Artist Alley Critique | Art Rambles

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[@MarbTheMonSTAR]

:/ Its not negative to share your experiences with shitty parts of the art community. Its stupid NOT to talk about it. The art community is not all sunshine and rainbows. People should know about the not so shiney parts too...

[@Twist3dDisast3r]

Thank ya beeb ;u;

[@seven4999]

Life isn't perfect, especially art

[@stefaniclark1165]

"First year, I'll let you pass. Second year, you should've known better. Third year...Your an idiot." My new life quote.

[@Twist3dDisast3r]

yey i'm happy you enjoy my quote

[@kowkior]

littlemiss Stefani You’re*

[@shineyfish]

@@kowkior You beat me to it

[@lilith4092]

I enjoy your long videos personally since it feels there is a lot to listen to and I enjoy watching you draw. Also your negative aspect on things helps keep doing art real and not some fantasy of "everyone is going to make it big". Keep making more vids! We love ya!

[@Darkenedavo]

Gonna give my opinion on some of these things. I've been doing cons now for 4-5 years-ish? I forget. Artists that Aren't Set up: I don't care too much on this one. Over the years I've shown up progressively later to some conventions. I get the principle, and I used to feel grumpy about people showing up late, but I just became one of those people over time. I really should get back into it, but you make zero sales in the first hours. There's sort of the set up static, and all the customers are so buzzed and overwhelmed and it's hard to build rapport until things settle down. That and coming in from out of town can rally cut into your time. Sell More than One Thing: Depends? I used to big on this but it can honestly get overwhelming. That and if you're just starting it can be hard to have built up stock. I sell books mostly, so I'm kind of in a different boat. I think if you can't have a diversity of art, try for something original. Bundles: Yes, bundles are great. But make sure you do the math right so you make a profit. I undersold a book bundle of mine for years. Don't Oversell: I'm not sure, finding the right price is hard. It's sometimes easier to convince one person to buy a little for a lot and it is to sell something for a little to a lot of people. There's a lot of guess work involved. Invest in Your Booth: I think people invest way too much in their booth before realizing what works. I'd start small and feel out the water. While some things work for some people, they might not work for you. Like, I learned I hate selling prints. I'm sure glad I didn't spend tons on that. Get Business Cards: Yes. Make cool ones too. The guy next to me hand stamped his, and other give stickers. Mine's a book mark because, graphic novels. Bring Cash: Also get square. Commissions: Commissions are great. Just don't offer anything fancy. I do hand done sketches, quick inks, or digital (I've got a display set up for people to watch). My prices are $30+ and I limit time on them to 1 hour each. The examples are way shittier than what I tend to put out, so the customer is usually way more impressed, lol. I've made $100s on them. But if you can't work in that time frame...yeah that'd be a problem. I also get emails of everyone I commission to be safe. You'll tend to strike gold with repeat customers, but yeah, make'em quick.

[@Onayateru]

About commissions have I always asked for an address if they wanna buy the full fancy art and then they write it down on a list with mailing covered in the price. But that is just me.

[@stephaniewozny3852]

I LOVE your "rants". I don't even think of them as rants; even if they are unscripted, you are always articulate and get your ideas across well. They're more like educational talks. And they are helpful! As someone who would like to do what you do (commissions, selling at cons or craft fairs, etc.) I appreciate that you DO talk about the actual economics of making a living as an artist. Real talk, for real artists. Also, your talks about trends and issues in the online art community. Good stuff. Don't feel like you are being a Debbie Downer, 'cause you're not.

[@bewilderbeastie8899]

People trying to sell business cards is just fucking disgusting. Have... have they never entered a place which gives them out?? They're small bits of information to be taken for free?????

[@duntemdraws310]

Bewilderbeastie lmao if u sell your business cards it just shows that you're after money

[@909maiken]

I followed you for truthful rants and statements. It never even occurred to me that you could be seen as "the negative one". I can't really comment on the topic but I felt this needed to be said

[@Twist3dDisast3r]

well thank you very much ;u;

[@lilyorsman1427]

I'm pretty sure the 'negative art youtuber' award goes to Holly C. Brown. You good, bro.

[@himynameisweirdo7085]

yeah, holly c. brown is way too bitchy in my opinion lmao

[@ItsKardamin]

HiMyNameIsWeirdo I forget but there's like one or two videos of hers espcially that made me unsubscribe from her. I know she's pretty popular but I remember not liking her attitude or I think her pretentiousness on some stuff, but I honestly don't remember what it was.

[@uh0htaj]

you should do a con pet peeves

[@Twist3dDisast3r]

Hmmm I should I'll make a note of this o3o

[@TinyMatchabeans]

Girl, it's totally fine, to be honest I subscribed to you mainly because of the chit-chaty videos and I love the things you have to say. You critique, bring helpful points and even influence your subscribers with the does-and-dont's about art and the community. Even if they're negative they have to be pointed out and I'm glad you're doing so!

[@HanaIchigo94]

I live for your rambles! They are the sugar to my coffee

[@barnaclez]

Ikr XD

[@poppyseed3358]

I think often times people mistake passion for rudeness. You say your opinions and lay out facts in your lovely voice and thats admirable. Honestly I thought setting up a booth and just selling my work at cons was an easy thing that me and a few of my artist friends can do. Hearing you lay out your critiques and advice like this super helpful to baby artists peeking in to the art world. Thank you for another great video Twisted senpai!

[@Twist3dDisast3r]

Awww why thank you very much for saying so ;u;

[@RikhanaKasumi]

For the big Cons in my small city, a few of my artist friends and I would all pitch in for a table, (5 friends $200 table) $40 dollars each got us tickets in as vendors, then we had our own table to display stuff, somewhere to sit and eat and store our Con merch, all of us taking turns to mind the table while the others would enjoy the Con. Profits were split at the end of the weekend after marking down who sold what. I highly recommend it if you're unsure you can afford to do it all by yourself. :)

[@namiiette]

Yay! I feel like watching these videos of yours really helps me to focus for some weird reason, and I really just enjoy watching them. I love how you're so down to earth and real with your audience. Thank you for making KZbin videos! You are one of my biggest inspirations

[@sw10235]

Honestly out of all the artists I watch on KZbin, you're one of only a handful that talk about some of the negative aspects in the artist community. The real problems, not just drama between youtubers. It's refreshing, plus you give out some AMAZING advice.

[@ROcata]

yeah bad things tend to happen when you're focused more on the money then the craft had a friend who wanted to learn how to draw just to make money off it... he didn't go far

[@Twist3dDisast3r]

Those people never tend to. Or they do then they sooner or later fall

[@Kabber]

i actually really appreciate your bluntness, because its actually helpful!!

[@rottenroadkill3311]

I live for these videos that you put up. You tell it like it is and you are so enjoyable to listen to while I work on stuff! I've learned a lot from watching your videos!

[@xmovedx4495]

-when your favorite KZbinr posts a new video-

[@getjinxed96]

Personally I like your storytime, art rambles, and rants. I like listening to the negative side since not enough people talk about it.

[@leenathewaterspirit2791]

I listened to this while I was drawing an adoptable I plan to give away on instagram and it really helped me just to listen to you talk about your tips. Usually if I draw when listening to music or not listening to anything at all I get bored of drawing and want to do something new so I never end up finishing it, but I actually finished my drawing! Idk what it is about your video that didn't make me bored and want to go do something else but hey it works. I'll probably be listening to your videos when I draw from now on!

[@sarabrown5276]

Your the only KZbinr I can watch for over 20 minutes straight.

[@LillenArt2]

If an artist shows up late to a con, that's on them and they'll pay for it in less sales. Sometimes stuff does happen beyond a person's control though.

[@ashemariearts5492]

Yeah Art Rambles! I love listening to these videos while I'm at work and while I'm drawing. I agree with you so much about artist alleys, they are getting really badly unprofessional and it's so sad to see when I know so many artist bustin their ass to try and get to the point where they can afford to sell at cons, and these other people are squandering the opportunity they have by keeping these bad/unprofessional habits. Love hearing your POV on this.

[@gemtastic5708]

I think you're very "tell it how it is from your perspective" and I really appreciate that. You are clear about that you're only talking about your PoV, your experience and your opinion. They also just happen to be very down to earth and useful. I'm one of those who like these rambles. As an adult, it feels nice to have an adult on youtube you can listen to.

[@Xilaas]

I gotta feed my CHINchillAS!!

[@iRio2Alyce]

First, I recently discovered your channel and really enjoy it. I was working on a commission as I listened, and your voice is super calming! Second, i couldn't agree more with all the points you made- especially about the work being professional quality. My city only has one large anime con and while i love the vendor hall, it is full of artists who honestly...just dont have very professional level art. I feel bad not buying anything from them as the tables always seem empty of customers...but it's just not stuff i would actually pay money for. They all have alot of potential, but i think they need to work on improving before spending so much on merch and then not selling any. Glad I'm not the only one who feels that way. Keep up the great videos!

[@Gummybunnybearsmiles]

I once went to a convention where an artist had a single, tatty ring binder with examples of their prints in and then they would just reach under the table and dig in a box to try and find the print you asked for...Like who buys a convention spot and just sits at a blank table and does that?

[@rosiemorningstar9416]

I love listening to you while I work on my commissions ! Somehow, listening to you ramble gives me motivation to work???

[@sakurachangt7237]

Honestly I subscribed to your channel because you are straight to the point and helpful in doing so. I wouldn't have learned half the stuff i needed to know if you hadn't approached issues the way you do. c:

[@ashemariearts5492]

lol watching this after you had a table at SanJapan and after listening to your updated Artist Alley rambles

[@MrCheezitsss]

This weekend I was at a con and for the whole weekend one artist was on her phone the entire time. I looked at her booth like 3 times on different days and she never said hi to me or started a conversation OR EVEN MADE EYE CONTACT. I did like her work but I didn't feel welcomed...I felt like I couldn't talk to her really. So I just didn't buy anything.

[@Twist3dDisast3r]

I had this happen to me one year. It was AGAIN the Start of the Con Day ONE artist Alley. I saw an artist I really enjoyed but they were playing on their 3DS. I asked the a simple question since it wasn't even packed yet. They wouldn't look up from their 3DS and just pointed to a sign saying. " These are my prices" Which isn;t even what I asked. needless to say I didn't buy anything from them and lost a lot of respect. I would have understud if it was the tail end of the con but not right when it starts

[@MrCheezitsss]

That's the worst. I once sign with the prices of their bookmarks on it and I couldn't even read it. The words were all jumbled up. So I asked for the prices and she was nice about it. I would have been very mad if she would have just pointed to the sign.

[@KatieWolf55]

i love your ramble thingys i like it listen to them while i draw they are very informative and you also are rather logical when it comes to alot of issues so yeah keep it up boo

[@twinklemeow6807]

i love your long rambly videos!

[@victorthecollector9198]

Wow, this is actually really informative. I didn't really get what you were trying to say with the title (as English is a second language to me and I don't live in an English speaking country), I just clicked because I like your videos, but I actually learned a lot from this! Since my second convention when I found the Artist Alley I've always thought that seemed like a pretty fun way to get people to know your art, and tho I know it's a lot of work to make and sell stuff I've really been wanting to get a booth, and tho I probably can right now, as I'm still a minor and don't really have the money to get one, but I still want to someday. So until then I'm preparing for that!

[@gravehund]

Oh man, that point you made about commissions is something the people REALLY, really need to consider. My partner commissioned a popular booth at a con this last year for a pencil sketch commission, but because the booth was SO busy it took them a solid 3+ months after the con to finish it and ship it out. Granted they had told us beforehand that they were getting swamped and it would be a few weeks before they would get to it, but there's a HUGE difference between a few weeks and a few months :/ And even then, if you're really getting that packed, then why not just.... stop taking commissions for the weekend? The commission was great, and they were really apologetic about it taking so long so i've got nothing against them, but It shows as really unprofessional when you're not able to even manage your own workload, imo.

[@jct4403]

As a beginner in selling art, its super-duper helpful to know the troubles and what is acceptable behavior! so thank you!

[@edniesainteloi209]

I love the way you shade so much! 💕

[@sevenx7911]

I like these kinds of videos. I hope you keep doin' em :0

[@RetroNekoArt]

youre only honest but it do not suprise me that people call you out on this and say "you are negative" i mean its not all black in the artistic world, there are many amazing things but tbh...it is a fresh new wind that someone finaly is honest about the artistic world! keep up the good work :)

[@kisesakusaku]

Your vids relax me, and hearing rants that are relatable to life and yada yada. That good stuff! (More fun when I am actually doing my art/commissions and well... Its just like talking to a friend at a artist meet up I guess?) I did not go to AX indoors this year (mostly without badge and for the outdoor cosplay gatherings) due to the heavy price tag, but my sis and her Canadian friend were running a table this year and did their best. I think they spent time making Re:Zero prints (and they seen the anime, so they are not like these artists that draw just 'cause they're popular) but there are a lot of artists that did the same thing. And this is fairly common among hyped stuff. But they did it because its made out of love. (Also bonus rare that my sis is a Emilia supporter! :O) I did not ask them on hows their business, but I did hear them blurb that their P5 "school" buttons were heavy sellers, and for prints, its always RWBY for some reason. I'm more happy if my sis just draws what she loves, which her and her friend's things they like are niche. But this makes their booth special because the small following bought the $10 charms of a main character NO ONE makes, and it makes me happy! (I'd buy their stuff to if I have that money.) I think I am done rambling. Not going to reveal the names (unless you peps are interested). :V I just love replying sometimes when I got something to say. :)

[@LilyNionPrivate]

To share my own experience! I went to the Dutch comic con this year, with my company and we - of course - had a stand as well. Not directly in the artist alley, but the row behind it which was also just filled with artists. It was awful. So on the positive side, we had enough time beforehand to set everything up. We made sure to have a white thin blanket over the table so you didn't get to see the ugly wood, fancy cloth, butterflies, flowers and because we sell bookmarks, we had a few of our bookmarks spread on some wire for people to see. We were one of the few ones in our row to actually do this. The stands themselves were... awfully tiny. Like, to get out of your stand, you'd either crawl underneath your table or go through a very VERY small gap in between the wall (which moved, by the way, it was a very unsteady wall). 300 euro for that felt awfully overpriced. We also didn't have the best spot. Despite selling bookmarks and postcards, all of several themes and styles, people seemed to simply walk past the stand and head more towards the middle spot. Mind you, we were right beside the corner stand (the corner stands are apparently very well.) We did not make any profit what so ever. The artists in the artist ally barely took the time to talk. They just kinda seemed to be bothered, frowned, barely knew how to answer questions. Quite a shame, really. The only positive thing of those two days were the artists around us and the customers who stopped for a talk.

[@jaq4711]

I'm going to be doing my first AA table in two years and I feel like you had some really good advice/things to think about! Thank you!

[@Twist3dDisast3r]

you're welcome! i hope my points of view help

[@Mosobot64]

I think you're not so much rude as straightforward and frank, which other folks might perceive as rude. Honestly though, I think this world needs more straightforwardness, so good on you. Also, thanks for the vid! I'm finally re-entering the convention scene after several years, and it's great to have this advice.

[@KalinTheZola]

I'm planning on being part of artist alleys soon so this is actually really helpful!

[@Twist3dDisast3r]

Hope it helps

[@SebastianSeanCrow]

2:06 the one time I had an artist booth we actually had to check in nearly 3 hours beforehand. Like we were there before our venue was open for the public and I basically sat there after finishing my booth set up and makeup for a LONG time. The shops that were there weren’t even OPEN when we had to check in and start set up. Ample time to get ready thh

[@grimgracious]

The first critique is interesting to me because, as someone who assists two vendor friends when they go to cons, it's become very clear to me that you can be as prepared as possible but the amount of time they give you to set up could still not be enough simply because you're working around other vendors who are also using the trolleys available by the con, the elevators are full, the parking at the garage may be full, etc. One time we arrived at our hotel with two hours to spare but couldn't just pass by to setup earlier because they had each vendor go to some building in another part of the city to 'sign in' and wait for approval to go setup because parking was limited, so access rotated and you had a time limit when it came to getting all of your stuff unloaded - at least, that's what they said but obviously it still wasn't enough as some people couldn't come in until 30 minutes before the con started to open up. I totally agree that it looks unprofessional but shit really does happen, and unless the vendors/artists look uninterested and clearly taking their sweet time I doubt most of them who show up late do so by choice.

[@CaitlinKoi]

I do listen to you while I work omg you make me feel like getting more into the solo art business, I already do commissions consistently but I have carpal tunnel q-q

[@Leafy-Akiko]

It would be nice to see you make this video again after you've done a few cons yourself! :) A few of the things you're critiquing I feel like I understand more since I've tabled a few times and being friends with people who have too. I agree with a lot of this though, I don't table as much but I know a few people who are still unprepared even after 5 years of tabling and I don't understand it at all! I enjoy your videos so much, I'm glad your sub count is going up.

[@missoringasm7144]

I love hearing you talk so much

[@dantespimp]

As someone who attends artist alleys for nearly 10 years, I'd like to give you my feedback since you're heading to the Alley yourself. :) First off, the trick to making it at the con scene without breaking bank is to know fellow artists in your area (or those attending the con via the con forums). This was how I was able to travel across the states despite being a broke-ass artist; I'd either carpool with them or book a room with them at the hotel to lower my costs. My first convention was the biggest one in my state. I saved a lot on my table by splitting it with another artist and made a good profit. Secondly, I understand your point about wasting over a thousand on merch you may/may not use. However, I also disagree with this mindset. Why? Because merch vendors typically have GREAT deals during the non-con time. Even if it seems like you're wasting money on merch and it sits in your art space for nearly a year (or is already in stock), you actually save money in the long run. Not only do you purchase your merch for big discounts, but even if you didn't sell out of it at the con or ordered too much, that's one less expense to worry about for the next con you attend. The trick to surviving and saving as an artist alley artist is purchasing in times when there are discounts and having more than enough in inventory to cover at least 2-3 cons. As for the 'knick-knacks' like buttons... I'm gonna be real here: if you're starting in the alley then, yeah, they're nice to have. However, as you climb the ranks in the Alley, these cheap knick-knacks start to work against you. The majority of attendees at these cons aren't actually kids. You aren't a kid. Your friends aren't kids. I'm not a kid. A good majority of anime attendees are not kids. I've attended these cons for nearly 10 years and have traveled across the states, attending anime and horror cons and comic cons. The one thing that remained consistent were the attendees' ages and 'target audience'. Anime cons are the best because the majority of attendees (and spenders!) are teenagers/young adults with disposable income (ie, don't have families, may still live with their parents, and have part/full time jobs). They also have open minds - they're the type who WILL buy $15-$20 prints of the weirdest stuff around. O_O In contrast, comic cons like SDCC (which I also attended) and horror cons are geared to older adults. Sure, kids attend them too. But again, the average SPENDER are NOT kids. The comic con crowd consists of collectors and fellow vendors who have the big money to purchase a $500 piece. However, this crowd is also veeeeery picky with what they'll buy. While they got the money to purchase a $500 statue, they surprisingly won't spare a damn dollar for a button. Worse, at big cons like SDCC they'll expect that $1 knick knack TO BE FOR FREE. e_e Buttons and cheap knick-knacks alike screwed me over two different ways in SDCC. Not only did people purchase only the cheap ass stuff at my table, but they purchased $1 buttons for the sole purpose of BREAKING THEIR FIFTY DOLLAR BILL. Apparently, the card machines at SDCC only gave out $50 or $100 bills. e_e This led to countless of SDCC attendees using the Alley to break their big-ass bills. Because the $1 buttons were the cheapest items available in the table, they only came for that and nothing else. Thus, not only did I end up having no cash on three separate occasions (until me, along with other artists, put up signs declaring we'd no longer break any bills over ten), but I depended on print sales alone to make back my money. :P At the artist alley, you're also competing against two things: other artists and time. This makes the customer's initial visit at your booth critical. It's hard for attendees to keep track of 100 artists in that alley (unless you happen to have a piece that specifically caught their eye). Therefore, if the customer visits your booth and has the opportunity to purchase your work for $1, they'll do it. Even if they love the artwork AND have the money to buy a print, they'll choose the cheapest alternative available to them, collect your business card, and move on. On the other hand, if a customer comes across an artist that sells only higher ticket items, they will still buy those items since there are no cheap-ass alternatives. They will also collect their business card. Because they invested more money in this artist's work, they likely WILL visit their website and keep their card for future reference. That's because they are not thinking about how much they 'saved' at that artist's table. Rather, they're thinking about the work itself. To prove my point about cheap-ass alternatives and how that affects sales: one of my popular artworks was available as a $1 button, a $5 postcard, and a $15 big print. Naturally, everyone went with the $1 buttons and only that. However, once that sold out, people began purchasing the $15 print. With no other cheaper alternatives, people only had two choices: a postcard or a big expensive print. Because my work is full of intricate details, customers were willing to pay more for the bigger print than the cheaper smaller one. That's because my customers were more invested in the art itself than a cheap-ass price. Since this discovery, I discontinued my buttons and focused on my prints as a personal experiment for me. In that following con year, my sales for one con jumped from $300-$500 to a whopping $1000. As I slowly got rid of the cheap knick-knacks, the numbers climbed nearly three times that number. As you said, it comes down to confidence. If you're confident about the work, it WILL sell. But HOW much it will sell will depend on how well you've paid attention to your target audience. Again, if you believe that the con scene consists mostly of kids that can only afford like $1 at your table, then you're actually hurting your overall sales down the long run. You're basically telling everyone at the con scene to come to your table for cheap deals than for the art. Even if you're offering alternatives at your table, a good majority of con attendees will take advantage of cheap deals since that means they can invest money on someone else's art than yours.

[@bezzycay9939]

I like that you covered that subject. It was a fun listening~ :D I don't go to cons enough to experience what artist alley people do. Good to know in case I ever set up a table... Because I mustn't get on Michie's bad side! Rawr!

[@Xx-jh7iv]

My school has this small little fair every year during winter. there was this one booth with two kids that I've known forever. THe made these pretty well made I think needle point plushies, and each was about 25 dollars. I was pissed just because the majority of people in the fair were like 11. Suprise surprise, they barley sold anything

[@spiritlesswolf2029]

I love listening to your videos while I draw

[@spiritlesswolf2029]

Thanks for another great video!

[@dxzxiis8126]

hello, I'm new here and im already in love! Your art is amazing and you are not negative your just stating facts others are afraid to.

[@evegrace5254]

Watching this after having just volunteered at a vendor's booth at a Comicon. Con opened for VIP at 3pm, general public at 4pm. Doors opened for vendor set up at 8am, or you could set up between 12pm and 5pm the day before if you had a ton of stuff. We were just about finished at 3. However the people next to us, who had 3 BOOTHS OF STUFF, did not get there until like 1pm. Drove me nuts because they gave up and just displayed a majority of their stuff on the boxes. It looked a mess and the people were kinda rude when asked where they got their stuff. Don't be that person, they suck

[@JadeAnnabelArt]

Thinking about going to a con next year as an artist. i don't have a huge following, but I'm working on it. I also got a cheap (hah....) button press because I saw Baylee Jae (sp) with one and I figured it'd be a good investment. Going to work on fandom art and my personal comic for some variety but I'm super excited to try it out! Mostly cuz my experience this year was super good! All the artists were happy to chat and talk about their process and even encouraged me to show up next year!

[@peterxyz3541]

Best practice when starting: only do artist table at local cons. NO hotel cost to make up. Table cost can be 30.00 to 400.00 on top of fly/drive, hotel rooms, food, etc. Low expense, easier to target to hit in order to break even. Convention area are "tourist trap" when it come to hotels...100-400/nights. 400.00/weekend hotel AND +250.00 (Otakon, KatsuCon, AnimeCentral) table cost AND car fuel/airfare... Btw, some artist do work/school up till that Thursday evening before driving upward of 10hrs to get to cons. So, late set up...bad; but, that's life.

[@guilhermerafaelzimermann4196]

I don't even know anything about half the stuff you talk about in this video, but i really like the speepaints in the background

[@Iron_Stigmata]

"I gotta feed my chinchillas!" Haha 😂. This video is perfectly fair. I want to Manchester Comic Con and definitely saw fan art that clearly had no soul in it. One booth had artwork hung up from about 10 different fandoms, they were clearly just trying to branch out to as many people as possible.

[@user-wl2fm2gv9o]

You reminded me of my disaster client I've had last con... The girl came up to me in the last 30 minutes (!) on the last day of the con while it was already closing and told me that she wanted a commission... Then she told me that she's been hesitating for the past 3 days and finally decided that she wanted to commission me. She even refused to give me time at least until the next day to actually put more effort into it and send it to her/meet up somewhere afterwards. So uncomfortable, lol.

[@Tamaki742]

Toris Toris Wow, that sounds pretty entitled of her.

[@maybeanimus]

Okay I went to AX and I got some stories for artist alley. Regarding the prices thing, most artist were selling their A3 sized prints for $15, which is reasonable, but their were some that were selling for $20. I bought two prints from two different artist and of two different characters. One print was $15 and the other was $20. Now the $15 print I bought off an artist with a huge following on Instagram, the print was what I kinda I consider the standard since multiple artist that my friend bought prints from felt like the print quality was the same. Now the $20 print was by a much smaller artist compared to the first, not only that, but the poster felt like it was cheaper. It was much thinner and flimsier than the first and I honestly felt mad. I felt ripped off b/c it was more expensive, but the quality was lower. And the artist wasn't huge, so justifying the price b/c of popularity isn't a good argument. Their was another artist selling prints for $20, but they had quality prints and not only that but they were every popular. I mean they had a line to their booth, a huge line, if you went to artist alley at AX then you probably know who I'm talking about or at least saw the line. There was also a point where you spoke of artist who's art quality wasn't that good and looked like they weren't doing great. Now I saw a table like this. They had two tables so keep in mind they spent probably paid double for two tables, since normally people only get 1 table. Their art,,,,well lets just say it looked like my art back in middle school, in other words,,,not great. They had lots of buttons too, but I was standing at the booth next to him for like 3-5 minutes waiting for my friend to get the items she wanted since the booth we were at was kinda crowded. And only about one person came to look at the buttons, even that lasted like a couple seconds and they didn't buy anything. Honestly I felt bad for the them b/c even if they did manage to make some sales it probably wasn't enough to justify buying the tables.

[@papakenzzz9500]

Twisted Senpai!!!

[@Twist3dDisast3r]

!!!!

[@papakenzzz9500]

Twist3dDisast3r Oh I'm The First Comment.. NOTIFICATION SQUAD >:3

[@akenoartworks5363]

Senpai means "Upperclassmen"

[@Sphinksnap]

Akeno Artworks a ''senpai'' is just a person that has been practicing in something for longer than you. It can be in art, in sport or in class, and it can be a man or a woman. I know your comment comes from 1 month ago but I just needed to clarify what you said.

[@jmmip202]

That third one only has lenses for two of her eyes

[@spewsansucks]

JmmiP 20 probably because that eye belongs to a gem who has 20/20 vision

[@MadameLucario]

Anybody who says that this comes off as negative is a fucking overly sensitive individual. "What not to do" lists are frankly the most helpful things to ever provide for people starting out. I'm glad this exists. This is awesome advice that I'll take into consideration for the rest of my life.

[@julie-anne756]

You're already almost at 14k, wow

[@sheppin_]

Once i went to comicon and I found a booth selling buttons for $6 DOLLARS EACH!! It was so expensive!!

[@JuliaNightmare]

I got 2 of one artist's business card at Anime Oasis last year, just because it had Ariel from the Little Mermaid with Sugar Skull pattern on her face, one was for my mom since she loves sugar skulls. I wish I could have bought a full sized print of that picture, but I was not in the best of places financially at the time.

[@KichiMiangra]

I feel like the problem I run into in the 'Don't oversell yourself, would YOU buy it for that price?' issue I have is that I am a horrible person to ask that to, being that I am the "Eh I'll just go learn to do it myself" type of person :I

[@mido3046]

thanks so much for doing these videos! i love your candid way of speaking, and your videos always make me feel like a Strong Independant Artist o/. also i've looked but haven't been able to find anything: what program do you use to capture your drawing process? i'd love to join the art community but im not really into twitter/insta, etc. thanks for reading!

[@hawkgirlaj9082]

Hey, question, since you also go to conventions! Any cosplay tips (if you do that) ? What materials do you recommend? Its my 3rd time cosplaying, but the first time fully sewing the whole thing, so any tips would be great! Thanks!

[@bozhanageorieva4731]

nonification squad yay! Also those are my favorite type of videos you do twisted

[@apperusenpai]

I don't necessarily get upset or mad when artists aren't set up when the artists' hall opens. They're the ones that are losing sales by not even bothering to care.

[@nillestudio5324]

Thank you for making this vidoe it was a big help 😊

[@AngryMothNoises]

I have a lamented charm, two of them I had sense I was 13, I am 22 now. They are still on my keys. Only one has started to peel in one corner but beyond that, its still pretty much in tact. The other one is still pretty much perfect.

[@Parziivale]

Ooh, I didn't notice the username change here until you pointed it out! Also i love how you did the gloves, i love the subtlety of those lines vs the thick lineart~ Also, I have a question about beginner con stuff! So, merch prices aside, do you think tables that don't cost money (or at least cost less than 100 dollars) at artist alleys/conventions (eg college art fairs or raffle-won tables) are worth the general experience to "dip your toes in the water" so to speak? I feel like conventions in general feel a bit different than online stores because by being in a physical space, it's easier to see new people's merch, vs trying to randomly find and hunt down someone's online store.

[@Twist3dDisast3r]

Yes I do I think it is a very good way to start out with it. Just don't go broke doing so! But it would be a good place to start out. Take the chance if you can!

[@Seviate]

an extra two cents of the 'don't do commissions if you don't have the time' is don't do commissions if you don't have the energy. if you struggle with energy management too, you'll end up dragging something out you didn't mean to and it'll just be a soggy mess at the end :/

[@terukisuke5324]

Do you have any advice for those who just want to commission part time? I'm a writer but I'm equally dedicated to my art as well as my original work but I may start doing fanworks to get myself out there. I wonder if you have any tips for time management, seeing as I want to do KZbin stuff too. Things like "draw your oc" soon once a week since I just got a really good mic, but idk. I also have a fanfic I struggle to keep up with though my community tends to be understanding, and it's free obviously. Basically I want to do a variety of things but I want to do a commission here and there, just not ALL the time.

[@jijipoid]

just going to add something to your advice .. which is pretty much spot on btw.. I want to add that sometimes dealer dens/rooms tell the artists and dealers an opening time of one time and then decide to open early... so to just ignore someone who is in mid set up is kind of unfair.. also there is the people that are either staff or high donators that get first comb of the dealer area which is usually durring setup time.. and sometimes your set up time gets sliced by them too trying to buy stuff from you before you have completed set up.. Granted I suppose it probably depends on the conventions you are attending.. but I have had these happen quite a bit.. I am uncertain about specifically art tables as ours is a mixed item table and our art isn't our main attraction.. but this seems to be kind of common occurrence for us.. makes me kinda irritated actually lol.. also.. as someone who does artist ally/dealer tables in the Midwest.. it might also be a good idea to get the paypal creditcard swiper for your phone/tablet or get what i have which is square pay.. because I can not tell you how many times I my group gets asked if we accept cards.. less and less people at conventions are carrying much cash beyond what is necessary for a walk in badge.. I would have to say half our sales are on credit.. you have nice art btw :)

[@ewfahgehajigeamiefma]

I LOVE YO RANTS AMD RAMBLES :DDDD

[@nickysmiles6584]

Question: Hi, I have enjoyed your videos and found them helpful. I was wondering if u could recommend the paper you use to print / make buttons ( with your button maker)? I want to start making some but am unsure which paper would be best to use. Any help or suggestion would be greatly appreciated . I look forward to future videos and rants. Hope your having a Fabulous day.😎 Nicky 😀

[@Twist3dDisast3r]

Honestly I tried computer paper. Cause it says to use the thinnist paper possible for the buttons. But I did not like how the printer I used printed them out. I want to try a couple of other printers before I fully recomend!

[@flossiebell]

You're not the negative artist in the artist community. _Holly Brown_ is the negative artist in the artist community. -Please don't hate me she's a great artist-

[@S0SHIN]

500$???? for a booth???? holy shit I thought they where only like at LEAST 100-200$ like wow I never knew they where thst expensive but I've only went to one con and never had a booth so I wouldn't know the correct price lmao

[@Twist3dDisast3r]

It depends on the con. Bigger the con bigger the cost for a Table.

[@erroremma4679]

I kinda wanna get a spot in the artist alley some day but I feel like I won't have anything but digital art 😅

[@peachinthecorner1460]

This is why i love watching these videos, because she's not afraid to tell us what is good and bad to do, especially for beginners

[@flickering.candle]

was that pod cast lazycast? the video that topic was in is right next to this in my recommended. :D

[@Twist3dDisast3r]

Yes it was~

[@johnwayne9000]

I know this isn't the point of your vid but I love your drawings , what are the names of your gemsona's in this video ?

[@jamjuice5945]

I really hope u make it big

[@breanawilkins1313]

Ur vids like this r great

[@CriminallyOnline]

Wait okay I’ve been watching your videos for ages and I only just noticed how many subscribers you have? Why the fuck don’t you have more? Your videos are great???

[@Twist3dDisast3r]

O3o Shrugs? I dunno

[@peterxyz3541]

Business partner and I talked about bringing my Epson WorkForce or R1900 wide format printer to cons to offer prints to other artists.

[@Tompazzi]

can i get your brush settings? and also great video!! i will support you forever...

[@taragoodwin5411]

“I gotta feed my chinchillas” 😂

[@jokahjokah445]

artpai help! me and my friend (we are both 12 years old) want to start doing commissions. We both came up with a system that we can to to manage one account (she does sketch and lineart, I color and make the background) but we don't know how to start, and my parents are scared that it can be illegal or we have to have a special license to do it. If you have the time can you please make a video explaining how to start commissions and if its legal? thanks!

[@Mocha_frap]

It's completely legal to have commissions as long as you give people what they pay for/don't take their money and run, and you don't need any license to sell your art. I've only recently opened commissions myself, so I don't have much advice to offer, but I thought I'd tell you what I know. :> Before you start selling, you need to make sure that you have plenty of good examples of your work for different things that you may offer. You should start small with what you sell, like 3-5 different things, just so you don't get overwhelmed with options and add-ons, etc. If your art is traditional, make sure you take clear pictures in good lighting (natural lighting is best). If it's digital, be sure to watermark/sign your work so it's less likely to get stolen. It's a good idea to post your art to a couple of social media sites/apps so that you get recognition, too. I'm only on DeviantArt and Amino myself, but it's enough to get started. DA is a bit harder to get noticed than on Amino, but at the same time, it has people more willing to pay since Amino mostly has younger people with an allowance. I'm not sure how you were planning on receiving money, but from what I've heard, most artists use PayPal, including myself. It'll take out a little bit of the money you receive for using the site as a transaction method, but only a very small amount. Lastly, a big thing I'd suggest is to look at other artists' commission pages to get an idea of prices and terms of service and all that, especially for terms of service, just in case people try to ask for a refund right after you finish the art, etc. (It's probably best to ask for payment before you begin work, either the whole price or half of it, and have them approve the sketch before you start the rest of the drawing.) I know this was a lot, but I hope it was helpful in some way! ^^'

[@jokahjokah445]

Thanks! Also which amino are you from? Me and my friend joined an amino that has to do with Undertale oc. We usually post art on there. Also we were planning on receiving money, but that's where my friend gets nervous. She thinks not many people will want to buy art from her. Anyways thanks for all the information!

[@Mocha_frap]

I'm on several Aminos, but as for Undertale, I'm on the main one I think, and I post most of my commission info on Furry Amino. (Most people are willing to get ocs commissioned there; I'm not too sure about copyright issues and whatnot from other communities asking for canon characters.) As for wondering if people will want to buy your art, I'd continue posting plenty of your work to see if you get anyone interested in commissions, or if you really want to know, just make a poll and ask if people would be willing to. (tbh I just opened commissions and people didn't really ask me to, but I got lucky and my commission-opening post got featured, so I'm getting noticed just a little bit.) Regardless, it usually takes a couple to a few years for new commission-accepting artists to get a regular stream of customers anyway, so don't be disappointed if it's not a reliable source of income right away lol. I wish you both good luck! :>

[@jokahjokah445]

Thank you so much for the information! Me and my friend are going to do comminutions now!

[@Niseryusei]

I wish you and your friend the best! I know this was a year ago but i want to let you know i wish you the best

[@adalanachu8285]

Aaaaaaa new video yessss ❤

[@returnseed1returnseed177]

:D I always have loved your channel I think you should do the topic- Art and animation cringe youtubers aka people who just Harass artists and animators (Your opinion on it)

[@BIRDWITCHE]

Are there any videos online that you would recommend for doing artist alley? I need actual advice on my art because I'm still (15) but I am able to make charms easily and buttons and such. In my area there is a huge amount of fantastic artists at artists alley with huge prints, which aren't my specialty, but how much money would you be able to make off of charms, especially if you don't have that big of a name? I'm just far too cautious when it comes to money because I want to make a profit but the whole 100$ fee scares me away every year. Is there a way to go about this? (Also, please don't use my youtube videos to see my art, my youtube channel is dedicated to scribbling.) Would getting a bunch of prints of those...mini laminated characters...Apologies, I do not know the name of them...And selling them for about 2-3$ each have a good profit? I know it depends on the crowd, but I've seen artists do this a lot and they have been popular because of the price and the characters.

[@wrenniebee]

To be honest, I only bought a single pin and sticker from the artist alley this year. Usually I spend most of my money there. Everyone was so...dull this year? Stuff i saw last year still being sold, so nothing new, same artists as always with the same boring art styles. The only interesting booths were the ones with unique styles, but I didn't like the series it was for. (I just prefer original art.) I think my tastes have just changed, though.

[@Twist3dDisast3r]

Ya I noticed this as well. It's why I didn't get as much at Artist Alley this year and why I wanted to make this video. Also I understand the Tastes have changed thing. Cause there was only a very very small number of Fandoms that I enjoyed and saw there.

[@allysonhowes2294]

Ok, I know this whole video was a bout Artist Alley, but I just can't handle the fact that you mentioned chinchillas. I freakin' love chinchillas!!!!

[@flow3rw0rk12]

Honestly I prefer it when artists at booths aren't too talkative. I have social anxiety and I'm more likely to leave a stall without buying anything if I'm being stared down by the artist. Of course brief eye contact, answering questions and generally friendly behaviours like that are very much appreciated but too much overwhelms me. Some stall-owners I've met in the past have tried to make excessive conversation about what they were selling, even when I was clearly very uncomfortable and my response has been to try and leave as fast as possible and avoid said booth. Maybe that's just me though? It's probably different for people who don't have anxiety or are more extroverted.

[@duntemdraws310]

This is why going in stores without my parents (who can actually talk to people normally) is something I dread. The vendors are borderline annoying when they go up to you as soon as you enter " do you need help finding something?"(( urggghgh I would ask you if I needed help thank you))

[@flow3rw0rk12]

Duntem Draws Exactly! That sort of stuff freaks me out too, and is also just generally annoying.