A Beginner's Guide To Artist Alley: What To Bring

Pascual Productions Artist Alley table at Anime Impulse 2016

Pascual Productions Artist Aisle table at Anime Impulse 2016

The one word that I hear the about when I inquire people nearly their first anime or comic convention experience is: Overwhelming. From walls of adorable plushies to seeing a cosplay group of Sailor Scouts, there'due south a lot to look at at these popular civilization conventions. Equally vendors, it becomes a whole unlike experience than existence an attendee, but those overwhelming feelings are still the aforementioned for get-go timers in the Artist Alley. Afterward our first convention at Anime California in 2014, we began to examination out new products, adjust prices and experiment with different prepare ups at other cons. These tips are what we have discovered to have worked for us then far. Take these tips as guidelines to help you get started and and so co-operative off to experiment with what works best for you lot! If yous have whatever questions experience free to leave a annotate below!

The Standard Artist Alley table package costs between $125-$350 and unremarkably includes...

  • A six x two Ft. skirted tabular array

  • 2 chairs

  • Trash bin

  • Signage with your name and table number

  • one Creative person Alley vendor bluecoat

Many cons as well offer upgraded options for an boosted charge such as a corner or endcap premium. Although non necessary for first time Artists, this is a great selection to consider in the futurity when you feel ready to pay a bit more for a meliorate location in the convention hall. Nosotros always endeavour to go a corner tabular array if the option is available as opposed to an inline table because it gives you a fleck more space and you generally take more than pes traffic. Some cons don't give you a choice simply y'all will tend to have the option to enter your preference in terms of location. If a convention'due south application doesn't ask for your preference, don't exist afraid to transport a friendly email letting them know your preferred location prior to placement, it'due south worth a endeavour!

What to bring to Creative person Alley

The artist aisle table package provides you with a great base to build off of for your artist alley set, but y'all'll definitely need a bit more than items earlier you're ready to sell. Below are a few of our essential supplies of what to bring to artist alley.

A STORAGE bin for Inventory.

Since art prints are hands bendable, its important to continue them safe in a bin that won't breakdown or allow whatever liquids to go inside, especially if you're doing an art walk outdoors. Invest in a nice sturdy plastic bin that can hands be transported.

We enjoy bins that are likewise stack-able. This is helpful for when you have a lot of inventory that requires multiple bins. These weather-tight storage boxes come in a big variety of sizes to fit any print dimension. Our eleven x 14" prints fit perfectly in the 74 Quart box, along with some space for other items.

Travel Alternative

For travel shows, we keep our 11 x xiv" prints in a 45 liter collapsible storage bin. Nosotros dear the collapsible aspect because they're easy to pack in comparison to a beefy box. Nosotros slip information technology inside our large luggage and pop information technology out when we go far at our table.

A place to store cash.

Fanny Pack: You will be in a very casual environs with a lot of people walking in and around your table. Having a fanny pack is extremely convenient, considering it will be on you lot 100% of the time. I admittedly LOVE fanny packs, especially when traveling and at conventions. All the essentials are hands accessible and won't leave your sight. Notice a fanny pack with multiple pockets so you can keep the change and other items a flake more than organized.

Don't forget to bring at least $100 worth of modify! (Depending on the prices you lot prepare)

  • Tens - v

  • Fives - 8

  • ones - x

Cash Box: Another pick is a cash box. Although bulky to have around, its very useful if your dealing with coins and want something more organized. This cash box has a security wire that you lot can attach to the table, for added security. Only be certain to NEVER exit your cash box unattended. After each day, accept it dorsum home with you or take all the valuable contents out earlier y'all go out.

A card reader to capture credit card sales

This is an absolute MUST Take particular for conventions. If you don't have card, you lot are essentially giving upwardly one-half of your potential sales. Although there are transaction fees for every purchase, the fees are minimal.

We employ the Square Readers because they're easy to operate and provides you with great belittling information for tracking sales. They also take an offline manner feature which is handy for when there's no point in the convention hall.

If you lot opt for the Square Reader for swiping, be sure to become the headphone jack adapter, for those with the latest Iphone'southward!

The older reader is $10 if you buy it at a store, but Foursquare will reimburse you lot with an instant $10 credit later you enter a lawmaking online. Right at present Amazon is selling the reader for less than $10, so not but do you get it at a discount, you lot can pocket some extra change likewise!

In that location are plenty of card reader options to choose from so do your research and selection one that works best for y'all!

A portable battery pack

Most conventions run for 3 days over the weekend (Friday, Sat and Sunday). The convention hall will ordinarily stay open up for nigh 8 hours. Many tables don't provide electricity, so if you have a phone with a weak battery, you'll probably need to charge upwards some fourth dimension in the mean solar day. Portable battery packs are lifesavers. The prices range from about $fifteen for a simple unmarried outlet battery to upward of $50 for multiple USB ports plus other bells and whistles. When searching for battery packs, usually the college the mAh (charging ability), the higher the price and size of the battery. I like the ones that have multiple USB ports, and so you tin can charge multiple devices at the same time. Also find one that is at least 10000 mAh or higher, as these tin can fully charge the average smartphone at to the lowest degree 2-3 times. If you lot want to charge larger devices such every bit an Ipad, I'd definitely suggest buying a charger with at least 20000mAh. Choose one that fits your needs of charging time and functionality. They even take new wireless portable chargers for those wireless charging capabilities. Remember to charge your portable charger the night before a convention! Below are a few options that I'd suggest checking out!

An emergency supplies Kit

We pack an Emergency Kit for every convention because anything and everything tin happen and y'all want to be prepared. This box contains basic items such equally scissors, tape, mail-its, pens, sharpies - to random tools such equally a cutting pliers, nothing-ties, Advil, band-aids etc.

The multi level trays of the tackle box are useful to store pocket-size items such every bit paper clips, pencils, erasers, ring aids etc. While the bottom compartment can store larger items such equally scissors, duck record, and a pack of zip ties.

The large pouch option is corking for traveling. Since yous'll have a lot of different items, it'll be easier find what you're looking for with a mesh or articulate pouch.

An art portfolio flip book

A portfolio volume is perfect for showcasing all the different prints you accept bachelor to sell. We use hardcover books because information technology gives off a more professional look and the quality of the folder is much more than sturdy than the soft covers. Although a little pricier, we opt for poly glass pages because it gives off a crystal clear filter that protects the art prints on display.

We suggest having a minimum of 2 art portfolio books available on your table display for each convention. If you dont take enough room to brandish ii books on the table, keep 1 behind the table to bring out if the table brandish is occupied. This allows you to cater to more than customers who may be interested in looking through your artwork. If y'all see someone looking at your artwork from afar, you can gesture them over to flip through your art portfolio to come across even more than prints. Information technology's a neat conversation starter and gives customers something to practice while they're at your booth.

If you're having a difficult time starting conversations, check out this mail about how to talk to customers at artist alley!

Plastic sleeves to protect prints

Your artwork is valuable and its of import to portray that value to the customer. A uncomplicated fashion to do that is in how you package your prints. Packaging your prints in a protective sleeve tin can add value to your print and the customer. Information technology shows to the customer that y'all take intendance of your prints and they are purchasing a quality piece of art.

We purchase our protective sleeves in bulk at clearbags.com! Y'all tin also purchase them through Amazon for faster shipping and smaller quantities. They carry a wide range of sizes to lucifer any artist's print selection.

*Be sure to cull a sleeve that has a "protective closure flap" and so that the sticky adhesive doesn't harm your print!

Dispensable self stick easel backs

Forth with portfolio books on the tabular array, it'southward adept to accept artwork propped upright on a table easel. These Cocky Stick Easel Backs are LIFESAVERS. They barely counterbalance anything, and relieve a ton of infinite, especially when traveling for a show. They're available in a diversity of sizes and ofttimes come in white or blackness. We brandish our xi ten 14" prints in a articulate sleeve with a sturdy paper-thin inside, and stick a 12" easel back to the back of the sleeved print. On a 6ft. table we put at least one-2 prints behind the portfolio volume (as seen in the photo).

LA Comic Con 2018 (2 AA tables 12ft. total)

LA Comic Con 2018 (2 AA tables 12ft. full)

Photo backdrop to display prints

The first question many people think of subsequently they sign upwards for a con is "How will I display prints at my artist alley table?". At that place a many ways to brandish and set up art prints in artist alley, but the virtually common mode is to use photo backdrops. They're light, portable and piece of cake to set upwards and break down! They also have the ability to expand upwardly to 10 feet tall, which is perfect for customers to see your display from across the convention hall.

You do have to get creative when it comes to setting up your prints to hang from the brandish. Information technology took some time and experimentation for us to come upwards with a clean gear up up. One choice is to laminate your display prints, hole punch the 4 corners, and connect the prints using binder rings. This sounds a bit confusing, but I'll try to post a more detailed guide on how to set up your artist alley tabular array in the future!

There are many different kinds of photograph properties stands to choose from. When you're searching for a properties, the nearly important affair to consider are adaptable crossbars.

  • This one has a total of 4 connecting cross bars that are each 3ft. in length. Since the size of an Artist Alley space varies betwixt conventions, this backdrop allows y'all to adapt to the space given.

A Dolly/Hand Truck for easy transportation of your goods

Most conventions are held at a big convention center or hotel/conference hall, then it'southward probable that you'll take to walk to get to where you lot demand to be from your car. Therefore a dolly/hand truck will exist your best friend. Depending on how much inventory or how large your prepare is, at that place are dissimilar weight capacities you lot can cull from.

This 300 - pound capacity dolly is a proficient multi-purpose option and is nifty considering it's collapsible and can exist stored abroad under the table or behind your booth and out of sight when you're not using it. Having 4 wheels equally opposed to the 2 wheeler'due south also makes it easier to maneuver, peculiarly around bumps and cracks in the ground.

Hopefully these items will help yous get a jump get-go into having a successful first time artist alley feel. For more inspiration I'd advise you exit to a convention and look at how other artists display their products in the artist alley.

If you have whatever other questions about what to bring to creative person aisle and how to display your artwork at events, feel free to drib a comment beneath!

- Jana Rae Pascual