE copy of some pieces and see what happens. with just one piece, it's not such a waste of money and you can see what happens. and, if something does sell, you can bring the images on a USB drive and print it out at the nearby kinko's or something

Knowing who will be around me (AC, Oro, AC, you.....) I know I will have no chance, because your portfolios will catch all the attention... but I guess I didn't want to just be there staring at people if I have a chance to do something else

Er.. oro's not going to AC

Well, the point is still the same ^^;

(didn't mean to say your name twice, but Seel)

Uhhh...what? Why did you say AC twice? And Oro's going to anthrocon? Since when? Also, I don't sell prints, lol

I meant Seel xD;;; I just had a brainfart

oh haah, ok

And you should sell your prints :3 If i'm going to try it, why not you? 8D

1.) i don't have anything that works as a print 2.) my prints didn't sell last year ;P

Tell me your experience: 3 Maybe Ican learn from it! How many did you print? How much did it cost, and how was the price you set to sell them? ^^

i made like...4. my prices were cheap :/ but that's cuz my art doesnt appeal to mass amounts of furries

I guess I would sell them at... $5 xD;;; I don't even know if that would cover the printing cost, but, hehe

Prints are always a crapshoot. Knowing as many people I know who sell at conventions, some years they sell like gangbusters, others you couldn't sell one for someone to blow their nose on.

It also would rely heavily on weather or not you have a table in the dealers room. Chances of better sales there. Artists ally never sells that well for prints, and you may not even be able to get a spot in it.

I would recommend compiling artwork for a CD. Their cheap, easy, and if you have a laptop (or a friend there with one) that can burn them, you don't have to worry about shipping as you can pick up a bunch at the nearest Staples. You also have the advantage of only ripping a few and burning more as needed.

Well, then if people have a laptop there, they may buy just a CD then burn it all over and sell it cheaper than you XD;;;

people buy cds to support the artist and get lots of art for a cheap price per piece of art and to save space compared to a print .a print takes up much more space then a digital file. If someone was to steal art on a cd theyd give it away free not sell it. I know some furs who have bought cds of art after getting it free to support the artist and thank them.

Having prints for sale helps you sell commissions - period. It enhances your presence and boosts your portfolio. Prints don't "go bad". Don't make a ton of them but what you don't sell at AC you can prob. sell elsewhere.

My .02

Trouble is... where is \"elsewhere\"? XD;;;; I mean, no local conventions here

Well that may be a problem.... I take my scene for granted sometime.

If you're going to make an attempt at selling prints, you should only do it with a very limited amount that are potentially good enough to make a profit and more preferably something new that would catch attention. Outside of that, It's probably not wise for you to bother with prints. You should work on doing Con badges, since they seem to be money makers if they have the right quality and impact. If you can handle the bigger commissions in good timing, then you'll be fine. It would be best that you start seeing how long it takes you to draw an image and try to see about increasing your speed while also keeping decency in your creations.

Badges..... o___O;;; Why didn't I think about that before? Ack!

It would be best for you to take some time and look at the badges others have made and see about utilizing a style and type of your own from your research. The better the appearance and originality, the more likely it will sell. So also feel free to design multiple types of badges, always feel .free to try different types to see what works and appeals to others.

I think it would be cool to see some of your work Printed.
You got A very Cool Style that I'v not seen before personally. also of the Prints you see are Realistic Styles or semi-Realistic. Kinda gets repetitive (not that im saying there bad i love to see many styles), So yer, Go for it i say.

thats my honest opinion, lol. I don't Do that Kiss-ass Crap!

Now that you mention it, my crappiness can be quite original, hahaha XD;;; MAYBE

I will say that I can't afford to go, nor to purchase your art, but I know of others who would do so gladly.

Who? XD;;;

Haha, most definitely. O, and a person with over 2000 watches on FA is considered to be popular. Why don't you ask people here on FA if they want the art b4 bringing it (like ask them for which specific one they want) or just bring the printer with you, lol

Like.... a poll, or something? o.O

yeah, something like that to determine how many you should bring, things that would get less votes, bring less of.

Sabes? Yo siempre soy inseguro de lo que hago y supongo que tu estas igual. Y la verdad nunca vas a saber hasta que lo pruebes. Haz tu inversión y checa los resultados, es la única manera en que realmente lo sabrás.

Y esa es mi respuesta honesta sin besar traseros para querer ser aceptado en un nicho social que no me corresponde! ;3

Me tendria que haber dedicado a hacer encargos de a un dolar xD;;;;

Y eso por que? O.O

I think Blitz and Gothic Skunk have good ideas here :D

I'm saving up to go to AC next year but the stuff I'll sell will be stuff thats unseen online or originals :3

Then does that mean I barely have 2 weeks to create new stuff? xD;;;

I wouldn't know, really. I don't go to cons. XD; I don't know where the turnout is.
I'd say bring a few to be safe, and see how it turns out.
Business is always risky, sometimes you just gotta take the leap. X"]
But alas, what do I know? X"D

An outside point of view is always valuable :3

This is true. c:
Anyway, I wish you the best of luck in your endeavors. c:

Thank you 83

No prob! :3

ANyone with enough sense would have to realise the effort and time you're going through to haul all your prints to AC so anyone giving you an ass kissing answer just needs to get their head checked at the door. But anyways. SOmetimes I figure you've just got to take a few risks, if this is your first time trying to sell prints at AC then it could very well mean that you may not get many if any buyers, but then again you could get plenty of interest. Theres just no way of knowing for sure.

But Bliz is right, usually you get more interest in pornopgrahic/fetish related prints than anything else. WHich is a fucking shame man. I would say only go for it if you're sure it's worth the effort.

I feel I will come back to spain with the same prints I have carried all the way from Spain xD;;;

but why? :3

Well, you can do what I did the first time I went to an anthrocon... print a few things - not a lot, just maybe 5 prints each of what *you* like best in your work, and set 'em out on Artist's Alley and see what happens. Don't price them too high, but don't undersell yourself either - I set my own color prints at $5 and B&W's for $3 my first time; I was more or less a nobody but most (not all) of my prints did end up selling. Maybe the same method'll work for you :) The key is really just not to overdo it.

How much does it cost to print them? o.o

Depends on where you go. There used to be a local place near my old house that would do color copies and prints for like 25 cents a pop, but it's been a long time since I went there. Usually you can get prints done for under a dollar each, especially if they're normal letter size. I'd say go to whatever local copy/printing places are in your area and compare prices - sometimes you can get better prices at locally owned shops than at franchises like Kinko's.

Your more popular than I am XDDDD Your a DA GALLERY DIRECTOR. Everyone will know you.

But as far as the drawings go.. ehhh.. everyone sells about what you got, really. Furs are either into cartoons, or, into veerry thick realisim stuff. Your art would probably hit one of those ecentric weird people and sell every peice you have. But if there's alot of stuck up furs that year looking for 'realism' then you wouldn't do so much o.o It's worth a try I guess. Seel would know more about if it sells or not. Just look around this year and see what's selling, then make that kinda art to sell next time.

Will there be a next time? 83

I don't know much about Prints and how they sell. Honestly I would like to see them, but I think that they would have to be art you haven't posted before. Like the others say, it'll probably sell more than already posted art.

What if they're placed together in a portfolio? :3

Then a portfolio might work! ^^ I'd buy it, yo, depending on how much money I have left (saving money is a bitch when there's bills to pay)

Skifi, there's only one person I ass-kiss and they know who they are. I've loved your art from the moment I discovered it. Whatever you are still convinced your technical shortcomings are, your art has always said a great deal about you. Merely for the chance to meet you, it would be worth spending all the money to attend one of the conventions. To actually walk away with a print? That would be icing on the cake. I only wish I could go this year, but I'm only just getting a job, now and I need some experience, going places on my own. Right now, being alone in a big city would frighten me badly.

I know I have made some offers to sell prints online... and barely sold one XD;;;

I will not answer, based on that I think your work is good ( I actually do, but it doesn´t matter)
maybe you should print, maybe you shouldn´t, but remember one thing, if you do not risk, then you are not taking any profit... it is up to you, to analise the situation, and your own (good) art, to see if it worth the risk.
Life is about takiung risks, sometimes we are surprised with the results.... for the better or for the worse....
but we can´t just stay away from every oportunity for not feeling confident enough.

Mmmmmmmaybe... o___O;

I wouldn't print art drawn by others and colored by you.. mostly because someone might recognize the style and say, "HEY UR STEALIN ARTZ! *REPORT*"
If you wanted to do prints that badly i'd do some of your original art. You've got a nice style as it is.
But myself, as an artist and art connesuer, i'd only buy a print from if you didn't post it on the net.

But i'm not going to AC this year. >>;
^^ You should practice more with your own style and post some of it here. Pure original art makes me happy.

If I print a collaboration, don't worry, I would get the permissions in advance ^^

Well it would be a great way to get noticed... Just approach random people and start talking to them start with some friendly conversation then mention its your first time selling prints and your almost guaranteed a sale... Just butter them up... Maybe you'll make a fan in the process. Above all just be nice and inviting.... I think it would be a good idea though even just to get yourself recognized.

I could sell them for $1, that would help xD;

LOL... Or just have a sign that says first 10 customers are 5 bucks each....

you...ar is.. a joy to look and and comment upon. If i could get glossy pictures to frame and set upon my walls i'd be pleased. I love your art and modest as you are, i think your a brilliant artist who definetly has a great deal to offer to the fandom (as much as i wish i could do all this i'm afraid i can't go to AC ^^;;)

What a pity, it would have been nice to shake your hands :3

hehe ^^ perhaps next year<3