BONE CHINA pt.9
MONSTERPALOOZA RECAP TIME! Kat Von D (yes, THAT one) bought some artwork and gave me a nice tip.I like her.
What else can I say, except tons of monsters plus tons of sales equals tons of awesomeness? Even if it’s not specifically a comic convention there were still plenty of opportunities for flexible artists who are willing to engage with the attendees, and I think that’s what matters most.
I haven’t been a theme park caricaturist for a very long time, but it wasn’t until I started working at conventions that I learned how much of that experience really paid off. Although the drawing mileage from that line of work was certainly useful, the most important thing I got out of being a caricature artist was learning how to make sales and getting people interested in buying what you have to offer.
One of the most important things in being successful at conventions is not being afraid to talk to the people who visit your table; even simple interactions like asking what they’re into is beneficial (especially if you can offer to draw them something they would be interested in buying, HINT HINT). Being entertaining and engaging (or at least pleasant, for you shy folks) is always going to give you a step up over the vendors/artists with bad attitudes and egos. The key to having a good time as a convention artist is to just have a good time; customers would rather interact with artists, even ones that aren’t giving them a sales pitch, who give off a good vibe.
While being a good salesman isn’t the absolute top priority for being a cartoonist it nevertheless is a great skill to have (I say that because you should still be a good cartoonist as well…still, I’ve seen worse artists than myself who still manage to be marvelous at selling their work!).
In closing, the main lessons I impart to you are: 1) be pleasant, approachable, and confident. 2) be considerate to your visitors/customers but don’t be afraid to pitch them your wares. 3) don’t take it personally if some people aren’t interested (the time spent fuming is time you could spend finding another customer!). 4) have fun. 5) don’t be a dickhead. 6) don’t sweat it. If you believe what you have is worth buying, and are willing to back that up, you’ll make the sales.
…and remember to wear pants. Man, I’ve got a crazy convention story to tell you someday…
‘Nothing bad is going to happen to you’ maybe the cutest thing (if meant seriously) anyone ever said to Scap…
sudden inspiration: Could China try to get Scap to dominate over some reaally stupid adversaries she shoves in his direction? That would be the nicest thing someone ever did to him, but may piss him off quite a bit, if he finds out…
Is she using him? It’s a little too early to say…for her and now her main plan seems to be keeping Scap from drowning himself in the potty.
If nothing else she is capable of reassuring puking, sobbing guys, and that’s not an easy skill!
Yeah, well. Just storming the brain a bit…
inspiration mark two: Since China is quite Goth (and assuming she is serious Grufti, not fashion goth), she maybe at giving Scap the setup for a great heroic/supervillainic exitus. Not that he would particularly care for one.
Not a bad theory at all. Scap as a superhero?…crazy, daddy-o.
…and it appears that you hail from Germany (or a German-speaking country), based on your cool term “Grufti”!
The candidate earns one zillion points!
Japp, Germany it is. And we do make a difference between ‘Goth’ And ‘Grufti’. The first meaning more of an fashion follower (mostly including girlish stuff like pink to the style, and for most of them it’s just a style). The second standing for someone who is seriously into thanatophily, antisocial, and dark thoughts brimming to depression (normally never wear other colours than black, dark red, grey, and maybe violett[when in an extrem good mood;)])
That fifth panel dissolve is amazing. Where did you come up with that effect? It reminds me of the room starting to spin, or so I have been told, ahemmm, when the alcohol does it tricks. Yeah, water is not a good thing at this time, does ask me how I know. How does the Boss know where Scapie hangs out?
“Like a circle in a spiral, like a wheel within a wheel, never ending or beginning on an ever-spinning wheel…”
It’s a pretty simple effect: the linework is duplicated and placed slightly off of each other with different opacities (to get that fading feel), then the Blur tool smears the lines into a motion-type effect. Some brush strokes of sickening color add to the “spin”.
Now I should go to the Adobe site and write a tutorial called “How to Create the Most Nauseating Hangover Effect in Photoshop”.
It’d probably be a welcome addition hun.
1. Kat needs a manicure
2. I prefer to call it, driving the porcelain bus or hugging the porcelain god
3. You are trying to get cartoonists to be EXTROVERTS? hahahhahahah
1. Kat requested herself to be drawn as Vampira, who probably had the spookiest (albeit fake) nails in horror history.
2. Call it what you will. There are probably people who go door to door giving out pamphlets about this particular faith.
3. YES. For Christ’s sake, get out of your basements and go out and meet the public!
Pants? I scoff at britches!
Nice installment of Scap today. I really like Bone C, even if he she ends up a traitor (isn’t the truth of most of our favorite exes?). I guess I’m just an optimistic pessimist. Anyway, I was thinking how cool the beginning of this page is. Peter Parker never had anyone to hold his mask back while he ‘urled in the potty. That’s a real down-@$$ chick. I don’t think my wife would have even come into the bathroom with me. 😀
In recent years there was an incident where ol’ Peter got drunk and woke up in bed with a female acquaintance…it WOULD have been a pretty surprising incident, had the writers not retconned it, changing the story to Peter thinking he was drunk and just falling asleep next to the woman…or some crap like that. Geez, Marvel, quit changing the past already!
Okay…coming out of ‘pissy fanboy mode’….
Glad you’re enjoying the story thus far, and it’s good to know that readers are enjoying Bone China herself. And your wife would totally help you out in this kind of scenario…the kids, however, would probably laugh their butts off!
I really dig Bone China… there is no truer pal that will sit and hold your hair while you toss cookies at le toilettes. Oh… well, Scap ain’t got no hair… um, well. Anyhow…. those thugs are up to no good! Get’em! Somebody!
I totally agree with your “how to win customers and influence con buying public.” Well done. I would stress the FUN aspect… If you LOOK like you’re having fun (i.e., you are)… that’s a vibe that is both CON-tageous and inspiring (esp. in the pocket-book).
Speaking of cons… APE?
Grape Ape?
Better than Rape Ape, that’s for sure…
Absolutely true on the fun part; you’d be surprised how many people start to gather if it looks like you’re having a blast drawing something. The key to that, of course, is to invite them in on the fun; greet them, talk to them as if they’ve been part of the conversation the whole time, make them feel welcome. They might buy something, they might not, but at least you’ll have made an impression (and being a screaming loonie is still a good impression).
Still deciding whether or not to do A.P.E.; although I had a fun time last year, business was pretty bad due to the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival siphoning off the potential convention crowd that particular weekend. I need to do a little research first on the designated A.P.E. 2012 weekend and see if there’s any similar distractions going on on that date.
I’ve prayed to the porcelain goddess, her name is RALPH! o.O
… when someone says nuthin bad is gonna happen, you KNOW somethin bad is gonna happen! #TrueStory
The ‘Ralph’ joke just reminded me of a scene in a Cheech & Chong movie. I think you can imagine the gist of it.
Something bad happening to Scapula?! Noooo, that’s out of the question!
Speaking as someone who ends up in the hospital for alcohol poisoning LONG before getting drunk enough to puke, I can relate more to Bone China than Scap here. I’ve had many an evening where some poor gal I’ve been dating has been the victim of porcelain prayer syndrome. A little advice people: you aren’t impressing anyone by drinking yourself into this state. It’s really, really pathetic, and anyone you were trying to impress is just going to laugh.
I’ve always been more impressed with the people who go to a party and have a drink or two, then say ‘Nah, I’m done drinking, I don’t wanna start acting like a jerk or anything.’ Maybe right then they’re not ‘in the spirit’, but later on you realize (when you’re dealing with all the jerks later) that it’s great to have someone reasonably sober.
And yes, somewhat hypocritical coming from me. But in my defense I’m a completely unpleasant person drunk OR sober!
That’s mostly true, although not everyone at parties gets blitzed just to look ‘impressive’ (although that’s usually 99% of the time). Some people feel like the only way they can ‘come out of their shell’ and join the party is to start heavily drinking like everyone else is…it’s only too late that they realize the people they were trying to fit in with are already barfing their guts out.
It looks like Scap had an antisocial panic attack and started downing the booze (he doesn’t appear to be a frequent drinker), which also leads to an embarrassing scenario.
No one’s judging you, Jenn, and if they are they’ll probably end up with broken fingers or kneecaps!
I call shenanigans. Let’s face it, everyone judges everyone. I’m totally judging EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU! I just prefer to be honest. And I’d never hurt someone for levelling an honest opinion, which is a strange thing to admit (I can always find a reason to hurt people, but that’s not one).
Also, breaking things is for amateurs hun. Carefully dislocating, slightly unaligning, and then jamming back into place is much more interesting for the doctors!
“How did you rotate your kneecap three degrees again?”
“Disagreed with a bodybuilding drunk.”
“Ah, the usual method…..”
Poor Scap!
I hope that mask is easy to wash!
Kat Von D you say?! Very, very cool, A.C. – but then, you can easily hang in the uber talented kid crowd!
🙂
…and here’s ANOTHER embarrassing confession: I didn’t know who she was, until all the star-struck people at my table informed me afterwards. All I know is that she was a VERY nice lady with a great sense of humor, and that she was very kind to come to me and commission artwork. That’s all I know, and frankly, that’s good enough for me!
One of these days I’m gonna have to start watching television again…
Pants. That’s what I forgot at the last convention! I couldn’t understand the strange reactions I was getting…
Actually, a LOT of people get away with not wearing pants to comic conventions, but they’re always the cute ladies dressed up as Vampirella or Star Wars slave girls or whatever.
Whenever fanboys do it…yeah, time to call security.
Aidan, what the heck do you think you’re doing?! Are you…dare I say it…making us feel sorry for Scapula? Oh, I get it. Behind every great villain lies a nugget of humanity, even the tiniest crumb can redeem a villain in some people’s eyes. So it’s not enough to make him inept, you have to make him human, too? I’m reserving my opinion of Bone China. I’ve been down this road before, and anyone who would toilet sit for you while you turn inside out needs to be kept on eye on. I’m not being bitter, just pragmatic.
Hmmm….naw, just wanted to draw him barfing up like a lowdown loser. Haw haw!
But seriously, Mark, glad you enjoy the humanity behind the bastard; I think having sympathy from a character usually goes beyond just showing them doing an act of goodness (a hero saving a puppy is nice, but it doesn’t necessarily make the hero interesting to read about on an ongoing basis…but still, it’s good to protect them puppies).
It’s not necessarily about redemption, but making a villain someone you can relate to on at least some emotional level (even a negative one) is what seems to matter most.
It’s also definitely an act of trust to watch over someone doing bowl-time, and vice versa. But who is really to be trusted?
At least Scap is able to barf… one of the worst feelings after drinking was the need to barf, then not being able to!
I lost all interest in drinking because 1. I’m strange enough w/o the help of alcohol and 2. Feeling like crap the next day just wasn’t worth it!
Oh, geez, I hear that. Almost as bad as that feeling you get when you think you’re about to sneeze and nothing comes out.
Hmmm…actually, the barfing scenario is probably worse.
Very true lessons of life you speak there, Jerry, and further proof that cartoonists’ brain chemicals are already pretty fritzed without drugs or alcohol!
There’s something so hauntingly memorable about the 5th panel, you sure know how to tell a good story! Love your outfit at the convention, it’d be crazy if one day all of us webcomic artists got into the same convention!
Awwwwwww, thank you Jenn Jenn! You are so nice! Everybody, big webcomic artist group hug! Awwwwwwwww!
I’m glad you’re enjoying the story so far (but let’s see how you feel next week…I may not get invited to that group hug after all!).
Quick story: I was dating this model. Hot, but crazy. One night, she proceeds to get so shitfaced, she’s slurring her words and staggering around the restaurant. I’m trying to get her back home, when she decides to go into the bathroom of this pretty fancy place and then just starts throwing up everywhere. I mean, all over the bathroom. The toilet was probably the only thing that DIDN’T have puke on it. Plus the restaurant wouldn’t let me go in to help, so I sent in a female server who promptly threw us both out.
…and that’s probably about the point where you should have pretended you didn’t know the model and instead gone out with the server. She seems like the more reliable type.
I used to date a photographer’s model, and while I never saw her puke, she was easily the most flatulent person I’ve ever known. See, ladies? It’s not just men who have gross habits (and, on that note, I’m going to go file my foot callouses and purge).
Outstanding! Quite a heady flashback to some of my religious experiences from my early college days, tho. Beautiful work.
Very awesome. Pam, considering that your college studies lead you to create your own action-packed comic series (if I’m wrong, please correct me or I’ll just go reread your bio), I’d imagine there must have been quite a number of intense college stories to have inspired you.
Truth may not be stranger than fiction, but it’s still pretty friggin’ wacko sometimes!
Have to agree with you there! Yes, you read correctly. I’m proud of you, I still get people who pop on my blatantly promotional Facebook pages and message, “So tell me about yourself.”
Well, that’s actually better than the stalkers. I’ve got more than a few people who obsessively message me about stupid crap.
Actually, I’d be hard-pressed to say whether or not spammers or stalkers are worse. Neither really ever gets the message!
They’re either spammers, tho, or have a finger up their nose. I’d have to guess it’s mostly the latter. 😉
My finger is currently up my nose as a fashion statement only.
Well, that’s what we’ve come to expect from you, Aidan. I really don’t think Scapula would be the hit it’s become otherwise. 😉
Got my RSS feed tuned in; waiting for your next installment! 😀
Saying joto and cabron in a comic makes you my favorite person of the year.
Gracias! I would have slipped a ‘pendejo’ in there, but that might have been a tad predictable.
Ok. I’m onto this Bone China (at least I think I am…) Scap! Never trust anyone who is being nice to you. Oh well. I tried.
Do you know anyone else in the movie theatre who screams advice to the characters on-screen? Because I’ve actually seen a lot of folks who do just that (and not just horror movies, either!).
Great one. Love how you drift from honest compassion to humor to action.