Where does the weekend go?
I think that’s a question that a lot of us will ask when the first work day of the week comes along. As I sit here once again updating my page, the house is quiet save for the occasional snoring dog, and the heavy rain outside. Thank goodness that the rain decided to stay its presence until after the weekend’s events of travels and art show shenanigans had happened.
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If you live in the KC area, you need to be following KC FanCon. If you didn't make it out to this one, you missed out on the insanely talented Ande Parks.
KC FanCon #41 was another good show for me. I know that I post a lot about this show, and as many of you know, I do help Craig out with some art boxes and that sort of thing. But I enjoy this show because the the KC FanCon show was the very first comic convention I had ever gone to.
From the first time I attended the show up till now, it’s been something I look forward to attending and now being a part of. It’s a chance to slow down, to talk to and meet new people, draw, and learn more about comics.
But what I really like is when I get a chance to catch up with the people that attend the show. All of you that come in, support Craig, the artists at the show, the vendors and collectors, and the comics community as a whole. The bonus out of it is when I get the chance to review art portfolios and sketchbooks, and I want to extend thanks for those of you that came by and showed me your work today. No matter how busy I may or may not look, I make a promise that no matter the place and time, I always welcome the chance to look at someone’s work, no matter if you are starting out or been at it for a few years. I always learn something new, and love hearing what made you all want to draw.
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Plan on seeing some new originals and a slightly more upscale setup at the next show I do. Many of you asked about the originals and what they look like, so I plan on having them at the next show.
I had not really noticed this, or really paid attention to this prior, but DC and Marvel do have a lot of heroes that fill particular archetypes in their universes. So after a suggestion on twitter to do a “doppelganger” sort of theme, I tried to pick some of the obvious ones that I remembered (although I will admit I had to look up Red Tornado) and decided to do a red/green background motif for the boxes (red for DC, green for Marvel).
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I also elected to move to illustrating these in Acrylics as opposed to my old standard of inks and markers. I liked how they turned out. Brighter and better coloration combined with an animated style for the characters I think really worked.
One of the other opportunities that this show allows me to be able to do is catch up with the vendors and the artist that is featured and get my networking and show finding skills going. I’ve got two or three more potential shows now added to the end of the year (more on that later).
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(left) Craig Klotz chatting it up with some of the vendors at the show. (right) Attendees at the show.
I also always want to thank those of you that come out to the show and pay me compliments on the boxes and other art I create. You guys allow me to be an active part of the comics community in a niche that I managed with Craig’s help to carve out and establish. For that, I am ever grateful.
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I was actually surprised that the first sketchbox to go was Hawkeye, then Batman, and then Green Arrow.
Some of you have multiple boxes that have been made available from the years of shows I have been doing this. That is probably one of the coolest feelings when you all let me know that they are treasured and liked as much as I hoped they would be.
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Next, Vision, Wonder Woman, and Iron Man went.
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And then Captain America, the Flash, and Red Tornado went to new owners.
And what really surprised me though was the last one to go was Quicksilver. I think it’s because he wanted to give all the other sketchboxes a head start. I just found the irony of him having been the last to be uncanny. Alright I’ll stop with the schtick humor now.
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X-23 is a personal favorite character in the Marvel universe for me, so I always am excited to get a chance to draw her, even better when this young man asked for a commission of her.
The rest of the show, I spent working on the new Max Mogulby strip and rethinking my show table display and what I would like to add to it.
Conversations ranged from Planet and Naka Kon coming up again this next year, to Spectrum (and me spreading the word about the show to people about it), to art school memories with former classmates, past moments with former co-workers, and lots and lots of storytelling.
I know I don’t speak for everyone when I say this, but FanCon manages to fill a void for me. A social one.
Sure the big shows have a lot going for them, but they happen once a year.
Craig pulls out all the stops to try to put on the best shows he can for vendors and artists of all calibers to cut their teeth on and get out there. And this is something he does at least four times a year including his larger show in Lawrence, FreeState.
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I drew this panel as a quick demo during my second portfolio review for a young lady that asked about working within the parameters of a comic strip.
So, since I have to wake up in about 6 hours to go make magic and unicorn cupcakes happen at Hallmark, I will sign off for now. Remember to be kind to your fellow beings, support your local artists and businesses, and I’ll see you next time! – Mario, the Artisan Rogue