Messages

So the person who I was supposed to table with just bailed.

Is anyone interested in sharing a table with me? :3

I'd love to share a table with you.

I sent you a message! I'd like to know what you are planning on selling and stuff 0w0~ Thank you for responding~

Sorry I didn't get back to you, I didn't get a notification that you had messaged me!  I decided not to do tables this year, thank you though!

So the person who I was supposed to table with just bailed.

Is anyone interested in sharing a table with me? :3

I'd love to share a table with you.

I should be there as Rainbow Dash.  Hopefully I'll have a Fluttershy with me.

Will it be at all possible for artist alley folks to be able to pick up their badges at a separate location?  Like at the artist alley?  It really would make things a lot easier for those of us who have to drag around heavy luggage full of merchandise, either having to take it with us from registration at the Fairmont to the convention center or having to make an extra trip back to the car after getting our badge.  If there's any possibility, that would be wonderful.

Unfortunately, we will not do badge distribution outside of the Registration areas. We can try to work something else out for AA participants, but that information will be distributed in the form of an e-mail from AA's department.

Any assistance you can offer with that would be great.  I do both artist alley and swat meet, and though swap meet last year allowed us to sell without a badge on the first night, since the times coincides with badge pickup time and the lines are usually terribly long, that only leaves a small window for me to pick up my badge on Friday morning, check in at the artist alley and get set up before it opens.

Will it be at all possible for artist alley folks to be able to pick up their badges at a separate location?  Like at the artist alley?  It really would make things a lot easier for those of us who have to drag around heavy luggage full of merchandise, either having to take it with us from registration at the Fairmont to the convention center or having to make an extra trip back to the car after getting our badge.  If there's any possibility, that would be wonderful.

Done.  Sorry you had such a bad time on Friday at the Swap Meet. 

Thank you. I just wanted to bring to attention that the Information Desk should be the ones to have accurate, up to date information.  Otherwise it defeats the purpose of having an Information Desk if I need to look online or elsewhere to get the information I need.

[After your rudeness and demands, I was nice enough to get you a very nice wall spot, despite the fact that you were late.]

YOU were incredibly rude.

You came in and YELLED at me about something that was a. on the web site, b. I e-mailed you (and everyone else in the Swap Meet) about no less than 2 times, and c. It was also on the forums. You also pushed yourself to the front of the line, and demanded to be seated with your friends. This was also something *clearly* stated in the rules was not going to happen.

I did not come in and YELL at you or push to the front of the line. There WAS no line.  Everyone was milling about waiting for their number to be called, since we all had a number order when we signed up for the swap meet. I had a volunteer walk with me into the registration room, and he told me they were up to #85 by now.  I stated that I was #2 and I hope the spot I had on Thursday was still free.  He said he would assist in bringing all my stuff inside if I wanted to go up and get my spot.  I thanked him and that's when I went up to you.  Go ahead and check with that volunteer.  Because if order doesn't mean anything to you, why even bother having a number order at all?  And again read my initial reply.  The INFORMATION DESK told me AT THE CON that the time was 6pm.  There had been MANY CHANGES being made AT THE CON, so why would I go with emails sent out before the con if I was told BY THE INFORMATION DESK AT THE CON of a different time?  And I didn't realize saying "Is spot #4 already taken, I was in that spot yesterday and my friends are over there" is DEMANDING.

After your rudeness and demands, I was nice enough to get you a very nice wall spot, despite the fact that you were late.

All you did at that point was complain that you were not with your friends.

I'll guide you to the rules here:
You will be assigned a 5 feet wide x 10 feet deep space when you check in, you will not be able to choose a space.

Excuse me, the wall spot was free.  I didn't know you had to bend over backwards to get me a spot that was still unassigned.  Because if I remember correctly, you and the other people at the desk were handing us the map and asking everyone who checked in "which spot would you like" both Thursday and Friday.  I'm sure plenty of swap meet sellers would remember this.

Finally, when I had to put someone in the space next to you, you came and made a huge show of harassing me about wanting to not be in the space we actually put you in (you had moved towards the door), AND you demanded that no one be put in the space next to you because "you had to be by the door" (which was not the space you were given). The spaces assigned were all within the fire code.

I had not moved from the space WE HAD BOTH AGREED ON.  The volunteer who led me to the space knows this, the volunteers inside the swap meet knows this, and the other sellers in the area know this.  Because I had not moved since I sat down and started setting up within the confines of the taped off area.  And if the spaces assigned were within the fire code, how come a volunteer came in to tape off more spaces that were not on the map AFTER we were told that all the existing spaces were as much as they could fit in without violating the fire code?  It was because someone came in and started taping up new spaces without an explanation why I went to speak to you.  I had asked the other volunteers and the sellers who had connections with the swap meet and con, and they said to me "they shouldn't be doing that" and offered to watch my things for me while I go inform you about what was going on.  If you remember, I came up to you and asked why someone was taping off the area next to me when that wasn't a spot.  And you told me "if you don't like it, you can leave".  No explanation or anything.  So when suddenly something like that changes and I get snapped at to deal with it or leave without even being given and explanation to what's going on, I'm not allowed to be upset?  

At that point, you were *UNIQUE* as to how you were behaving, and everyone in the line behind you was shocked by your unreasonable demands. I sincerely wish at that point I *had* kicked you out, because I was trying to deal with the 75 people in line waiting for their space while you were asking for special favors.

Instead I gave you a choice of staying where you were, or being escorted out.

If that makes me an evil jerk, that's perfectly fine with me. There was a huge list of people who wanted to get into that room, and you, who *had* a space couldn't be happy with it.

I think people were more shocked at you snapping at me to get out when all I did was come in to find out what was going on.  If you had just remained cordial and given me a quick explanation (I still don't have one) then all that could have been avoided.  And again, I was informed by several different parties that I'm not the only one who had complaints about you when I finally did go about reporting you, so I really don't think it's ME who is the rude one, as you are trying to portray.  I've given my side of the story, and I hope my feedback will be heard.  

I got there a little after 5:00pm on Friday.  With my spot being in the 20's, I knew I wasn't going to be checked-in until probably 5:20-5:30pm.  I personally would rather get to an event early, and if there were any changes I'd rather let the staff of that event tell us, rather than trust the Information Booth of a convention in-case of any mis-communications. :)

That's all well and good, but remember I'm also working the artist alley and I don't have the luxury to go track down the staff of the event or to get there early.  I had expected things to go as they did on Thursday - we got there at the time told to us, we lined up in order according to our numbers (my number was #2), and we get to pick our spot.  It might not seem important to those who don't come to Fanime to conduct sales, but good time management is very important to me.  If I leave my table early, a missed sale could be a difference of up to $85 profit, depending on what the customer wished to buy. 

Also, you said in your previous post that the head of the Swap Meet was very rude to you.  Are you referring to Maryssa, AKA AngelJibrille?  She's always very busy running the Swap Meet each year (as-well as the Masquerade.)  My friend, who was also selling on Friday showed up later to check-in around 6:00pm.  My friend had to attend a funeral that morning, and by the time she got to the con, she had to wait in-line for badge pick-up which took a few hours.  Maryssa was very kind to allow her to check-in.

That is good for your friend, I'm glad she was able to still get into the swap meet.  But just because Maryssa was nice to some people doesn't mean she was nice to everybody.  It doesn't cancel out the negative experience I had with her or make her rudeness to me any less important.  It doesn't make all the other complaints about her go away.  And I would prefer my complaint about her to be heard rather than for it to be challenged.

This is my feedback in a feedback thread, so please stop trying to dismiss my opinion.

It was pretty bad.  I have AT&T 4G LTE and I couldn't get any reception at all.  I was in the artist alley all weekend.

[Pros:]

Pros:
-And now speaking of the swap meet.  Thursday went off without a hitch, it was perfect.  But Friday was a disaster.  The information desk told me that swap meet check in was at 6pm.  It was at 5pm.  Luckily, I was still able to get a spot.  The head of the swap meet was incredibly rude, when I brought up the change in time, she snapped at me that the information was in the program guide.  I read through the whole program, as did my friend.  It wasn't.

The Swap Meet check-in time for Friday was 5:00pm.  It was posted on the convention website , and on the forums in this thread for a while before the convention:

http://forums.fanime.com/index.php/topic,16971.0.html

If you checked this thread like most of the sellers did prior to Fanime, you would've known ahead of time of the check-in time rather than wait until the con and rely on asking the information booth or what was stated/not stated in the program guide.  

Sure, it was posted around before the convention, but if the information desk at the convention told me 6pm and I don't have internet access, how was I supposed to know they were mistaken and there wasn't a last minute change in check in time?  There were many at-con changes that occurred this year, such as the swap meet allowing in non-badged attendees on Thursday.  I wouldn't have known that if I hadn't specifically asked one of the rovers/volunteers, so I am thankful for them that I didn't have to spend hours in line and miss the swap meet.  As someone who is selling in the artist alley from 10am to 8pm, I rely on volunteers and the information desk to keep updated information like that.

[Pros:]

Pros:
-Artist alley was amazing this year.  Thank you for all your hard work and making things run smoothly!  As a Fanime artist since 2001, it's this type of successful alley that keeps me coming back.  Also, the art show folks were wonderful too.  This was my first time doing the art show and I will most certainly do it again after the great experience.

-The volunteers at the swap meet were very polite and helpful!  Even though the head of the swap meet was rude, the volunteers still tried their best to remain helpful and pleasant, allowing my friend to skip the long line in order to bring me food.  I had been in the artist alley since 10am and went straight to swap meet, so thank you for not giving my dinner delivery a hard time!

-Even though the pre-reg line was ridiculous, the rovers/volunteers were helpful in getting me information.  The same goes for the people at con ops.  Thank you for your great attitudes!


Cons:
-The information those rover/volunteers gave me was incorrect!  This unfortunately happens every year for me.  I keep getting told that artists pick up their badges at the artist alley, and it's never true.  I asked the rover/volunteers three times if they were sure this year I'm supposed to get my badge at the artist alley, and was told yes.

-I do both the artist alley AND the swap meet, and it would be helpful if badges were mailed out or if artists were able to pick up their badges at the artist alley.  Since I live 30 minutes from the convention, it saves money to just drive to the con instead of getting a hotel room.  If pre-reg takes hours to get through (I heard it finally got started at 5:30pm) and I have to be at swap meet at 6pm or they give away my spot, I can't get my badge on Thursday.  And I have to wake up, drive, and be at artist alley to set up Friday at 10am.  Some other way to handle artist badges would be VERY helpful.

-Speaking of driving to the con and doing both artist alley and swap meet... I had to park in the convention parking garage and haul heavy boxes of product up to the artist alley.  Parking in the garage is $20 a day.  When the swap meet began, I had to drive over to the Fairmont because even though it was close, it was still way too far to drag all my swap meet items there.  I had a lot of books and manga for the swap meet, so it was really heavy.  Parking for the Fairmont was $10 a day.  PLEASE next year can we have both the artist alley and the swap meet in the convention center, and save the Fairmont space for other events?  It would make things a lot easier for sellers.

-And now speaking of the swap meet.  Thursday went off without a hitch, it was perfect.  But Friday was a disaster.  The information desk told me that swap meet check in was at 6pm.  It was at 5pm.  Luckily, I was still able to get a spot.  The head of the swap meet was incredibly rude, when I brought up the change in time, she snapped at me that the information was in the program guide.  I read through the whole program, as did my friend.  It wasn't.  I was also told on Thursday that they were taking time to measure out the swap meet spots in accordance to the fire code.  But then on Friday, they started adding more spots.  I was unhappy with this, since I wanted the spot next to the door, and they squeezed another spot between me and the door.  When I tried to speak with the head of the swap meet about this, I was told "I don't care, if you don't want your spot, you can leave" and "you have two options, go back to your spot or I'll have you escorted out".  That is just unacceptable and no way to talk to someone, especially if you're the head of something... and ESPECIALLY if you're contradicting your own rules/the fire code without giving an explanation.  I was told later on during the swap meet that she disappeared and could not be found in order to relieve volunteers, which apparently only she had the power to do, and that there had been several other complaints made about her attitude and behavior.  On one hand, I'm glad to hear that I'm not just overreacting and other people felt the same way.  On the other hand, it's terrible that other people had to experience this level of rudeness as well.

-Lastly, why aren't anyone following the arrows on the floor in the main convention lobby?  It's not that hard.  The mass chaos of crowds going on was overwhelming and it happens every year.  Maybe a few volunteers in that area for traffic control would help!

Lol, I was going to say maybe it's an East Coast thing, all of the cons I have been to are in the Mid to North East (along with Nan Desu Kan in CO) and I've always seen a majority of double-sided displays. I just did Neko Con a couple of months ago, my most recent one, and there were about 30 artists with PVC display and about 20-25 of them had double-sided displays. Of course this is an estimate, not exact numbers, but I certainly did notice a majority of double-sided displays. Some artists in the same block as me even told me it was a clever idea and that they would be doing it at their next con!

It's not Mid west cons or North East cons either. I live in Chicago and my main cons are here in Chicago, so.... nope. I've been to these cons you both are talking about and the numbers just aren't adding up... I really don't feel like arguing numbers anymore, because I'll say it's not a majority and you'll say it is. I know from my experience and my own eyes that it's not a majority. And go to a good Comic con someday and see if any of the artists there do that kind of thing -- they don't. They don't think it's clever, they don't think it's good business, they think it is unprofessional.

So let us agree to disagree and wait for input from the staff.

The numbers don't add up.  If you have a room of 30 artists, most of those artists will be against the perimeter wall of the room because most cons with smaller art alleys do that sort of layout.  Why would anyone do double sided displays if there's just a wall behind you?  So how could 20-25 of them have double sided displays?

Actually, if you read my post you'll see that I said 30 artists with PVC displays. There were more artists total. I'm only talking about the types with PVC. Also, the layout included very few tables against the wall- maybe about 10 total. Nearly all of the tables were in blocks. I saw it with my own eyes so you can choose to believe me or not- I have no reason to lie though.

Alright, I looked it up.  Here is a pan shot of the artist alley of Nekocon 2011.

http://yolapeoples.deviantart.com/art/Greece-and-Turkey-Face-Off-268040535

You can clearly see that the backs of those tables with PVC displays are white.  No backwards facing displays there.  In the top picture, the display behind the one with the green signs, all white.  The display with the green signs clearing nothing on the back of those.  The one behind the man in the green shirt, all white.  The two further back to the right of the man with the green shirt, also all white.  In the bottom picture, right in the center of the picture, the back of that display is also all white.

http://regirll.deviantart.com/art/Nekocon-2011-1-267937929

Here is a different shot.  See to the right of the photo there are plenty of forward only displays.

We can argue this all you like, but as I've said above, I'm done and I will allow the art alley staff to enforce it however they want.  But I agree with KikaiSaigono, if the person behind me does try to put up a backwards facing display, I will request them to take it down and bring it to the attention of the staff if they refuse.  As Laggy has stated, the head of the artist alley said the artists were 2-1 against backwards facing displays.

And while I was editing, I read the comment below mine and agree completely.  Infringing on someone else's table isn't solely confined to physical location.

Lol, I was going to say maybe it's an East Coast thing, all of the cons I have been to are in the Mid to North East (along with Nan Desu Kan in CO) and I've always seen a majority of double-sided displays. I just did Neko Con a couple of months ago, my most recent one, and there were about 30 artists with PVC display and about 20-25 of them had double-sided displays. Of course this is an estimate, not exact numbers, but I certainly did notice a majority of double-sided displays. Some artists in the same block as me even told me it was a clever idea and that they would be doing it at their next con!

It's not Mid west cons or North East cons either. I live in Chicago and my main cons are here in Chicago, so.... nope. I've been to these cons you both are talking about and the numbers just aren't adding up... I really don't feel like arguing numbers anymore, because I'll say it's not a majority and you'll say it is. I know from my experience and my own eyes that it's not a majority. And go to a good Comic con someday and see if any of the artists there do that kind of thing -- they don't. They don't think it's clever, they don't think it's good business, they think it is unprofessional.

So let us agree to disagree and wait for input from the staff.

You know, I'm just gonna agree with you then.  I don't want to argue anymore because they are just spouting incorrect information and refuse to listen to our side.  It is unprofessional and something that younger inexperienced and inconsiderate people will do.  Go to the dealer's room of any con, even.  Who does something like that?  No one.

Considering it's been done for YEARS (10+ at least) and only recently has it become an issue; doesn't anyone find it odd that it was never an issue before the last year or so? I also find it strange that it's not the veteran artists (5+ years) complaining about it, but the newer ones to the AA that are.  If I'm mistaken in that statement someone please let me know.

Actually, this is incorrect.  Not even structural displays have been the norm for Fanime artist alley until recently, so how could backwards facing displays have been in place for over ten years?  Some friends of mine were actually some of the first artists to start doing structural displays and it seemed to have exploded from there.  That was pretty recent.

http://baau.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1428&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=30

Here are pictures from Fanime artist alley 2007, and you barely see any structural displays.

I know it's different in every Artist Alley, but many I have been in, the rules will say something along the lines of "your table space includes your table plus 3 feet of space behind your table. You can put anything within this space that adheres to the other rules" etc.
Which is why I believe that as long as my art is hanging ON my display INSIDE that allotted space, it doesn't matter if it's forwards, backwards, upside down, whichever. I can do whatever I want with it within the space I paid for.
I apologize if that comes off as rude but it just seems logical, especially if the rules say so.

As for people blocking your table a LOT, like I said earlier, sounds more rude of the attendees for not having manners, as opposed to anyone else.

Yes, you are coming off as very rude and selfish.  At the risk of sounding old, I'm very disappointed with people these days, they have no sense of being considerate to other people, all they care about is furthering their own gains by doing rude things and calling it clever.  What of people taking up-close photos of your artwork instead of just purchasing a print?  They're being clever by getting the art without spending the money and it (used to be) not against the rules.  Just because you are being picky about the wording in the rules does not mean you are being clever.  It's still rude.  But whatever, the art alley staff decided last year that backward facing displays are against the rules.

Also, to the other poster who said that people would stop in front of their table to stare at another artists display (I would quote it but I don't know how to quote twice in one post sorry!) I think that's more rude of the attendees than the artist. They should have some common courtesy not to do so.

And artists should have the common courtesy not to put up advertising in a place that would prompt shoppers to stop and acknowledge that advertisement.  Because people will stop and look, it's human nature.  Something attracts our attention, such as good artwork we might desire to own, and we will stop to look at it.  Those who glance at it and continue walking are likely not going to buy the print.  So what is the point of rear facing displays if you think it's common courtesy for people to act like they don't want your art?  Just don't put it up, then.

No..? If someone sees the print from the opposite side and likes it, they would walk over to my table to get a closer look and/or purchase it. What I'm saying is, standing in front of the opposite artist's table to look at the display behind theirs is 1) rude and 2) doesn't make sense. They might as well go around to the actual table to get a look.
I don't have a double-sided display in order to have people stand there and stare at the opposite side. I have it so when they're on the other side they might see it and be like "hey that print looks cool! Let me go check out that table"
It's more to catch their attention than anything else. So no, I don't put up double-sided prints for them to "see it and walk away" that doesn't make any sense.

Regardless of what you say makes sense, I have actually had it happen to me.  And it wasn't just a handful of people, that I can handle, but a LOT of people did that to me, hence why I was so frustrated.

And what I had forgotten to mention in my original post - I don't go to just artist alley, I attend professional trade shows as well for my business (which isn't art) and the norm for every trade show I've participated in is when you buy the table space, you also buy the air space around it.  You are only allowed to show your displays inward.  Granted, I know artist alleys are far from professional trade shows.  However, it IS common practice and it IS common courtesy in the professional business world.  Backwards facing displays are advertising in your neighbors' air space, hence encroaching on another artist's space and should not be allowed.

You may feel free to disagree and continue to defend your position, but I do consider it very rude and I hope the art alley staff firmly continues to enforce the rules against backwards facing displays.

Also, to the other poster who said that people would stop in front of their table to stare at another artists display (I would quote it but I don't know how to quote twice in one post sorry!) I think that's more rude of the attendees than the artist. They should have some common courtesy not to do so.

And artists should have the common courtesy not to put up advertising in a place that would prompt shoppers to stop and acknowledge that advertisement.  Because people will stop and look, it's human nature.  Something attracts our attention, such as good artwork we might desire to own, and we will stop to look at it.  Those who glance at it and continue walking are likely not going to buy the print.  So what is the point of rear facing displays if you think it's common courtesy for people to not look at it and act like they don't want your art?  Just don't put it up, then.

Just to clarify, by double sided display I'm referring to having a PVC display on top of my table and hanging prints on both sides. I would never put art or a banner directly behind my neighbor in a way that would intrude on their personal space and disrupt them.

As I said in my post, it's not just being mistaken for the artist, it's the fact that people will see the art and will stop to inspect the art.  While in front of my table.  And block other people who might be interested in my product.  If your rear neighbor is fine with it, by all means, go ahead.  But I think it might just be common courtesy to ask first.

[standing in front of my table staring at those prints for several minutes]

I will agree that backwards facing displays are downright rude.  I've been selling at the Fanime artist alley since 2001 and last year was the first year I've had a problem with this.  Perhaps it's been going on for a while, I don't know, it hasn't happened to me before.  And no, it's not a matter of competition because my table sells buttons and handcrafts instead of art prints.  Because of that, there's no style to distinguish between my product and those of that backwards facing display.  And I will also agree that saying the artists who are upset with this are "just jealous" is pretty rude in and of itself as well.

Last year, I've had people constantly asking to buy the artwork that wasn't mine.  But it wasn't just that, I don't have a problem telling them it's not mine and directing them to the appropriate table.  No, they don't just come up to my table and ask for the print, I've also had people standing in front of my table staring at those prints for several minutes and blocking potential customers for my product from accessing my table.  Not only that, but quite a few times, people had actually leaned over my table to get a better view of those art prints and that was just not acceptable at all! 

So no, it's not a matter of petty jealousy over skill level.  And yes, these backwards facing displays are encroaching on my table space and my ability to sell my own products.

And finally, when the artists behind us were asked to take down or cover up their backwards facing artwork, they tried to ask for my permission to keep their display up.  Naturally, I declined and told them I would like it if they didn't.  And they proceeded to b*tch about it to each other and their friends who visited their table pretty loudly for the rest of the con, which made the mood more than a bit uncomfortable for me and the other artists in my row.  You would think people will be civil about it, but I've experienced different.

Isn't it usually this way? You make an account, activate it and fill out the information and that's when you get your spot.  I'm pretty sure, since I've been doing Fanime artist alley for quite a while now.

Either way, come on guys.  You wanted first come first serve instead of lottery.  You should be ready for first come first serve.  12pm PST is 4am in my time, and I was up at 3:45am waiting with all my information in front of me and ready and even though my connection here is really bad (I can't even watch youtube videos, that bad), I finished registering in five minutes.

Fun con!  It was great seeing all the cosplayers XD