Fanime's new AA system

[lilfry14]

I don't feel the art was overpriced. They're actually cheaper than what I'd pay for some mass produced poster from the dealer's hall. If you want to talk about overpriced, check out the dealer's hall.

[Oniko]

I didnt really notice an overpricing in prints from other artists. I even recieved a few tips for my work.  I feel bad I couldnt buy more prints but most were large ones and I didnt have a proper way to keep them protected going back home. I felt all the art was amazing though.

Also how were the times any different?  They opened AA up to the artist and the public the same time they do every year.  I was able to get in and get set up fairly flawlessly. My fiance was only held back because he is from canada and we messed up and didnt bring a signed copy of the agreement but thy were willing to help him out and print one which I'm greatful for.

I personally feel this was one of the best cons at the very least compared to last year.

As far as the jury system I got in, not sure if I like it though because I'll have to see what thy plan for next year.  Obviously I go in which means my art was passable but hard to tell if they will like that every year or not.The only thing I hated was waiting for AA to open up so last min. Fanime is the one con I put everything into, if I cant make AA I rather know waaaaaay in advance so I can try for other cons.  With my work I cant visit a lot of them and I'd like to know early enough if I should drop fanime for other cons. Fanime is pretty early for the start of "summer cons" yet by the time I find out if I have a table all the other AA's are already full.

I've been lucky over the years but sooner or later that is bound to run out and I need another option.

[djmonolith]

Obviously I go in which means my art was passable but hard to tell if they will like that every year or not.

I've been lucky over the years but sooner or later that is bound to run out and I need another option.

I want to see your art!  What booth were you?

[megamanjoe415]

Well, in my opinion, artist allry should go back to where it was before, right next to the dealers hall where the current so called food court is. That has way more space and air so it won't be too stuffy.  The gaming hall has always been there, the dealers hall is always grand, but artist alley needs the food court space back. The quality this year was great, swap meet was horrible. Before the swap meet was located with the gaming hall combined, all around the walls in the perimeter. That had more space than the civic center by at least 2x. Plus the lines wouldn't be that long. If anything, the grand ball room had way more space than the civic center.

This is going to be my 10th fanime next year. I want to see some differences and upgrades.

[kikidoodle]

Honestly, the only time I was a little rude to people was when they demanded to know why my VERY cheap original hand painted acrylic paintings weren't $5 instead of the $60 they were.  Considering that the materials cost more than $5 each, I definitely was not having an easy time keeping up a smile when they'd start trying to tell me all the reasons why the art wasn't worth it.

Oh well, that was like 1/1000 people.  Most everyone was fantastic there, and I hope I get to return next year.  I like a juried process, because honestly EVERY OTHER CON USES IT!  I go to different cons year round and they normally have a window to apply, and while first come gets some priority, it's never first come first serve except with anime cons.  Most other cons just don't tell you that they'll be using some preferential treatment when handing out tables.

To me, what it really does is make these sort of cons viable for professionals to plan to return to each year.  I work professionally and if I go to Fanime I need to plan travel time and a hotel or room, as well as prep my merchandise and actually turn down OTHER cons (Denver Comiccon is the same weekend).  I assume a jury will attempt to make sure the artists fit in well with their chosen crowd, which is fantastic!  If I won't fit in well, I'd rather know early than stress out later due to poor sales.  Not to mention that a juried selection works for artists who WORK a lot of the day.  It gives me a window of time to apply rather than stress out and needing to be in the right place at the right time.  That said, it IS imperfect right now, and I hope the staff continues to improve it.

Honestly the biggest issue I had with the con last year was that they took FOREVER to get artists in during check in.  That was far more stressful than the application process x3

Good luck to everyone, though!

[CatToy]

That's a good point. The checkin line on Friday was so long that even as the room was getting ready to open to the public, artists were still trying to set up because the artist registration system was so slow.

They really need to allow artists to register on Day 0. Even if we can't set up tables, getting that part out of the way would avoid the logjam on Friday morning.